About Poetry – Workshop on how to write a haiku by ©Amanda Barnsley-White

ARE YOU A LEAF OR A TREE?

Today I wanted to share a creative writing workshop I run with diverse groups including people who have never written before and those already writing, called Are you a TREE or a LEAF? It ends with a haiku and was the inspiration, together with photography and art workshops as routes into writing, that encouraged me to set up THE DAILY HAIKU.

After answering the questions below, gather your answers, choose your favourites, edit, change, play with them and put them into a haiku or two or three…

Are you a TREE or a LEAF?
What sort of tree or leaf are you, describe your shape, colour, size and if known species?
Where do you live? (eg, garden, indoor, park or wild wood, forest)?
What can you see around you in your habitat?
What time of year is it, describe the weather?
What other natural plants do you like (eg, flowers, grasses etc)?

What can you smell?
How do you feel if touched, describe your texture?
What happens to you?
Do you have a secret?
What creatures do you like that visit you?
What do you worry about?
If you could speak what would you say if anything?
What is your deepest desire?
How do you feel as a tree or a leaf, describe your emotions?

Tree

Weeping willow tree,

wind bends me, I am grateful,

the ballerina!

©Vixen of Verse, 2020.

Tree 2

My roots grow deep down,

Join up with other willows –

a secret network.

©The Vixen of Verse, 2020.

Quotations