Last night on our National Writing Project connecting the network zoom call, my colleague and I were asked to facilitate a “making” session–a place for a small group to make something together. And since writing is making, we thought about some way to have our group engage in a small writing piece that collectively made something bigger.
Inspired by the Springtime in Washington Haiku Contest: Poems on a Pandemic article another colleague shared with me earlier in the week, we decided to create a shareable slide deck of our own version of Coronavirus Haiku. We invited participants in our breakout session to create a Haiku (short poem, 17 syllables, 5-7-5 pattern), and then add the poem and an image to a slide in the collaborative deck.
I offered my own as example:
So this post serves as an invitation to all of you. Take a few minutes to write a Haiku or other short poem about some aspect of your coronavirus experience. It can be funny, somber, documentary, whimsical, sad, angry…
You can access the slide deck here: Coronavirus Haiku: Short Poems Documenting Life During a Pandemic. Writing is not only making, it is also connecting. And can be healing as well. A few years back I wrote a post about my response to another blogger and colleague’s invitation to write #haikuforHealing–a balm for the tired spirit. So let’s connect and heal as we write together.
Thinking Through My Lens 
What a wonderful way to approach the situation! May I share your deck with my students next week? It will be our first week of virtual school and my 6th graders will badly need to share their experiences. I think they will enjoy writing haiku.
Of course! Please remember that this is a public link and I do not moderate it. I wouldn’t want your
Students to have any unpleasant surprises. I don’t anticipate any problems, but you never know.
Thank you! I won’t give the link to my students, but I will screen share and show them selections. That way I can preview right before class and make sure that nothing untoward pops up!
Hi Kim,
A great idea for National Poetry Month / National Poetry Writing Month. The one on loss is heartbreaking, and the teddy bears [we have those in our neighborhood as well], so hopeful. There will be closure, and here we will remember. Thank you, Sheri
Thanks Sheri. There is so much possibility in writing!
PS. Love the image and Haiku!