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What better way to honor Mother Earth than with a lovely haiku poem ? This traditional Japanese style of poetry is a favorite all over the world, so let’s write one together!

As you may know, as traditional haiku has 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, and 5 syllables in the third line. This 5-7-5 scheme represents simplicity and calm. A haiku can capture the briefest moment and make it beautiful. Scientists estimate that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old. That’s a lot of moments, and a lot of potential haiku!

When creating your haiku, choose a moment in nature which meant a great deal to you. A beautiful sunset, or a bird landing in your yard, or the way an icicle drips when the sun comes out. You can look around outside for moments like this to add to your memories. Breathe in the fresh air, walk between the trees, look and listen to the natural world around you.

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Now that we have the subject of our haiku, let’s construct it. A haiku doesn’t need fancy words, complex metaphors, or witty jokes. Let the haiku express your honest and true feelings. Here are some examples.

A bird on the lawn,
Rests only a moment here.
I hope he returns.

Winter can be cold.
But when I think of summer,
My memory warms.

This tree is a home.
I see the squirrel within it.
Be safe, little squirrel.

Haikus take practice to create, but can so perfectly capture a memory or a feeling. Let’s write haiku this week and save some memories we can share with others. If you would like to share your Earth Day haiku with us, please comment below!