Advanced Studies in Poetry: Global Haiku Tradition
EN355 or EN340 - Spring 2021
Dr. Randy Brooks

<http://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/MillikinHaiku/courses/globalSpring2021/assignments.html>

Classroom: Synchoronous Online (ZOOM)

Assignments:

Informal Reader Response Writing & Haiku Writing (most classes) (10 each day) points
Haiku Collection Poetics Preface on YOUR Art of Writing Haiku 20 points
Haiku Project 100 points
Signature Haiku Haiga 20 points
Submission Ready Haiku 20 points
Final ZOOM Reading 20 points
Final Reflection 2 (creative works self-evaluation) 10 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) 10 points

ICS Assessment Artifact Assignments:

Compare matched haiku by Japanese & an English haiku poets 10 points
Compare Japanese aesthetics & approaches to writing haiku in HAIKU GUY 10 points
Reader responses to Basho's haiku, poetics & linked-verse 10 points
Kasen Renga (writing linked verse following Japanese traditions) 20 points

• • •

ALL ASSIGNMENTS are to be submitted by email
(1 attachement per day is best).
Send them to: rbrooks@millikin.edu

Use your SAVE AS function and choose "Rich Text Format" or "DOC" for digital files.
Do NOT send me PDF file versions of your homework.
Attach files to your email to me
or
copy and paste your work into the body of the email.

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

Final Exam Haiku Reading: 2-4pm, May 13, 2021

Haiku Society of America • http://www.hsa-haiku.org/
American Haiku Archives • http://www.americanhaikuarchives.org/
Haiku Chronicles • http://www.haikuchronicles.com/
The Haiku Foundation • http://www.thehaikufoundation.org/
Haiku Poet Intervews • https://www.thehaikufoundation.org/category/video_archive/thf_interviews/
Heron's Nest • http://www.theheronsnest.com/
Modern Haiku • http://www.modernhaiku.org/
World Kigo Database • http://worldkigodatabase.blogspot.com/
Haibun Today • http://haibuntoday.com/
FemKu • https://femkumag.wixsite.com/femkumag/issues

Extra Credit Opportunities:

watch for extra credit assignments that pop up from class

for 01/26 - haiku of the day --> Dr. Brooks

You will recieve a ZOOM invite the morning before each class.

in class reading: Mayfly 69 Summer 2020 magazine sample (MOODLE handout 00-Mayfly69)

for 01/28

(1) writing response: send me an email copy of your in-class response to a favorite haiku in MAYFLY 69

(2) haiku writing: write your first 8-10 haiku attempts on transition times—lulls of dawn, of dusk, of relationships, of states of consciousness, happy NEW YEAR, back to school.

reading: Tea's Aftertaste by Aubrie Cox, (MOODLE handout 01-AubrieCox-Tea'sAftertaste)

(3) writing response: find 2 favorite haiku by Aubrie Cox — and 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:

father-daughter talk
my fishing lure
caught in the moon

Aubrie Cox, Tea's Aftertaste, 27

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 1, 2, 3 by midnight Wednesday, 01/27

for 02/02 - haiku of the day --> Colin

in class: Kukai 1

ENJOY reading the responses by others in our class (see MOODLE responses under Cox's book & Mayfly 69).

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

(5) Read Chapters 1 and 2 - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 15-34) and write a short imagined responses to 2 favorite haiku from these chapters. (MOODLE handout 03-ArtOfHaiku)

(6) haiku write: 5-8 new haiku on about winter perceptions or pandemic experiences.

EXTRA CREDIT: Try 2-3 wabi haiku? Things imbued with the life, spirit of other things, life or people from the past.

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 4, 5, 6 due by midnight Sunday, 01/31

for 02/04 - haiku of the day --> Courtney

(7) reading responses to Kukai 1 Favorites: Send me the number of each haiku you chose as a favorite. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more). THEN write your imagined felt response to three favorite haiku from Kukai 1 Favorites (three paragraphs).

reading: To Hear the Rain by Peggy Lyles (MOODLE handout 04-PeggyLylesHaiku)

(8) 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.

(9) haiku write: 5-8 new haiku from childhood memories

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 7, 8, 9 due by midnight Wednesday, 02/03

for 02/09 - haiku of the day --> Marissa

in class: Kukai 2 Favorites

(10) Read Chapter 3 - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku and write about three favorite haiku from this portion of the book.

(11) 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.

(12) haiku write: 3-5 new haiku OPEN TOPIC

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 10, 11, 12 due by midnight Sunday, 02/07

for 02/11 - haiku of the day --> Kionah

(13) reading responses to Kukai 2 Favorites: Send me the number of each haiku you chose as a favorite. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more). THEN write your imagined felt response to three favorite haiku from Kukai 2 Favorites Favorites (three paragraphs).

reading: from the book The Silence Between Us by Wally Swist

(14) Read some haiku from The Silence Between Us by Wally Swist and write do the following writing response: find two favorite haiku from Wally Swist and write a short response paragrapsh about them.

(15) haiku write: write 4-6 haiku OPEN TOPIC

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 13, 14, 15 due by midnight Wednesday, 02/10

for 02/16 - haiku of the day --> Bryce

in class: Matching Contest 1 - LOVE • Matching Contest 2 - WINTER

(16) Read some more haiku from The Silence Between Us by Wally Swist AND read Chapter 4 - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 67-82) and write about three more favorite haiku by Wally Swist (or former students).

(17) reading response: find an interesting "matched pair" of haiku (one from Wally Swist and one from Peggy Lyles or MAYFLY) to read side by side. write a short analysis of the writing strategies and techniquse 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).

(18) 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)

EXTRA CREDIT: write 3-4 Valentine's day haiku (or anti-Valentines, singles day, I have Valentine's day . . . )

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 16, 17, 18 due by midnight Sunday, 02/14

for 02/18 - haiku of the day --> Danni

(19) Matching Contest 1 - LOVE • Matching Contest 2 - WINTER: write about a favorite match from each matching contest. this could be any pair of haiku from each contest (they did NOT have to match up in class).

reading: handout of haiku from Almost Unseen by George Swede (MOODLE handout 06-GeorgeSwedeHaiku)

(20) writing response: find three favorite haiku from the George Swede handout and write a short response paragrapsh about them.

(21) haiku write: write 5-8 new haiku on the angst of being human

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 19, 20, 21 due by midnight Wednesday, 02/17

for 02/23 - haiku of the day --> Alyson

(22) send me 2-3 haiku that you would like me to provide you with some feedback or editing tips. I will give you some alternatives to consider.

reading: Gail Sher - Guide for Beginning Haiku Writers (availabe from Moodle handout 07-Sher-GuideBeginngHaiku)

(23) reading response: compare the genesis of discourse for two authors (George Swede or Wally Swist and Peggy Lyles). why do they choose to write haiku about these moments? what is the source of significance worth turning into a literary artwork for them?

(24) reading response: compare Gail Sher's suggestions for writing haiku with the introduction in Peggy Lyles' book (one page max)

(25) write 5-8 haiku on on working out, exercise, getting healthy, yoga, staying in good mental health, etc.
Optional - try 2 or 3 ZOOMER lingo haiku.

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 22, 23, 24, 25 due by midnight Sunday, 02/21

for 02/25 - Jamie

reading: handout of haiku from School's Out by Randy Brooks

(26) writing response: find three favorite haiku from Randy Brooks and write a short response paragraphs about them.

(27) writing haiku: open topic 5-8 haiku.

EXTRA CREDIT: submit edit variations for a few haiku from 02 Haiku to Edit

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 26, 27 due by midnight Wednesday, 02/24

for 03/02 - haiku of the day --> Carly

Kukai 3 Favorites (in class)

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

(29) write 3-5 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.

(30) during or at a different time and place from your quiet contemplation space writing, slowly read your new issue of MAYFLY (MOODLE handout 05 Mayfly68-Winter2020) closing your eyes after reading each haiku to fully imagine each one. Let your imagination/memory go and write 2-3 haiku from where one of your favorite haiku took you.

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 28, 29, 30 due by midnight Sunday, 02/28

for 03/04 - haiku of the day --> Linnea

(31) reading response to Kukai 3 Favorites: Send me the number of each haiku you chose as a favorite. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more). THEN write your imagined felt response to three favorite haiku from Kukai 3 Favorites Favorites (three paragraphs).

(32) reading: Love Haiku by Masajo Suzuki (MOODLE handout 09-Masajo-LoveHaiku) and find three favorite haiku by Masajo and write a short response paragraph to each one.

(33) reading response: find one more favorite haiku by Masajo. 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.

(34) writing love haiku or senryu: write 5-8 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 Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 31, 32, 33, 34 due by midnight Wednesday, 03/03

for 03/09 - haiku of the day --> Elliot

(35) reading response: write about your favorite match from Matching Contest 1 (one paragraph) and write about your favorite match from Matching Contest 2 (one paragraph)

(36) Read Chapters Seven - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 110-124) and write about two favorite haiku by former students from this portion of the book.

(37) PARTNER WITH 1 or 2 OTHER STUDENTS FROM CLASS (or previous classes) FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.

Discuss compare as a literary art genre to another art or activity. THEN create a presentation on this comparison to share with the class. The presentation can be a PowerPoint, Prezi or video posted on YouTube. Include some haiku writing activity for students in the class.

genre n 1: a kind of literary or artistic work 2: a style of expressing yourself in writing [syn: writing style, literary genre] 3: a class of artistic endeavor having a characteristic form or technique. (dictionary.com)

literary genre n : a style of expressing yourself in writing [syn: writing style, genre] (dictionary.com)

genre (zhän`r?), in art-history terminology, a type of painting dealing with unidealized scenes and subjects of everyday life. Although practiced in ancient art, as shown by Pompeiian frescoes, and in the Middle Ages, genre was not recognized as worthy and independent subject matter until the 16th cent. in Flanders. There it was popularized by Pieter Bruegel, the elder. It flourished in Holland in the 17th cent. in the works of Ter Borch, Brouwer, Metsu, De Hooch, Vermeer, and many others, and extended to France and England, where in the 18th and 19th cent., its major practitioners were Watteau, Chardin, Greuze, Morland, and Wilkie. In Italy genre elements were present in Carpaccio's and Caravaggio's paintings, but not until the 18th cent. did genre become the specialty of an Italian artist, Pietro Longhi. The French impressionists often painted genre subjects as did members of the American ashcan school. (Columbia encyclopedia)

see Wikipedia for an introductory discussion of genre at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_genre

Definitions of genres, especially literary genres, usually includes some expectations of form or structure, so our next question is to consider the formal elements of haiku. But genres also include certain expectation of content and aesthetic experience.

Previous semester topics have included:

Haiku Charades - Haiku Pictionary - Haiga & Visual Arts - Haiku & Fishing - Food & Haiku - Haiclue - Jazz Haiku Impromtu-ku - Scifaiku - Star Trek Haiku - Harry Potter Haiku - Billboard Haiku - Senryu & Comic Strips

Haiku Genre Comparisons

01 - Haiku & Mystery Novels - Kionah, Kaitlin, Brooke
02 - Haiku & Shakespearean Sonnets - Marissa, Courtney
03 - Haiku & Ad Jingles - Savanna, Linnea
04 - Haiku & Music - Jamie, Bryce, Katelynn
05 - Haiku & Dance - Paige, Camryn, Jordan
06 - Haiku Pictionary - Sarah, Jeana, Chloe & Emily Reeves
07 - Haiku & Musical Theatre - Piper, Colin
08 - Haiku & Paintings - Alyson, Carly

(38) write 3-5 haiku related to your comparison or upcoming activity.

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 35, 36, 37, 38 due by midnight Sunday, 03/07

for 03/11

(39) send me the haiku writing you completed from the haiku comparison activities

01 - Haiku & Mystery Novels - write 2 murder mystery haiku (take different perspectives or views)

02 - Haiku & Shakespearean Sonnets - find a sonnet and turn it into a haiku or two

03 - Haiku & Ad Jingles - write a haiku out of a jingle and a haiku about a jingle you love or hate

04 - Haiku & Music - write 2-3 haiku from or allueding to a favorite song

05 - Haiku & Dance - write 2-3 haiku in response to a dance or about dancing
                (the dance video pdf and links are available on MOODLE)

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 39 due by midnight Wednesday, 03/10

for 03/16

in class kukai & sharing:

Love Haiku - matching contest 03 • Favorites

Mystery Haiku - matching contest 04 • Favorites

Song Haiku - matching contest 05 • Favorites

(40) send me the haiku writing you completed from the haiku comparison activities 06, 07, 08 (2 from each)

06 - Haiku Pictionary - Sarah, Jeana, Chloe & Emily Reeves

a - write 2 haiku in response to the photo sent by email
b - choose a favorite haiku from Kukai 3 and do a doodle sketch (like Pictionary art) send both

07 - Haiku & Musical Theatre - write 2 haiku from or about a musical
(tell us the name but don't use the name in your haiku)

08 - Haiku & Paintings - write 2 haiku from or about a favorite painting (send the painting or link)

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) 40 due by midnight Sunday, 03/14

for 03/18

Dance Haiku - matching contest 06

Cityscape Photo Haiku - matching contest 07

(41) reading: The Haiku Anthology and write response paragraphs for four favorite haiku from the The Haiku Anthology

(42) writing haiku: open topic 4-6 haiku (try edit versions of these)

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 41, 42 due by midnight Wednesday, 03/17

for 03/23

(43) reading response to Love Haiku Matching Contests Favorites: Write about a favorite match.

(44) Watch the DVD (if possible) & read the haiku: Haiku: The Art of the Short Poem and write response paragraphs for three favorite haiku from Haiku: The Art of the Short Poem

Inivite some friends or family to watch the DVD video in this book. Most of the haiku cited by the haiku poets are included in the anthology usually in the same order as the video.

(45) EXTRA CREDIT: reader response 2: write a short reflection about what you realized about the English-langauge haiku poetry community from the DVD anthology. also briefly discuss one of the haiku poets who especially intrigued you.

(46) Read Chapters Eight - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 125-137) and write about three favorite haiku from this portion of the book.

(47) writing haiku: open topic 5-8 haiku

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 due by midnight Sunday, 03/21

for 03/25

Kukai 4

(48) reading translations: An Introduction to Japanese haiku (MOODLE handout 11-IntroJapaneseHaiku) and write about 2 favorite haiku

(49) reading response: find an interesting "matched pair" of haiku (one from a Japanese author and one from any of the English language authors) to read side by side. Yes, you may match a haiku by Masajo Suzuki as a choice for the Japanese haiku. Write a short comparison of the two from cultural differences perspective. What are similarities & differences noticed in Japanese and English haiku? One page maximum for your analysis (half a page is fine).

(49) reading response: Old Pond Comics about the Japanese masters at <http://www.oldpondcomics.com/masters.html> and write a reader response about 1 favorite Old Pond Comic

OR TRY TO DRAW YOUR OWN HAIKU COMIC! (extra credit)

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 48, 49 due by midnight Wednesday, 03/24

for 03/30

(50) reading response to Kukai 4: Send me the number of each haiku you chose as a favorite. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more). THEN write your imagined felt response to three favorite haiku from Kukai 4 (three paragraphs).

reading: Haiku Guy, (MOODLE handout 12-HaikuGuy)

(51) writing response: Practice the exercise of stop, look, and listen as described in the book. Find something, whether it be in your dorm, on campus, or somewhere where you can sit quietly without distraction and observe a particular thing, area, or person. Then, write about what you observed, describing what stuck out to you. Write 3-5 haiku from this exercise.

(52) writing response: Compare the advice given to Buck-Teeth of poets Mido and Kuro
and write 3-5 haiku following Kuro's advice, and 3-5 haiku following Mido's approach.

(53) Send me your proposal for your Reader Response Essay. (1 paragraph)

Post-midterm Reader Response Essay Preview - Author or Haiku topic Study:

Think about what or who you'd like to write about for your contemporary haiku reader response essay. These essays are due April 07. I need to know your intended topic or author by Sunday at midnight, March 28. See the PDF of the ONLINE HAIKU COLLECTIONS by many authors.

If you are on campus, I may have books to loan you from the DECATUR HAIKU COLLECTION available from my office, SH209.

Here's guidelines for this assignment:

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

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? 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.

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

See guidelines for this assignment (handout page of15-Haiku-ReaderREsponseEssay & 16-Sample-ReaderResponseHaikuEssay).

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 50, 51, 52, 53due by midnight Sunday, 03/28

for 04/01

(53) reading: The Millikin University Haiku Anthology and write response paragraphs for three favoriate haiku from the MU Haiku Anthology

(54) Read Chapters 9 and 10 - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 139-160) and write about three favorite haiku from this portion of the book.

(55) writing haiku: 3-6 OPEN TOPIC

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 53, 53, 54, 55 due by midnight Wednesday, 03/31

for 04/06

(56) reading response: write about your favorite 2 matches from Matching Contest 08 (two matches from Mido or Kuro or LOOK) - (two paragraphs for each of 2 matches)

Work on your contemporary reader response haiku essays!

(57) writing haiku: 3-4 haiku in response to haiku being discussed in your essay & try 2-3 haiku about Easter or Passover or your own tradition of celebrating the coming of Spring

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 56, 57 due by midnight Monday, 04/05

for 04/08

(58) Contemporary Haiku Reader Response Essays due by midnight Wednesday, 04/07

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.

(59) On a separate page, please type all of the haiku used in your essay. I will share these with the class as a PDF file while you discuss your author. OR make a PowerPoint or Prezi with your essay's haiku for sharing.

Alyson Robbins - Sonia Sanchez

After reading Alyson’s essay on Sonia Sanchez, I learned how playing on the sense of sight can create a powerful haiku. Also, taking inspiration from your environment is another effective tactic to writing a haiku. Alyson had written about lines that Sonia had used that she was able to see and as a reader she was able to form a comparison and a connection about the piece. Then she also wrote about how they were from the same state and she could relate to her pieces because it brought a sense of familiarity to her. I think this sense of familiarity is important to a good haiku. Jamie Gamonez, Spring 2021

I like the way that Alyson broke down the first haiku in her paper and explained how each line in the haiku made her feel, and how she overall described the haikus she chose and what they meant to her. At the end of her essay, she talks about how she gained a lot of knowledge about someone who is still “alive and thriving today” and that stuck with me, I feel like I am always reading or learning about things in school, whether it be haikus, plays, etc., but I forgot to think about how these artists/ writers are still alive and creating today. Lastly, I like how Alyson highlighted and touched upon the beauty her author uses in her work. Carly Clo, Spring 2021

I chose to read Alyson’s essay first because I remember loving a lot of the haiku she presented in class and she was very enthusiastic about her choices and the author. What I loved most about her essay was her connection to the author because they were from the same state and how passionate she was about Sanchez’s background and how that influenced her haiku. One of my favorite haiku from her essay was:

these children’s
faces humiliate
the stars

Sanchez, morning haiku, p. 16

She had a really great reading of this haiku- very similar to what I would have said after first reading it. I especially enjoyed the connection she made that “stars are indescribable forces of nature, and yet, so are children,” which I totally agree with and think is important to point out. Linnea Nordstrom, Spring 2021

Camryn Skundberg - Carlos Colon

Chloe Herbert - Peggy Lyles

Jeana Pierson - German haiku from Chrysanthemum magazine

I really enjoyed Jeana Pierson’s essay. Jeana discussed a handful of German haiku from Chrysanthemum magazine. I really appreciate how she went outside the box with this essay. German haiku is very unique and it special to her because she is familiar with the language and German culture. I like how she discussed the original German haiku and compared it to its English translation. It is cool to think that haiku is used and created around the world; even though, it’s origin is Japan. Sarah Barter, Spring 2021

I read Jeana’s essay about German haiku, specifically from Chrysanthemum. I love that she included the German translations of the haiku. I think as an English haiku reader, I’ve grown accustomed to reading haiku in English. I can understand it in English. When reading the haiku in German, I was really able to focus on the sound of the haiku, although I don’t speak German. It was a very different and enlightening experience. I think it is important to include the original text with the translations because they can bring different feelings than the translated versions. Kionah Flowers, Spring 2021

The essay that stood out to me most was Courtney’s essay about mental health haiku. I have read haiku about mental illness before, but nothing like the haiku that Jake Orlowitz does. I love how he categorizes the haiku based on the mental illness he is writing about in his haiku. It makes the reader not try to diagnose any of the haiku like they would people in the real world. What I liked most though were the haikus Courtney talked about at the end about healing. Mental health is something that is important to me, and it is easy to think that I will never be able to heal from them to where I can deal with mine. Orlowitz’s haikus gave me some reassurance that I will learn to survive, and that I will succeed. Kaitlin Hathaway, Spring 2021

I really enjoyed reading Courtney’s haiku presentation on mental health haiku. As a nursing major I have learned about all of the diagnosis that she read and talk about. I had a deeper understanding of each of them when I read them. I could bring back things I learned about and that helped me relate more to the haikus. This is something that tons of people struggle with daily. I like how this writer wrote something that these people could relate to because they already struggle so much with their diagnosis. I also love how she chose something that was relatable to her and something she was passion about. I thought she did a great job of presenting. Jordan Hildebrand, Spring 2021

I chose to write about Courtney Klien’s haiku essay about mental health haiku. I loved the vulnerability Courtney showed when writing her responses toward her chosen haikus. I’m glad that mental health is talked about a little more today in mainstream media, and that people are doing everything they can to raise awareness of mental illnesses. Reading her essay, I realized one major thing: while haiku is short and to the point, there are more options than what may be given to us. So far, we’ve only really focused on daily physical aspects of our lives or nature. Reading her essay about Jake Orlowitz’s haiku made me realize that writing haiku isn’t just about nature or physicality, but mentality, too. Brooke Oitker, Spring 2021

Paige Hockman - Aubrie Cox

I really liked the essay that Paige did on Aubrie Cox. I felt that Aubrie Cox is a very relatable author that I was able to understand and interpret when reading Paige’s essay. It’s always special when we can know a writer who went to Millikin to put her haiku as experiences from when she went here. Aubrie includes so much variety and breathtaking information in her haiku and I loved the way that Paige interpreted a lot of them. Aubrie Cox is such an inspiration to writing haiku and one day I hope to be here. Danni Beard, Spring 2021

Sarah Barter - Peggy Lyles

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 57, 58, 59 due by midnight Wednesday, 04/07

for 04/13 - scheduling day (no class)

(60) reading response to Kukai 5 Favorites: Send me the number of each haiku you chose as a favorite. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more). THEN write your imagined felt response to three favorite haiku from Kukai 5 Favorites (three paragraphs).

(61) writing haiku: 3-4 haiku in response to haiku being discussed in your essay & try 2-3 haiku on OPEN TOPIC

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) 60, 61 due by midnight Sunday, 04/11

for 04/15

(59 continued) On a separate page, please type all of the haiku used in your essay. I will share these with the class as a PDF file while you discuss your author. OR make a PowerPoint or Prezi with your essay's haiku for sharing.

Bryce Bayer - Andre Duhaime

Carly Clo - Terry Ann Carter

After reviewing each of the reader response essays, I was especially intrigued by Carly’s selected haiku. Similar to her, I also most closely relate to haiku that trigger memories from my childhood. I hadn’t previously heard of Terry Ann Carter before reading her essay, but was intrigued by the humor employed within several of her haiku. For example, I especially enjoyed Carter’s “making mountains” haiku, as it describes a relatable occurrence using comedic language. As Carly’s essay focus was on nostalgic haiku, I appreciated each of the detailed memories that she shared throughout her responses. It triggered me think to consider those from my own life. Additionally, I enjoyed the simplicity seen throughout her work, as I sometimes struggle to interpret those of a higher complexity. By examining some of Carter’s work, I realized that haiku don’t always have to be emotionally driven in order to be considered “good”. Chloe Herbert, Spring 2021

Colin McGonagle - LYNX magazine from AHA Poetry

For this assignment, I chose to write about Colin’s haiku essay on LYNX Haiku. I had no idea what LYNX was before reading his essay and so it was interesting to learn about the seemingly abandoned haiku website and online magazine. My favorite haiku that Colin selected for this essay was the first one included.

thanksgiving alone
snap of the wishbone
in the disposal

White Noise, Julie Warther, 2014

I love the auditory noise of this haiku and how the sound is not the focus for the reader or the subject. Colin did a great job at describing this issue or section titled White Noise. I would love to read more haiku from this section because the idea of bringing background noise into the few lines of the haiku, while still being able to keep it in the background, is a fascinating literary skill. Overall, I really enjoyed how Colin wrote about the haiku and the magazine as being “stuck in time” or timeless. He proves that haiku is truly a timeless art because you can always bring new meanings and perspectives to the words. The online magazine he chose, LYNX was the perfect way to display that idea as well. Jeana Pierson, Spring 2021

I really enjoy the approach Colin took with this essay. He really opened my eyes to how far-encompassing this topic can truly be and I cannot appreciate that enough. Whether that be collaborative, or long form, or narrative haiku, LYNX keeps all of these things beautifully connected and makes them all blend into one form of art. This is one thing that I could not get enough of and I genuinely think is a great idea. I really don’t know why we don’t do more collaborative bits of poetry recently. I mean, I’ve done it with people as a joke, but never to the scope of what this piece proves. I think I just loved this essay due to the pure variety of each piece that he commented on. That is the real promising thing that pulled me in. What I want to see going forward is more poetry like this, now being able to draw lines and connections through them that this essay has now helped me find. Elliot Mahon, Spring 2021

Courtney Klein - mental health haiku

In Courtney Klein’s essay about Jake Orlowitz’s Haiku for Mental Health, I learned quite a bit of the intricacies that are a part of every mental illness. With the way Courtney explains the haiku provided, I am able to understand mental illness on a higher level. Courtney seems to understand that the haiku are making the illness clearer to the people who don’t have it. I also enjoyed the haiku provided. They were imaginative, yet clear and concise. There is no question as to what is being felt in each haiku. They were really nice to read. Savanna Prasun, Spring 2021

The haiku essay that I liked the most was Courtney Kleins Haiku for Mental Health. I thought that it was an interesting to topic to read about and how these haikus reflected the different types of mental health through these haiku. It was a very enjoyable read and I liked how this author kept the haikus very real about each mental health subject he was writing about. When reading this, I could tell that Courtney was really into the topic and that she felt connected by these different haikus that she chose to talk about. Having that in this essay also added to how enjoyable the essay was to read and it kept me interested throughout the haikus shown. Katelynn Watkins, Spring 2021

The thing I loved about Courtney's essay in particular is because haiku, to me, has never seemed like the style of poetry that best describes the intricate facets of mental health struggles. However, after reading through her essay and getting familiar with the poetry of Jake Orlowitz, I can confidently say I love the way mental health is portrayed through his haiku. Instead of trying to tackle the entirety of mental illness in a short haiku, it sort of creates a shadowbox around specific moments of those struggling with mental health issues. Taking one specific haiku that we discussed in class:

"RAGE RAGE RAGE RAGE RAGE-
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE-
TEARS TEARS TEARS TEARS" 

I think this is a great example of his work because, as someone who experiences pretty awful mood swings from time to time, i feel like it captures the way emotions can turn on a dime- almost as if you're just hitting the enter key. I really enjoyed this dive into Orlowitz's work, and I am very excited to read about him more on my own time! Colin McGonagle, Spring 2021

Danielle Beard - Gary Hotham

Jamie Gamonez - Masajo Suzuki

Jordan Hildebrand - sports haiku

Kaitlin Hathaway - George Swede

Katelynn Watkins - Hiking Haiku

I chose Katelynn Watkins’ essay on hiking haiku. I liked that Katelynn chose to select haiku from multiple authors but surrounding the same topic: hiking! I also like that this topic was such a personal topic for Katelynn. I really enjoyed the tidbit about the authors of these haiku writing them together while hiking with each other! That really drew me in to this essay in the first place. Alyson Robbins, Spring 2021

Linnea Nordstrom - Kobayashi Issa

I really enjoyed reading Linnea Nordstrom’s essay on Kobayashi Issa. Many of the haiku comics that I presented in my own essay used Issa haikus. I liked seeing Nordstrom’s perspective and imaginative thoughts on Issa’s work. Linnea Nordstrom started her essay off strong with a great imaginative response to Issa’s snail haiku. I never grasped how a haiku could be a linear story and plot. Nordstrom shared how this haiku could be interpreted as a full story arch; that the snail did succeed in climbing Mount Fuji, even if it was a slow and long process. It gave a clear picture to me of how much haiku can be seen in multiples ways verses just seeing it as one. Marissa Garcia, Spring 2021

Marissa Garcia-Kaliner - Jessica Trembley's haiku comics

(63) writing haiku: 3-5 haiku OPEN TOPIC

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 63 due by midnight Wednesday, 04/14

for 04/20

Brooke Oitker - Carol Raisfeld & Haiku Buds

I’m writing about Brooke’s haiku essay because after glancing at Carol Raisfeld’s haiku, I really liked them. I was intrigued because the haiku style of Raisfeld is much different than Carlos Colon who I wrote about. Her style to me is soft-toned, shared moments between people. I think she did a beautiful job capturing the simplicity of moments and creating an image in my head with each one I read in Brooke’s essay. I like how a lot of her haiku started and she gave the reader a place to go – like in one haiku it was in bed at nighttime or another one, a specific day, which was 9/11. Her haiku sparks memories and feelings of nostalgia that I really appreciated, and I think Brooke did a great job interpreting and writing about her work. Camryn Skundberg, Spring 2021

Elliot Mahon - George Swede
Kionah Flowers - Firefly Haiku
Piper Charlton - John Parsons nature haiku
Savanna Prasun - Nature in haiku

(64) reading response: read/review the essays by others in our class. Write a paragraph response about what you especially liked or realized from at least one essay. These are PDF documents on our class MOODLE.

(65) reading response: write about 3 favorite haiku from another student's essay

(66) reading response writing: Chapter 2 of Matsuo Bashô by Ueda (MOODLE handout 13-Basho-Chapter2). Select three favorite haiku from Bashô. Write a paragraph response to these three haiku.

(67) response writing: Find two matching English haiku to Bashô's haiku—one representing the aesthetic of sabi and one the aesthetic experience of karumi. Write a paragraph for each pair comparing these English haiku with those by Basho. One sabi haiku not by Basho compared to one sabi haiku by Basho. And one karumi haiku not by Basho compared to one karumi haiku by Basho.

(68) haiku writing: write 3-5 haiku based on sabi and 3-5 haiku based on wabi and 3-5 haiku based on karumi

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 64, 65, 66, 67, 68 due by midnight Sunday, 04/18

for 04/22

(69) reading response toKukai 6 Favorites: Send me the number of each haiku you chose as a favorite. Try to choose at least 5-10 haiku (or more if you like more). THEN write your imagined felt response to two favorite haiku from Kukai 6 Favorites (three paragraphs).

(70) Read the tan-renga and write about a favorite tan-renga from Tan-Renga-GraceGuts (MOODLE handout 17-TanRenga Grace Guts).

(71) tan-renga capping: write two-line caps for 3 favorite haiku from any Kukai 6

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 69, 70, 71 due by midnight Wednesday, 04/21

for 04/27

(72) Read Chapter 12 - The Art of Reading & Writing Haiku (pages 171-186) and write about a one favorite tan-renga and one favorite Rengay.

(73) extra credit: Read the student kasen renga by Bri Hill and students at:

http://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/MillikinHaiku/studentrenga/Grasshoppers&Tobacco.html

Send me your response to this kasen for extra credit (up to 10 points).

(74) write about 2 tan-renga favorites from our class (I will send you a PDF with student tan-renga).

(75) writing haiku: 3-6 OPEN TOPIC

(76) reading: handout of a Bashô led kasen-no-renga (MOODLE handout 21-Basho-Sample-Renga) and write a response to a favorite link (two adjacent links)

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 72, 73, 74, 75, 76 due by midnight Sunday, 04/25

Mad verse kasen in ZOOM class!

We will be following these guidelines:

(1) ninjô verses—people or emotion or human environment verses (self, other or both)
(2) ninjô-nashi—non-people or things or place or nature-only verses

Only 3 verses may be ninjô verses in a row or ninjô-nashi verses in a row. The fourth one needs to switch back to the other if not sooner.

36 link kasen-no-renga

(1) hokku—sets tone, greets all, establishes season, quiets guests to join in
(2) wakiku—builds on unstated elements of the hokku and maintains season. ends in a noun
(3) daisanku—ends with open-ended image (often transitive verb ING)
(5) usually moon shows up here for the first time
(6) concludes the first page (jo) often written by the official scribe
(7)-(29) heats up the links and leaping (intensification)
(13) moon appears again
(17) blossoms usually show up here - STOP with verse 18 for a half-kasen. (end with openness)
(29) moon's third and final appearance
(30)-(36) kyû—the slow down finale (quiets back down into calmness)
(35) cherry blossoms always here
(36) end with openness and reverberation

for 04/29

(77) write 2 rengay: one with someone who has taken a haiku class or a partner with someone in the class and 1 with family and friends outside haiku class. Read the HOW TO RENGAY handout.

1 Rengay

OR for (77) you can try to write a half-kasen (18 links) or full kasen-renga (36 links) with friends, class members, or former class members.

(78) haiku project proposal: Send me a paragraph explaining your Haiku project or Ginko (a haiku walk by a group of friends in which everyone just enjoys the walk together, stopping to notice things and to write haiku from shared experience. write at least 10 on-the-spot Ginko walk haiku by you and your friends).

Questions about the haiku project? The haiku project can be a series or sequence or rengay of haiku on a single topic (snow, divorce, marriage, school, civil war, etc.). OR you may do a Ginko (haiku walk with friends where you write haiku that come from perceptions and feelings from the walk). OR you may write 2 more rengay or a Kasen-no-renga with friends or classmates or family.

The purpose of the haiku project is to apply haiku arts to something that means a lot to yout. Bring your passion to this project and connect it to haiku (photography & haiku) (music & haiku) (history and haiku) (psychology & senryu) (a kasen renga) (baseball haiku) (a collage of haiku) (haiku web site) (anthology of love haiku) . . . have fun with this. make it your dream assignment.

You can see sample previous haiku projects at:

http://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/MillikinHaiku/studentprojects.html

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 77, 78 due by midnight Wednesday, 04/28

for 05/04

sharing haiku projects

(79) haiku project: send me your haiku project (PDF or PowerPoint)

Alyson Robbins - driving with Carly ginko
Brooke Oitker - mythology haiku
Bryce Bayer -
Camryn Skundberg
Carly Clo - driving with Alyson ginko
Chloe Herbert - baking haiku
Colin McGonagle - baking haiku
Courtney Klein - acting friends rengay
Danielle Beard - outdoors ginko
Elliot Mahon - zoo ginko
Jamie Gamonez - haiku on the art of acting
Jeana Pierson - Mamma Mia haiku
Jordan Hildebrand - photography & haiku
Kaitlin Hathaway - Harry Potter haiku
Katelynn Watkins - art studio haiku
Kionah Flowers - Studio Ghibli films haiku
Linnea Nordstrom - environmental activism haiku
Marissa Garcia-Kaliner - seven stages of grief kasen no renga
Paige Hockman - rengay with Keaton Garner
Piper Charlton - Fairview Park ginko
Sarah Barter - rengay with friends
Savanna Prasun - comic book haiku

email Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignment 76 due by midnight Sunday, 05/02

for 05/06

Kukai 7 & finish sharing haiku projects

Extra Credit - submit 3-5 new haiku OR any 3-5 haiku (edited or not) written before that were NOT selected for kukai but you like them anyway.

final exam - 2-4pm, May 13, 2021 - (ZOOM)

sharing Haiku Collections & Signature haiga

(80) Signature haiga (a photo with one of your favorite haiku embedded)

(81) 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 MOODLE handout 23-finalcollections-guidelines):

Select and organize your best haiku & senryu & haibun & renga into a collection (with your reading partner's help). Create a PowerPoint or Prezi collection of haiku to share with class at our final.

Give your collection a title and a © 2021. (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). This is where you share your sense of the ART OF WRITING HAIKU.

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 collection to Dr. Brooks!

(82) 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.

(83) 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 Dr. Brooks (rbrooks@millikin.edu) assignments 79, 80, 81, 82 due by midnight Wednesday, 05/12