Global Haiku Tradition
EN355 - January 5 - 16, 2026
Dr. Randy Brooks

< http://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/MillikinHaiku/courses/globalJan2026 >

ONLINE asynchronous:
01/05/2026 – 01/16/2026

ONLINE ZOOM synchronous meetings Mondays and Thursdays:
6:30-7:00pm – 1/5, 1/8, 1/12, 1/15

ALL ASSIGNMENTS are to be submitted by attachments in emails.

Send them to: rbrooks@millikin.edu

Handouts are available from MOODLE (most are PDF files).

HOW LEARNING WILL BE ASSESSED

Assignments & Semester Grading Weight
Informal Reader Response Writing & Haiku Writing (most classes) ........................ 20 points / 10 days
ZOOM meetings ......................................................................................... 20 points / per meeting
Contemporary Haiku Reader Response Essay .................................................................. 100 points
Haiku Collection............................................................................................................. 100 points
Haiku Collection Poetics Preface on YOUR Art of Writing Haiku ........................................... 20 points
Final Reflection 1 ........................................................................................................... 20 points
Final Reflection 2 ........................................................................................................... 20 points

CARS Assessment Artifact Assignments:
      Contemporary Haiku Essay (mid-term)....................................................................... 100 points
      Haiku Collection (paper booklet & by email) ............................................................... 100 points
      Final Reflection 1 (ethical reasoning on value of haiku)................................................. 20 points

ICS Assessment Artifact Assignments:
      Compare matched haiku by Japanese & an English haiku poets ................................... 20 points
      Compare Japanese aesthetics & approaches to writing haiku in HAIKU GUY .................. 20 points
      Reader responses to Basho’s haiku and poetics ......................................................... 20 points

Landmark Events & Due Dates

Haiku Reader Response Essay due midnight 01/15/2026 – submitted by email
Haiku Collection Chapbook (due midnight 01/16/2026 – email or PDF version submitted
Final Reflection 1 (due midnight 01/18/2026 – Review essay of 5 favorite haiku you have written
Final Reflection 2 (due midnight 01/18/2026 – Reflection essay on value of knowing haiku

Final Exam Reflections Due: 01/18/2026

Haiku Society of America • http://www.hsa-haiku.org/
The Haiku Foundation • http://www.thehaikufoundation.org/
Heron's Nest • http://www.theheronsnest.com/
Modern Haiku • http://www.modernhaiku.org/

Required Synchronous ONLINE Sessions:

6:30-7:00pm – 1/5, 1/8, 1/12, 1/15

for 01/05 do the following 4 reading/writing assignments

ZOOM 6:30-7:00pm – 01/06/2026

(1) Read Chapter One - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 15-29) and write your short imagined response to "the sun coming up" haiku on page 15.

Get the PDF copy of Chapter 1 in MOODLE resources - (03-ArtOfReadingWritingHaiku.pdf).

(2) reading & response: read Mayfly 67, Summer 2019 -- PDF available in MOODLE (PDF 00-Mayfly67-Summer2019.pdf) and write your reader response paragraphs to 2 favorite haiku in MAYFLY 67

(3) haiku writing: write your first 4-6 haiku attempts on transition times—lulls of dawn, of dusk, of relationships, of states of consciousness, winter night, back to school.

(4) reading & response: Tea's Aftertaste by Aubrie Cox, (01-AubrieCox-Tea'sAftertaste.pdf) and writing response: find 2 favorite Aubrie haiku—write your imagined felt responses to them (one paragraph each)

REMEMBER to cite each haiku fully (do not add capital letters or punctuation) like this:

calling for the dog
at 2am
wind chimes

Cox, Tea's Aftertaste, 17

(email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) your assignments 1-4 by midnight Monday, January 05)

for 01/06 do the following 3 reading/writing assignments

ENJOY reading the responses by others in our class (see MOODLE responses under Cox's book & Mayfly 67).

(5) listen to the Aubrie Cox interview - audio file available in MOODLE (02-AubrieCoxInterview.mp3) and write a short reponse about 2 things you realized about haiku from this interview.

Aubrie Cox audio interview link:
 
https://moodle.millikin.edu/pluginfile.php/242124/mod_resource/content/0/02-AubrieCoxInterview.mp3

(6) reading: RED LEAVES by Peggy Lyles and writing responses: find 3 favorite Lyles haiku—write your imagined felt responses to them (one paragraph each) and briefly write your imagined, felt response to them. Be ready to discuss why you like them.

(7) writing extended memory & memory haiku: choose a fourth favorite haiku by Peggy Lyles or Aubrie Cox that especially triggered memories from your childhood or past. This time write a one page memory describing a moment from your own life. THEN write 2-3 haiku which capture different instances or feelings from within that longer memory from your experience.

(8) haiku write: 4-6 new haiku on winter perceptions & childhood memories

(email your assignments 5-8 by midnight January 06)

for 01/07 do the following 3 reading/writing assignments

(9) Read Chapters Two & Three - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 31-66) (03-ArtOfReadingWritingHaiku.pdf) and write about three favorite haiku from this portion of the book.

(10) Read Chapters Four - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 67-82) (03-ArtOfReadingWritingHaiku.pdf) and write about two favorite haiku from this portion of the book.

(11) haiku write: 4-6 new haiku on OPEN topic

(email your assignments 9-11 by midnight January 07)

for 01/08 do the following 4 reading/writing assignments

ZOOM Kukai 1 Favorites 6:30-7:00pm – 01/08/2026

Kukai 1 Favorites: read the haiku written by students in this class. They are all anonymous until KUKAI. You will receive a PDF of these haiku & invite to our ZOOM KUKAI. They are also available on our web site as a link. You may choose as many haiku as you like. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more).

(12) KUKAI 1 FAVORITES: Send me the number of each haiku you chose as a favorite.THEN write a reader response to your two favorite haiku from Kukai 1 Favorites (two paragraphs).

(13) Read Bare Necessities by Francine Banwarth (32-Francine-BareNecessities.pdf) and write do the following writing response: find three favorite haiku from Francine and write a short response paragraphs about them.

(14) reading response: find an interesting "matched pair" of haiku (one from Francine Banwarth and one from Peggy Lyles or MAYFLY) to read side by side. write a short analysis of the writing strategies and techniques used in these haiku. (not reader response but analysis of writing techniques such as line break, word choice, arrangement, rhythm, sounds, emphasis, break, voice, tone, attitude, etc.). one page maximum for your analysis (half a page is fine).

(15) haiku write: go for a walk (by yourself or with friends) and write haiku that come to you from just being out there. (5-8 haiku from the outdoors)

(email your assignments 12-15 by midnight January 08)

for 01/09 do the following 3 reading/writing assignments

(16) reading: Almost Unseen by George Swede (06-GeorgeSwedeHaiku.pdf) and do the writing response: find three favorite haiku from the George Swede handout and write a short response paragraphs about them.

(17) haiku writing: write 4-6 new haiku inspired from reading George Swede's haiku

(18) Read Chapters Five and Six - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 83-109) and write about three favorite haiku from this portion of the book.

(email your assignments by midnight January 09)

for 01/10 or 01/11 or when you get a chance - OPTIONAL extra credit assignment!

Listen to 1 or 2 episodes of the HAIKU TALK youtube podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/@HaikuTalk

To get 10 points extra credit per episode, just write about the haiku featured in the episode or something you learned by listening to Ben Gaa's reading of the haiku. You get 10 points for each episode you watch!

(email your HAIKU TALK episode responses any time for extra credit)

•

20 points - listen to this talk on the Japanese aethetic concept of wabi-sari
by Jonny Thompson from his “Mini Philosophy” Facebook reels:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1992810604840738

(and write a paragraph connecting this concept to haiku
with at least one haiku example)

for 01/12 do the following 4 reading/writing assignments

ZOOM 3:30-7:00pm – 01/12/2026

Kukai 2 Favorites • Kukai 2 Favorites

(19) Kukai 2 Favorites: read the haiku written by students in this class. You will receive a PDF of these haiku & invite to our ZOOM KUKAI. They are also available on our web site as a link.

You may choose as many haiku as you like. Just send me the number of each haiku you choose as a favorite. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more). THEN write a reader response to your three favorite haiku from Kukai 2 Favorites (three paragraphs)

(20) reading: Gail Sher - Guide for Beginning Haiku Writers (07-Sher-GuideForBeginningHaiku.pdf) and write your reading response: Compare Gail Sher's suggestions for writing haiku with the introduction in Peggy Lyles' book (one page max).

(21) reading response: compare the genesis of discourse for two authors (George Swede or Francine Banwarth or Aubrie Cox or Peggy Lyles). By genesis of discourse, I mean WHERE do these writers find their haiku? Why do they choose to write haiku about these moments? What is the source of significance worth turning into a literary artwork for them?

(22) write 4-6 haiku on relaxing or your way of finding peacefulness.

(email your assignments by midnight January 12)

for 01/13 do the following 4 reading/writing assignments

(23) reading: handout of haiku from School's Out by Randy Brooks (08-RandyBrooksHaiku.pdf) and do the writing response: find three favorite haiku from Randy Brooks and write a short response paragraphs about them.

(24) Read Chapter 13 - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 187-200) and write about one favorite haiku from this portion of the book.

(25) write 4-6 new haiku - employing contemplation or meditation in your quiet space. Find a quiet place on campus or at your home to sit, close your eyes, breathe easy and just relaxe . . . DON'T FALL ASLEEP. FALL AWAKE and write some new haiku.

(26) Reader Response Essay Preview - email me your ESSAY TOPIC PLAN (1 paragraph):

Think about what or who you'd like to write about for your contemporary haiku reader response essay. These essays are due January 15. I need to know your intended topic or author. Do NOT look up random haiku on the web. Use haiku writers included in our readings or let me know who you would like to read carefully.

See the bibliography of ONLINE books and exhibits available:

A Bibliography of Online Books, Journals and Exhibitions on Haiku, Senryu and Tanka in English
http://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/MillikinHaiku/bibliographies/OnlineHaikuBooks.pdf

Here are guidelines for this assignment (also see 16-Sample-ReaderResponseHaikuessay.pdf):

haiku author or topic study: A formal essay introducing a particular contemporary author, topic or technical approach to contemporary haiku readers. This is a reader-response essay, so the primary source for your essay will be your own readings and analyses of 6-10 haiku. If you are doing an author focus, discuss your author's approach to writing haiku. You may choose to write about a haiku topic instead of an author, with reader responses to 6-10 haiku related to that topic. Matching comparisons with haiku by other authors are always valued in all approaches to this essay. This can focus on one book by the author in the form of a book review essay or on a particular theme or technical approach to haiku by the author.

o focus on a point of insight or question about that author's unique contribution
o include response discussions of 6-10 haiku by the author
o optional to include at a matching comparison to a haiku by another author (or more)
o may include email or in-person interview questions to help address the haiku writer's poetics

DO NOT USE AI for this project. This is a reader response essay. You find 6-10 of your favorite haiku and write YOUR reader responses to them. You do not and SHOULD NOT quote or cite what others say about your favorite haiku. That includes any AI comments or conjectures.

The Haiku Foundation has a Haiku Poets Registry that may be helpful in getting a preview of cerntain authors: <https://www.thehaikufoundation.org/haiku-registry/>

Length of the essay? 3-5 pages single-spaced. Citations? Full citation of each source within text first time mentioned (followed by haiku citation convention of author, publication title abbreviated, page number) for subsequent mentions. Yes, do include a works-cited page.

(email your assignments 23, 24, 25, 26 by midnight January 13) (The reader response essay is due thursday.)

for 01/14 do the following 3 reading/writing assignments

(27) reading: Love Haiku by Masajo Suzuki (09-Masajo-LoveHaiku.pdf) and do the reading responses: find three favorite haiku by Masajo and write a short response paragraph to them.

(28) reading response: find one more favorite haiku by Masajo Suzuki. Let your response be a more extended imaginative memory or purely fictional piece about someone spinning off the third Masajo haiku as its starting point. End your short fictional piece with a 2-3 haiku. Your fictional piece should be 1 page max.

(29) writing love haiku or senryu: write 4-6 love or anti-love haiku. Not necessarily all lovey-dovey cliches, but love, crushes, first date, breaking up, unrequited love, good friends, bitterness about love, winter dance, sock hop, blind date, romance, vampire love, and so on . . .

(email your assignments by midnight January 14)

for 01/15 do the following 5 reading/writing assignments

ZOOM Fina lKukai 3 Favorites• 6:30-7:00pm – 01/15/2026

(30) Kukai 3 Favorites: read the haiku written by students in this class. You will receive a PDF of these haiku & invite to our ZOOM KUKAI. They are also available on our web site as a link.

You may choose as many haiku as you like. Just send me the number of each haiku you choose as a favorite. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more). THEN write a reader response to your two favorite haiku from Kukai 3 Favorites (two paragraphs)

(31) reading response writing: Chapter 2 of Matsuo Bashô by Ueda (14-Basho-Chapter2-byUeda.pdf). Select three favorite haiku from Bashô. Write a paragraph response to these three haiku.

(32) Read Chapters eleven - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 161-169) and write about three favorite haiku from this portion of the book.

(33) Contemporary Haiku Reader Response Essays due

Length? 5-10 pages single-spaced. Citations? Full citation of each source within text first time mentioned (followed by haiku citation convention of author, publication title abbreviated, page number) for subsequent mentions. Yes, do include a works-cited page. Yes, give your essay a title.

Alexia Finch - Peggy Lyles
Amy Webb-Braun - Unsaid in Haiku by Peggy Lyles
Andrew Detmers - Peggy Lyles
Ava Armstrong - Emotions in Haiku by Francine Banwarth
Bailey Maldonado - Haiku on Death and Grieving
Benjamin Howey - Family in Haiku by Randy Brooks
Elli Sunde - Night Meditations in Haiku by Aubrie Cox
Faith Wilson - ???
Gavin Dobson - Favorites from MAYFLY
Grant Reid - Peggy Lyles
Katiuska Nunez - Understated Observation in haiku by Randy Brooks
Kenraylee Carr - Moon Haiku
Kyle Goddard - Outdoors Haiku by Wally Swist
Oshea Darrington - Childhood Haiku by Randy Brooks
Trevor Biggerstaff - Kids Fun Haiku

(34) Write 4-6 haiku open topic.

(email your assignments by midnight January 15)

for 01/16 complete your haiku collection

(35) PDF Haiku Collection due: gather your best haiku from the course, collected with a preface about your understanding or approach to writing haiku.

Guidelines on final collections (see 23-finalcollections-guidelines.pdf):

You may make your collection as a PDF PowerPoint or Prezzi digital presentation. Select and organize your best haiku & senryu & haibun & renga into a collection. You may want to write them in a little booklet, prepare a powerpoint or print them in a binder or slide presentation.

Give your collection a title and a © 2024 near your opening page. (often signature haiku are connected to the title)

Include a dedication if you would like to.

Be sure to write an author's introduction to your collection which explains your title and expresses your approach or why these are the ones you have included in your collection (your poetics preface).

OPTIONAL - ask a reading partner to write a short introduction to your collection, maybe pointing out one or two favorites—or their observation about something unique about your haiku (the reader's introduction). The reader's introduction should help strangers appreciate and value your collection.

Email the preface and haiku contents in the collection to Dr. Brooks!

There are 2 examples of final collections by former students on MOODLE. They are numbered "23"

(email your assignmen by midnight January 16)

for 01/18 do the following 2 reading/writing assignments

(36) Review haiku you have written from the kukai, matching contest, and from your final haiku collection. Write about why 5 of your haiku are your favorites.

(37) Write a short reflection essay on how your life has been enriched by learning more about the literary art of reading and writing haiku. What has the art of haiku taught you that will be of value in your professional, social and personal life?

(email your assignments by midnight January 18)

No late assignments will be accepted after midnight, Sunday, January 18.

Final grades will be submitted by noon on Monday, January 19, 2026