Day #10: Haiku

 

Inspiration: Haiku

The haiku is a short three-line poem that uses sensory language to capture a feeling or image.

According to my poet friend David Duer, "haiku are often inspired by nature, a moment of beauty, or a poignant experience. Traditionally, the poem couples a spontaneous observation containing a direct or indirect reference to a season (kigo) with a subtle commentary on that observation."

The form consists of 17 syllables:
a line of 5 syllables,
a second line of 7 syllables,
and the last line of 5 syllables.

I recently learned the word "petrichor," so I wrote 13 haiku about the word! You don't need to go crazy like I did, but you might enjoy writing a sequence of haiku that are somehow related.

See if you have fully embraced the meaning of "petrichor" after reading my poem!

Thirteen Ways of Smelling Petrichor
by Allison Berryhill

I knew scent of rain
meeting dust, but did not know
the word: petrichor

Smell of rain on dust
universal memory
the word? petrichor

raindrops pelt the dust
a song of scent arises
it is petrichor

an open window
the first droplets pelt the dust
welcome petrichor

when arid meets rain
my dusty hours quench(ed)
your smile petrichor

we farmers love dirt
when rain hits dust we rejoice
and dance petrichor

when the day’s dullness
is broken by a startled
glint, it’s petrichor

petrichor petri
chor petrichor petrichor
petrichor petri

I learned “petrichor”
the word said pay attention
notice rain on dust

dry tongue swells with want
give me wet relief
oh sweet petrichor

I have lost my god
but clouded sky touches
my soul: petrichor

Ashes to ashes
dust to dust I hear the dirge
yet still know petrichor

I will look to find
moments where dust meets the rain
I smell petrichor.

Thanks to Ethical ELA for many of the prompts I'm adapting for my students this month.