Íàðìóõàìåòîâà Í.Ì.

 

Åâðàçèéñêèé Íàöèîíàëüíûé Óíèâåðñèòåò èì. Ë.Í.Ãóìèëåâà

Êàôåäðà Àíãëèéñêîé Ôèëîëîãèè

 

 

Ñåêöèÿ: Ìåòîäèêà ïðåïîäàâàíèÿ ÿçûêà è ëèòåðàòóðû

 

Haiku is a universal form of poetry

 

I am always looking for good teaching techniques to stimulate creativity, motivation and collaboration in my literary class. For three years I have been experimenting with Japanese haiku. Perhaps, experimenting is not accurate word, but nevertheless it is the experiment for my Russian-speaking and Kazakh-speaking students. The Haiku is a pure Japanese verse form and incredibly popular in Japan. There estimated to be a million Japanese who write haiku. The word “hai” means unusual and “ku” means lines, verse or stanza. The definition of what is haiku is a three-line poem with syllable counts of 5, 7, 5, no rhyme and no particular meter.

                  

         The spring moon

         Touches the roof of the house

                In the back of the line

 

A reference to the seasons of the year is considered obligatory in Japan. A haiku is not supposed to have a title and does not have any references to modern technology or the Greek Muse or Pegasus.

         Although each haiku is usually reckoned to be a poem in its own right, linked sequences of haiku are often written. Such a sequence is called a haikai. An illustrated haiku is known as a haiga.

         Traditionally this would involve brush art work coupled with a haiku poem done in brush calligraphy.

         A senryu has the same syllable count as a haiku but doesn’t require a reference to seasons (kigo) or seasonal activity (kidai) rather it deals with human nature and is more likely to be funny.

         The word hokku is just a synonym for haiku. A slightly longer Japanese form is the tanka. Japanese forms are closely related to Chinese forms, which also have a long tradition. Haiku is now worldwide phenomenon. People still discuss its nature. But all of them totally agree that it is a source of philosophical inspiration and in particular the basis for meditation according.

        

The criteria by which we recognize and judge haiku are:

1.     Their fidelity to “haiku spirit”

2.     Their sense of “presence”

3.     The success with which images are juxtaposed

4.     The appropriateness of the subject matter

5.     The poetic taste they display

6.     The sense of proportion in choosing the right form.

 

We use our senses to observe “haiku moments”, from which point they are developed.

“Haiku is the poetry of meaningful touch, taste, sound, site and smell”. They maybe born only by intuition and a release of emotion.

         “Haiku moments” come normally from personal experience. The poet’s task is to keep everything fresh and authentic as unique events. Present tense is normally used as if the situation were now. The poet may feel that the ideal wording has come immediately.

 

                   I kill an ant

         And realize my three children

    Have been watching

                                                     (by Kato Shuson)

No sky

No earth – but still

  Snow flakes fall

                                      (by Hashin)

 

It is concrete images, not abstract words that carry the meaning and create the tension and atmosphere in haiku. They hint at something beyond, they present a movement.

Haiku are “open-ended” or “half-said things” so there will be later realizations. Basho (1644-1694) advised haiku writers to enter into the object, perceiving its delicate life and feeling its feelings…”

 

  Sweeping into the pan

 The narrow line of dust

    That defies its edge

 

The brevity of haiku reflects the shortness of life but to lead even a brief life to the full we need to “make space for ourselves” to “stand and stare”.

Form is important in haiku. Haiku that depart radically from 5-7-5 syllables are often called “free form”.

 

                  Boys and girls

         Switched to summer uniforms –

          A wind born in the classroom

               So clean and shiny –

                 Graduation day

Whatever syllables they may choose to employ, most haiku poets arrange their poems in three lines, probably with the middle line longer than the other two. A few writers use 4, 2 or even 1 line. In the west is seen the development of senryu.

        

                  Barbecue

     The pork chops

  Shaped like Africa

 

Each word in haiku is chosen to give the fullest possible effect. And one of my students said that “one advantage of these poems is that the lines are easily remembered”.

The general meaning of a poem is more important than the literal meanings of the individual words.

I did the best to help students memorize to use and form of haiku, to awaken to some extent student’s interest in learning Japanese poetry.

After writing a haiku my task is to prepare a visual demonstration of created images. Students like such kind of activities and useful resources are glue, scissors, old magazines, markers, stickers, etc. Once students have designed their “masterpieces” they can be hung on the blackboard. Students may then be asked to orally present their poster and explain their verses. Very important for students to be able to explain their “works”, to feel a real Japanese poetry, to master over new form, to comprehend the “spirit” of haiku

And I would love to present some extraordinary writing samples of my students.

 

It rains

Falling leaves on the grey ground

     The air is full of freshness

                                                  (by Kurskaya A. FPh-32)

 

The blow of wind

     Makes leaves fall down

    But a new spring’ll come

                                        (by Sushkova K. FPh-32)

    Fading leaves of the trees,

    The cold world all around

             The of silence

                                           (by Bespayeva Zhanar  FPh-31)

 

The sun is shining

Warm in the heart

             Love around

                                      (by Jurymbayeva Anar  FPh-31)

 

Fields, lakes, sun

     Traveling only in trains

 Thoughts of something high

                                            (by Shabayev Nikita  FPh-32)

 

 

I feel rain on me

Drops are small but they are free

    No strength, I just plead

                                                 (by Kashtaljan O. FPh-32)

 

Winter’s day

    Dreams and wishes

And everywhere snow flakes

                                            (by Bagarova Gaini  FPh-31)

 

      Tree

     Shadow is spread

          With beard

                                (by Shuakbayev Nariman  FPh-31)

The sky is so dull

Life in the earth becomes grey

       Only mosquitoes fly

                                              (by Vasilieva Elvina  FPh-32)

 

Once in frosty morning

The air was very fresh…

                                              (by Kasymova R. FPh-31)