Write a traditional Haiku

Sometimes it takes courage to try something new. I remember the first time I actually pressed the AOL button that jetted me into the internet. I didn't have a clue how to surf and navigate inside cyberspace. That seems so funny to me now that I'm an old hand at it.

So with the above stated in mind, and in honor of National Poetry Month which is April, I've decided to present a short workshop on how to write the traditional Haiku. Okay, okay, I know what you're saying. "But, I've never written poetry" or "I'm not a poet," or "Why should I care about that particular type of writing?"

Writing Haiku will help hone your skills of tightening your stories. So what is a Haiku?

Haiku is a very short, centuries old form of Japanese poetry that is a refreshing change of pace. Haiku's don't rhyme. A Haiku "paints" a mental image in the readers mind. You don't even need to be inspired to write this type of poetry. They are written to capture a feeling or image. Traditional Haikus usually talk about nature. There are several other forms of Haiku, but the traditional is the simplest.

Structure: A Haiku is accomplished in three lines with the 5-7-5 formula. That is, five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line and five syllables in the third line. See? That's not so bad is it? You'll learn the concept behind this imagery, patterns, etc. during the workshop session and leave the workshop having written one traditional Haiku.

I hope you'll have the courage to give it a try. Who knows, you may find a new avenue of writing within what you write already.

Guests and friends: The workshop portion of our meetings are open to registered FWA members only. For those of you who have already used your two "gratis" visits, I hope you'll consider joining our fast growing association of writers allowing you to attend all our workshops. You can join from the main page of this FWA website. Do read about the many benefits membership dues will afford you.

April Mtg. - Lady Lake Public Library Night mtg. - Oxford Community Ctr.

Time: 10:00 a.m. until noon Time: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Date: April 23rd Date: April 16th

This week's quote on writing: The mark of a really great writer is that he/she gives expression to what the masses of mankind think or feel without knowing it. The mediocre writer simply writes what everyone would have said." - Georg C. Lichtenberg.