Have you ever written a collection of individual haiku on the same subject? If so, you have written an ancient Japanese poetry form called gunsaku (goon-sah-koo).

The haiku in gunsaku have a common topic but each haiku is written from a different point of view and can stand on its own (if you pluck one poem from the group it makes sense without the other poems.) This form is so much fun! Just give your collection of haiku a title (A Flurry of Winter Haiku, a Gaggle of Geese Haiku, etc.) and write three or more haiku on the same subject.

I look forward to working in my garden all the cold winter, and now I have the spring bug—big time! I love the sunshine, the dirt on my hands, and the sound of excited birds chirping from the budding trees. Here’s a spring gunsaku I wrote while cleaning up and preparing my garden for spring planting:

A Bouquet of Spring Haiku

preparing spring garden,
forgotten potato
gives me the eye

filling bird feeder
garden cafe
open for lunch!

returning from long nap
lawnmower
coughs up dust

winter fades
to yesterday's shadow—
hello spring!

rusted rain barrel,
white moth floating—
spring burial

Japanese maple
shows off
new crimson dress

birdsong
on a breeze—
spring's playlist

dirt cakes
weathered hands—
beautiful!

squawking scrub jay
spills winter
secrets

Spring evening,
puppy rolls
in freshly cut grass

spring cleaning,
cool wind sweeps
the landscape

—© 2024 Danna Smith at poetrypop.com

When writing your haiku, you can count syllables or write three brief lines. Here’s a post on how to write a haiku if you need a refresher. I hope you’ll give gunsaku a try!

SPEAKING OF HAIKU

Have you checked out my latest book, How Do You Haiku? ? I’m so excited to be able to share fun ways to “haiku” with kids (and adults). Along with simple instructions on modern and traditional haiku, the book is jam-packed with templates and poetry activities for at home and in the classroom. There is an entire chapter on gunsaku in the book with many examples and lists of topics you can try!

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