Poems are fun to write, mostly because you can be creative and break some rules, like punctuation and capitalising certain words.
Some kinds of poems follow completely different rules, special rules that make a poem sound nice when you read it out loud. One type of poem that has fun rules is a Haiku. This is a type of poem that comes from Japan.
Haiku poems are always short. In fact, they are always exactly three lines. They have a unique rhythm which is created by the syllables of the words, so you have to choose just the right words.
The first line must have exactly five syllables in total of all the words, no more no less. The second line must have seven syllables and the third line is back to five syllables. (Don't know what a syllable is? Try the chin test. Say a word with your hand flat out just under your chin. How many times did your chin touch your hand? That’s how many syllables the word has!)
Also, Haiku poems are traditionally about nature. Sometimes there is a hidden meaning about people and human nature reflected in the poem.
Here are some examples of Haiku:
Ladybugs are red,
They have black spots on their wings,
Experts at flying.
Flowers are blooming,
Rainbow colours paint the ground,
Red, yellow and blue.
From across the lake,
Past the black winter trees,
Faint sounds of a flute.
- Richard Wright
Write your own Haiku poem and send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. along with your name, age, and school; and maybe we will publish it in the next KIDS Herald!
