Rabbit Brush in Snow

I hiked up five mile creek after the first snow of the year and photographed these small balls of snow that had formed around the dried flowers of the rabbit brush in the early morning. They were very delicate and didn’t last long. As soon as the sun began to warm the snow crystals the “cottontails” began to disappear.

From Nature Photography

It was such an interesting sight that I was inspired to write a haiku. Haiku is a fun way to express images through words. The haiku originated in Japan. They typically describe seasons or the changing of seasons. The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables, and the third line is five syllables. There is also a version that goes 3-5-3 instead of 5-7-5, but I chose the longer format for this haiku. There are a lot of different rules for haiku and as with any art form there are multiple variations. Below are a few simple rules I use when starting to write a haiku:

1) Use words that describe nature and a season of the year.
2) The first two lines should evoke images in the reader’s mind.
3) The third line should connect the first two lines in a surprising way.

Below is the haiku I wrote after taking the photo above:

snowy rabbit brush
cold crystals cling in bunches
sun melts cottontails

Try writing your own haiku! It is a fun way to express your ideas. Find a photograph that evokes a feeling to you and write about it or think of a memory from your past that has a strong mental image. Most of all have fun with it!

Enjoy!
~Tad Jones