Class Description
Haiku is an antidote to the clutter and busyness of modern life—a minimalist, gem-like form of poetry that fosters mindfulness and clarity. In this class, we will explore the roots of this ancient Japanese form, reading work by the “Great Four": Bashō, Buson, Issa, and Shiki. We will also discuss haiku by contemporary anglophone writers, such as Beat poets Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, African American writer Richard Wright, and several women poets who are rethinking the form. Besides exploring haiku's pleasures, profundity, and playfulness, participants who wish to do so will have the opportunity to write their own haiku.
Michael Hennessy is a retired college professor and award-winning teacher who has taught English at four universities, including Loyola Chicago. His anthology Little Poems was published by Knopf in 2023.
Materials List
Required
- Wilson, William Scott, A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Haiku. Tuttle Publishing, 2022. ISBN 9784805316870
- Other Instructor-Distributed Materials
First Reading
- For the first class, please read pages 7-38 of A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Haiku.
A Brief Syllabus
- Outline the origins, history, and attributes of haiku, read/discuss haiku by Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694)
- Read and discuss haiku by Yosi Buson (1716-1783), discuss translation of haiku, participants share haiku they have written (optional)
- Read/discuss haiku by Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), compare haiku with senryu, participants share haiku they have written (optional)
- Explore other Japanese haiku writers, read/discuss modern and contemporary haiku in English, participants share haiku they have written (optional)
Cost and Registration
4 Sessions, $200 ($180 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($200), Community Supported ($190), and Sponsor ($210). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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