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Write a Spring Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!

Celebrating International Haiku Poetry Day!

As I wandered out into the garden with my trusty camera early this morning, much to my surprise, an icy blanket at the edge of the rock garden had melted and a family of opening jonquils greeted me with their smiles. Being the first blooms of the season, they simply made my day and inspired me to write “A Spring Concerto,” a haiku (Japanese-inspired, non-rhyming three-line: 5-7-5 syllable poem).

A Spring Concerto

Haiku by Bette A. Stevens

Jonquils awaken

Shaking their heads in wonder

A spring concerto 

I love designing posters to go with my poems and often use photos I have taken. As a former teacher (now retired) in grades four through eight, I know that kids of all ages love writing poetry and they enjoy illustrating their poems too. It’s simple and it’s so much fun to tell a story in the three short lines of Haiku. Of course, you can write as many stanzas as you wish. Today’s a perfect day for you to give it a try.

Get out your pen, get outdoors in nature, get inspired…and get the kids writing haiku too!

 

New poetry book to be released in paperback soon—My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons (A collection of 150 haiku poems and 49 photos)—celebrating Maine, “The Way Life Should Be.”

~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

(Haiku: m)

haiku

noun hai·ku \ˈhī-(ˌ)kü\

plural

haiku

  1. :  an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables respectively; also :  a poem in this form usually having a seasonal reference — compare tanka

See haiku defined for English-language learners

See haiku defined for kids

 

Discover more about how to write haiku and other poetry:

Find out more about International Haiku Poetry Day

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Written

on 04/17/2019

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Write a Spring Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!

Happy Spring!

We’re finally seeing a bit of bare ground here at the farmstead in central Maine. Snow is slowly melting and potholes are keeping us wide awake on the roadways. We won’t see these blossoms for another month, but the three haiku verses that follow will show you how our season is progressing. This photograph is from—MY MAINE—my poetry and photography collection scheduled for release soon (April/May 2019). The collection includes 49 of my photographs along with 150 haiku poems that take readers on a seasonal journey through the Maine I know and love. The book includes a haiku tribute, “Maine Pines and People,” plus interesting facts and symbols from The Pine Tree State.

Wherever you are, whatever the season, I invite you to get outdoors and get inspired. Join the fun and write a seasonal haiku about what’s inspiring you. It’s as easy as 1-2-3… You’ll find the definition and descriptive details of writing haiku below. If the kids are around, make it a family affair—they’ll love it!

My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons

(Excerpt from “Spring Awakenings”)

Rivers spill over
While ice jams—slowly melting
Weep upon their beds

Potholes irk drivers
As roadways turn to washboards
Kids giggle in back

Hills and vales exult
Rivers and streams sing arias
Mud season arrives

© 2019 Bette A. Stevens

HAIKU

noun hai·ku \ˈhī-(ˌ)kü\

  1. :  an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables respectively; also :  a poem in this form usually having a seasonal reference — compare tanka

Writing Tips from Bette

Discover more about how to write poetry and prose:

[EXPLORE BETTE’S BLOG]

Written

on 04/01/2019

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Winter Tale (Haiku) by Bette A. Stevens

Do you like variety? You’ll find it in Novel Thoughts, Sharon K Connell’s monthly newsletter—articles, interviews, tips, poetry, art, at least one recipe, plus more.

Starting with the next issue (February 2019), I’ll be a featured poet in the Author’s Pen section of the newsletter. Take a moment to subscribe on her website http://sharonkconnell.com/ And while you’re there, you can view previous editions of Novel Thoughts by clicking on the Newsletter Archive menu. ~Bette A. Stevens

 

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Written

on 01/28/2019

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Write a Winter Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too! —”Snowfalls” (Haiku from MY MAINE) by Bette A. Stevens

Enjoying another snow day at the farmstead in central Maine. This haiku is from my current work in progress—MY MAINE, Haiku Through the Seasons—a poetry collection schedule to be released early in 2019. The photo of field and forest (taken from the back patio at the farmstead) inspired me to write today’s featured haiku. “Snowfalls” is a verse from the WINTER TALES section. Wherever you are, whatever the season, I invite you to get outdoors and get inspired. Join the fun and write a seasonal haiku about what’s inspiring you. It’s easy as 1-2-3… You’ll find the definition and descriptive details of writing haiku below. If the kids are around, make it a family affair—they’ll love it!

SNOWFALLS

Silently—snowfalls

Reign over field and forest

Supremely sovereign

~Bette A. Stevens

HAIKU

noun hai·ku \ˈhī-(ˌ)kü\

  1. :  an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables respectively; also :  a poem in this form usually having a seasonal reference — compare tanka

Writing Tips from Bette

Discover more about how to write haiku and other poetry:

[EXPLORE BETTE’S BLOG]

Written

on 12/04/2018

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Write a 🎃 Halloween Haiku 🎃 & Get the Kids Writing Too!

Write a Halloween Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!

BLACK CAT, A Halloween Haiku (inspired by Midnight, our fabulous furry feline). ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

Meet Midnight—The fabulous furry feline who inspired me to write BLACK CAT, a 🎃Halloween haiku🎃 (Haiku: a Japanese-inspired three-line: 5-7-5 syllable poetry form).

Midnight’s grooming table is decked out for each season or holiday and she loves it. I designed this year’s poster using a photo I took of Midnight resting on her grooming table here at the farmstead in central Maine. She’s a kitty who loves to hunt for spiders (one of her favorite treats). After taking the photo and writing the haiku, I added text plus spider and web graphics, then added a frame to make a poster. Kids of all ages enjoy writing and  illustrating their own poetry. It makes a great family activity too. 

What’s inspiring you this Halloween?
Brainstorm your list and get writing.
🎃Have fun—don’t forget to get the kids writing too!

Here are some writer’s tricks (literary devices found in every writer’s toolbox) I used to create BLACK CAT. These tools can set a mood— they make writing and reading memorable and fun.  Check them out and see if you can discover where I used them in my poem.

Read on to find out more about these literary devices.

BLACK CAT (haiku) by Bette A. Stevens

Black cat waits, watches…
Stalking tricksters in their web.
Spiders are her treats!

Three Writer’s Tricks (Literary devices used in writing poetry and prose)

Assonance
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Consonance
Another literary device used by writers and poets is consonance. It is the repetition of the final consonant sounds, usually in the more important words or in the accented syllables.

Alliteration
You put your alliteration tool to work when words that start with the same sound are used close together in a phrase or sentence. The sound is usually a consonant and the words don’t have to always be right next to one another.

Finding “just the right words”
Abundant resources are available in print as well as through online searches. Listed below are the two resources I had readily available in the classroom for my students (Grades 4-8). Paperbacks are inexpensive enough to have multiple copies available, and in my opinion, they are indispensable.

  • The Scholastic Rhyming Dictionary by Sue Young
  • Webster’s Thesaurus for Students by Merriam-Webster

                        🎃 Happy Writing and Reading Haiku

                                    & Happy Halloween 🎃

                     ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

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Written

on 10/22/2018

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Write a Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!

Let nature inspire you

Our rock garden at the Farmstead is singing. The Columbine were so glorious this season they inspired me to write “The Choral Debut,”  a haiku (Japanese-inspired, non-rhyming three-line: 5-7-5 syllable poem). I hope The Choral Debut inspires you to get outdoors and let nature sing its songs to you. 

The Choral Debut

HAIKU by Bette A. Stevens

Rising with the sun

Pristine perennials join

The choral début

I enjoy designing  posters to go with my poems and often use photos I have taken. As a former teacher (now retired) in grades four through eight, I’ve learned that kids of all ages love writing poetry and like me, they enjoy illustrating their poems too. It’s simple and it’s so much fun to tell a story in the three short lines of Haiku. Of course, you can write as many stanzas as you wish. I invite you to give it a try. In fact, I’m working on a Maine haiku collection that sings of the seasons. 

Don’t be shy. Grab a pen and paper, get outdoors, get inspired…and get the kids writing haiku too!

~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

(Haiku: m)

haiku

noun hai·ku \ˈhī-(ˌ)kü\

plural

haiku

  1. :  an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables respectively; also :  a poem in this form usually having a seasonal reference — compare tanka

See haiku defined for English-language learners

See haiku defined for kids

Discover more about how to write haiku and other poetry:

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

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Written

on 06/20/2018

As a Writer, Do You Make Time To Read?

Every #writer should #read this article by author Don Massenzio at DSM Publications! ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

Category:

Articles of Interest, Books, Indie Authors, Reading, Recommended Reads, Writing, Writing Challenges, Writing Tips

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#NationalPoetryMonth: Write a Spring Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!

Celebrate National Poetry Month with a Haiku or Two!

Countdown Commences

Haiku by Bette A. Stevens

Enchanting blossoms
Springtide emerging from earth
Countdown commences

I love designing posters to go with my poems and often use photos I have taken. As a former teacher (now retired) in grades four through eight, I know that kids of all ages love writing poetry and they enjoy illustrating their poems too. It’s simple and it’s so much fun to tell a story in the three short lines of Haiku. Of course, you can write as many stanzas as you wish. Give it a try! 

Grab the kids, take out your pens, head into the great outdoors and get inspired!

~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

(Haiku: m)

haiku

noun hai·ku \ˈhī-(ˌ)kü\

  1. :  an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables respectively; also :  a poem in this form usually having a seasonal reference — compare tanka

See haiku defined for English-language learners

See haiku defined for kids

 

Discover more about how to write haiku and other poetry

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

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Written

on 04/09/2018

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Top 3 Books For Writers

Featured Image -- 8009Don’t miss any of these. King’s and White’s are top go-to’s on my shelf and I’ve just ordered Lammott’s Bird by Bird today. Happy reading and writing every day… ~Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com

Written

on 03/20/2018

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Sky Stories (Haiku) by Bette A. Stevens

After three glorious days of 40 degree temperatures, the snow pack in the fields and front yard is beginning to melt at the farmstead in Central Maine. In fact, this was the first day I didn’t have to don ice cleats to walk safely down the driveway to the mailbox—the sun was shining and nary a cloud in the sky. By late afternoon the sky was telling another story. What stories are the skies telling you? ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

Here’s my latest haiku. See if you can write one too!

Sky Stories

Tales of winter’s end
Peek through darkening shadows
Spring’s silver linings

WRITING TIPS FROM BETTE

Discover more about how to write haiku and other poetry:

Find out more about author Bette A. Stevens and her books at http://viewauthor.at/BetteAStevens

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 03/01/2018

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