Haiku Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: RL.3.5

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

Haiku is a form of poetry that originated in Japan. Traditional forms of these poems follow a very well documented form and rhythm. Unlike most poems, they normally do not rhyme. They often follow a theme that is centered around images of nature and a directness of expression. They consist of a total of three lines and can have any number of words in those lines. From there the lines follow a five/seven/five syllable pattern. The first line consists of five syllables, the second has seven syllables, and the last line five syllables once again. These worksheets will help immerse students in this form of poetry and encourage them to compose their very own creations in this manner.

Haiku Worksheets:

Introduction - This helps students understand the very basics about this form of poetry.

Interpret - Students will interpret a classic example by Issa.

True or False - A series of questions about this art to ponder.

Packed - Complete all of the statements that are discussed about this topic.

Tanka - Compare these forms of poetry that are very similar, but still separate.

Picture It! - Using one of the pictures below for inspiration, write a haiku. Use the box to brainstorm before you start writing. At the end of each line, write how many syllables are in that line.

Modern Forms - Think about our modern world. What short art forms are popular today? Find an example.

Significance - Why is this art form a major significance?

Holidays - Compose a poem centered around an upcoming holiday. Use the box to brainstorm before you start writing. At the end of each line, write how many syllables are in that line.

Is it? - You can use this worksheet to breakdown poetry that may slide into this category.

Capture a Moment - What do you notice? Write down as many image words as you can think of to describe it.

Nature - Work off of the inspiration of an image.

The Trees - We use more images, but these are related to trees and the animals that inhabit them.

Brainstorms - Use the box to brainstorm before you start writing. At the end of each line, write how many syllables are in that line.

Line By Line - Pick apart all the lines of these poems.

What is Haiku?


Begun in the thirteenth century in Japan as the opening phrase of Renga (an oral poem of one hundred stanzas)—Haiku (a shorter form of Renga) is a traditional Japanese seventeen syllables three-line poem written in a 5/7/5 syllable count that emphasizes power, transparency, and honesty of emotion, often based on natural pictures.


Fascinating History of Story with a Purpose


During the Heian era of Japanese culture (700-1100), being able to instantaneously identify, enjoy, and recite Japanese poetry was considered a social prerequisite. The popularity of shorter poetry forms (Tanka) grew during this period instead of the more traditional extended poetry forms (Choka). The rigidity of the period permeated all aspects of life, including art; every poem had to follow a precise format: 5-7-5 triplet, a couplet of seven syllables.


The growth of "peasant" poetry started in the mid-sixteenth century when Japanese poetry saw a rebirth, with the staid forms of the past being replaced with a lighter, more airy tone, which is still evident today. This new form was originally known as Haikai, eventually renamed Renku. Later, Hokku had two principal requirements: a seasonal word (Kireji) and a "cutting word" or exclamation was considered the most important part of the poem.


In the late seventeenth century, the poet Matsuo Bashō, also known as "Haiku Poet," breathed new life into this genre by infusing it with a new sensibility and sensitivity. He revolutionized poetics and developed the Hokku into an independent poem, later known as Haiku. How willing Basho was to forego conventional syllabic constraints to achieve it can be seen in his poetry, which was heavily influenced by the notion of Karumi (a sense of lightness).


Over the years, Haiku has undergone several mutations, advancements, and revisions. Still, it is remarkably close to the form when Matsuo Bashō (Haiku Poet) established it.


Haiku Beyond Japan


In the nineteenth century, the art of Haiku started to expand outside of Japan, first to the Netherlands and France and then to the United States and Canada. In the 1950s, American Beat writers were profoundly inspired by Eastern philosophy and the Haiku poetry form. The 1951 book Haiku by R. H. Blyth introduces the art form by providing English-language readers with a collection of translated Japanese Haiku. Although it does not follow the typical 5-7-5 line pattern, Ezra Pound's renowned poem "In a Station of the Metro" is regarded as an early American Haiku.


Examples of a Classic


Now that you know that Haikus are a microcosm of an extensive idea or feeling described through brief, poignant, and powerful words-here are a few of Matsuo Basho's most popular poems, which perfectly underline the unique elements of Haiku.


A caterpillar,
This deep in fall -
Still not a butterfly.
An old pond!
A frog jumps in -
The sound of water.
Calming, isn't it?


A Japanese poem of seventeen syllables—Haiku—is no longer limited to the theme of nature and can be used for various purposes, including humor, social awareness, evoking emotions, and reminiscing the past. On April 17, International Haiku Poetry Day, an initiative of The Haiku Foundation, is celebrated in full swing. To honor this wonderful form of art this year, attend any event, read the classics, or write your own Haiku.