Snow DayFrozen flakes, holiday haiku, seasonal sijo,

and winter words

How to Properly Read PoetryThe punctuation in poetry is essential to determining it’s

rhythm. When reading aloud, do NOT pause at the end of a line

unless there is a punctuation mark like a comma or period. Otherwise, just read through the line until you come to the first mark.

For example:The birds are gone, the world is white,The winds are wild, they chill and bite;The ground is thick with slush and sleet (no pause

here)And I can barely feel my feet.-- “Winter” by Anonymous

Winter Words…“Dust of Snow” by Robert Frost

The way a crowShook down on meThe dust of snowFrom a hemlock treeHas given my heartA change of moodAnd saved some partOf a day I had rued.

More…“Snowball” by Shel SilversteinI made myself a snowball as perfect as could

be.I thought I'd keep it as a pet and let it sleep

with me.I made it some pajamas and a pillow for its

head.Then, last night it ran away.But first -- it wet the bed.

And lastly…“February Twilight” by Sara Teasdale I stood beside a hillSmooth with new-laid snow,A single star looked outFrom the cold evening glow.There was not another creatureThat saw what I could see -I stood and watched the evening starAs long as it watched me.

Haiku

Haiku BasicsHaiku is one of the most important forms of

traditional Japanese poetry. Haiku is, today, a 17-syllable verse form

consisting of three metrical units of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. Authors often deviate from the 5/7/5 rule.

Each haiku must contain a kigo, a season word, which indicates in which season the haiku is set. For example, cherry blossoms indicate spring, snow indicates winter, and mosquitoes indicate summer.

Haiku SamplesGreen frog,

Is your body alsofreshly painted?

In the cicada's cryNo sign can foretellHow soon it must die.

The year’s first day,thoughts and loneliness;the autumn dusk is here.

Mr. Richard’s Attempts…Snowflakes cascade down, Icy flakes that tickle skin,Carpeting the Earth.

Jack Frost lingers close,Spreading his frozen fingersTo form crystal life.

La neige descend lentement.Petits glacons vapoureuxJe veux les attraper.

Mrs. Damminger’s Attempts…He looks so amazed as he watches the snow fall,all for the first time.

Despite the low temp,he smiles so broad and bright, with his cold, red cheeks.

I’ll never forget it,him rolling around in thefreshly fallen snow.

Remember for haiku…First line: 5 syllablesSecond line: 7 syllablesThird line: 5 syllablesThere must be at least one word, your kigo,

in the poem that indicates the season.You may work around the 5/7/5 rule, but your

syllable count should not exceed 20 or so syllables.

Sijo

Sijo BasicsMore ancient than haiku, the Korean SIJO shares

a common ancestry with haiku, tanka, and similar Japanese genres. All evolved from more ancient Chinese patterns.

Sijo is traditionally composed in three lines of 14-16 syllables each, totaling between 44-46 syllables.

The sijo may be narrative or thematic, introducing a situation or problem in line 1, development or "turn" in line 2, and resolution in line 3. The first half of the final line employs a "twist": a surprise of meaning, sound, tone or other device. 

Sijo SamplesOh that I might capture the essence of this deep midwinter nightAnd fold it softly into the waft of a spring-moon quiltThen fondly uncoil it the night my beloved returns.

...Hwang Chin-i (1522-1565) most revered female Korean classical poet

You ask how many friends I have? Water and stone, bamboo and pine.The moon rising over the eastern hill is a joyful comrade.Besides these five companions, what other pleasure should I ask?

...Yon Son-do (1587-1671)

Remember for sijo…First line: 14-16 syllables (introduces

problem)Second line: 14-16 syllables (turning point)Third line: 14-16 syllables (first half of line

employs a “twist” and then resolution)

Protection Guaranteed?An injection in the arm. No guarantee of safety.

“The Next One” was the first one, to the team’s surprise and demise.

Quarantined too late. The virus spreads. Oh, well. Time for puck drop!

Your Turn1. Write one haiku and one sijo. You may interpret

“season” to mean the holiday season as well as the four seasons of the year.

2. Let Mr. Richard/Mrs. Damminger read your poems.

3. Choose the best of your haiku or sijo to put on a snowflake.

4. Get the snowflake, a pair of scissors, and a pen.5. Create your word art, and give it to Mr.

Richard/Mrs. Damminger when you’re done.6. If time and paper allow, you may create additional

snowflakes.