Haiku Basics: a game about haiku features
Haiku Basics: a game about haiku features
HAIKU BASICS is about matching haiku poems to specific features of haiku poetry. If you are new to haiku, this is a great way to practice reading haiku and learning to notice the different kinds of things that make haiku work.
Start by REVIEWING THE BASIC HAIKU FEATURES. There is a lot of them. Surprising, right? Haiku tradition weaves together many different threads of mean, some based on the form of haiku, some based on the content, and some based on the cultural context. The individual items are not complex, but taken together in their entirety, they represent an enormous tapestry of meaning... and that's what the game is for: helping you to see the features in haiku poems, both classical and modern. So just read through the list, and then you can start playing the game to explore and learn about all these features. You can keep the feature list open in a different browser tab if you find that helpful.
Haiku Basics Solitaire. Here are two different ways to play solitaire online with all the materials ready to go: just click to play!
Single feature with multiple poems: which, if any, of the poems includes the feature? Reload the page to see another random feature and more random poems.
Multiple features with single poem: how many of the features can you find in the poem? Reload the page to see another combination of poem and features.
You can also play with your own cards: your own feature cards and/or your own poem cards. Here's how that works for the single feature version; adjust accordingly if you want to play the multiple features version:
You can use the online random feature card if you are playing with your own poem cards. Shuffle your poem cards and then lay out four cards for each round. Then look to see which, if any, of the poems include the feature.
Next round: refresh the feature card page and lay out four more of your poem cards.
You can use the online poems if you are playing with your own feature cards. Shuffle your feature cards and draw one feature card for each round. Then look to see which, if any, of the poems include the feature.
Next round: refresh the poem page and draw another one of your feature cards.
If you are playing with your own feature cards and your own poem cards, just lay the cards out for each round: four poems plus one feature card per round.
Haiku Basics Multiplayer Zoom. One person will be the Game Leader, and they will be reading off the random features, looking at the random feature card here, or looking at their own feature cards, drawing one feature card for each round.
The players will be looking at a random set of four poems for each round, or maybe they will be looking at their own poem cards; if so, they should lay out four cards at a time to look at.
After the Game Leader reads the feature aloud, each player looks at their poems. Hopefully at least one poem will have that feature, and perhaps more than one poem. If there is no match, the player passes that round.
After people have had a chance to study their four poem cards, the Game Leader then goes around the Zoom room, asking each person to share a poem with that feature.
And remember, when reading haiku, read slowly, and read the haiku twice — and give the author's name too.
After each player has had a chance to read a poem, the Game Leader reloads the page for another feature card or, if they have their own feature card deck, they draw another feature card, and the players get ready with another four poem cards, either online or their own cards.
Haiku Basics Multiplayer In-Person. There is no difference in the way the game is played in-person compared to Zoom.
About the haiku cards in person: In addition to the players either using haiku cards they have made themselves OR using the random online cards, the Game Leader can have prepared cards in advance which they deal out to all the players.