HAIKU

Last week during our active older people session we continued with our creative writing sessions - building on what we did last week and reading a few of our favourite poems from liverpool writers.

Sometimes finding a starting point can be the hardest part of getting any words down on paper so Alison our writer in residence started with a quick technique to get our brains thinking. Simply put on two sides of the paper likes and dislikes and the opposite of these for example:

 Sid likes fishing but disliked the government (in his own words the lunatics are running the asylum!!)

Tommy likes writing but hates waiting around. 

I like painting but hate trying to find a matching pair of socks in the dryer (as Carol stated she just wears odd socks as she too finds this irritating!) 

I know what your thinking where is this going to lead....well Alison then introduced to us what a Haiku is.

This is a very sort poem of 3 lines:

1st line 5 syllables (sounds of a word for example university is 5 syllables u-ni-ver-si-ty)

2nd line 7 syllables 

3rd line 5 syllables

So we all attempted to write to write or own Haiku’s about our likes and dislikes  - sounds easy - well counting the sounds of syllables is harder than it looks! 

Edith wrote:

“Must queue for a bus

No overhead railway now

The dockers get wet”

So if we look at syllables 

Must/queue/for/the/bus

no/o/ver/head/rail/way/now

the/dock/ers/get/wet

My Haiku was based on my love of painting/hatred of finding socks

“Get the right palette

Paint the missing sock like love

Voyage et la lune”

Really interesting session - If you or anyone you know wants to come along bring your knitting or anything for a nice group session and discover your inner poet. 

Wednesdays 1-3 

S