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Monday, March 2, 2015

Our Haiku-llaboration


 I noticed a tweet from a classroom in Colorado. 


I'm incredibly busy these days with a pile of projects, but I enjoy little distractions to help my brain stay engaged and inspired.  Writing Haiku is fun, so I was eager to dive in and get started, but I noticed that the Sixth Avenue Elementary students had directed the request to Sharon Creech as well. 

The idea of a collaboration popped into my head.

A "haikullaboration!" 

I messaged Sharon Creech, who happens to be one of my favorite authors and, I am lucky to say, a friend.  I asked Sharon if she'd like to start a haiku for me and I would do the same for her. We'd take turns writing the next line--and I would illustrate the results.  

So... I sent the first line to Sharon.

"Please, dear, sit with me." 

She added the next line, sending it back to me to finish it up.

Here is our first haikullaboration:




Sharon then sent me a line: Glass bottle of ink." 

I closed my eyes and imagined a bottle of ink--a familiar item to me. I saw it in my studio--ready and able when the time was just right.  I added my line and sent back for Sharon to add that lovely last line to make our second haikullaboration.


On Monday March 2, 2015 at 11am EST, we tweeted our illustrated poems out to our friends at Sixth Avenue Elementary School. 

On another haiku note, I illustrated a book with Bob Raczka called "GuyKu" (Haiku for Guys) and we developed a fun site to explore this whimsical form of poetry. 

I hope this post inspires your own creative collaborations!



8 comments:

Sharon Creech said...

Well, that was fun! xx

Lewislovely said...

Hi Peter and Sharon,
I love the idea of a haikullaboration, and would like to use this when I am teaching poetry. Will you be producing a poster version of these poems for people like me to buy? Or would you mind if I printed them out to put up in the classroom?
Thank you :-)

Sheila said...

What creative work through collaboration!

Margaret Simon said...

This has inspired me to start a haiku-llaboration in my classroom. I'll tag you when we post. Of course, they will not be illustrated by your gifted hand or well, hm, idea coming...maybe you could select one to illustrate. Just a crazy thought.

Unknown said...

Thank you so, so, so much for participating in our haiku project! I can't wait to share this with my students!
Shannon Wentworth
Technology Teacher
Sixth Avenue Elementary School

Mary Beth Rice said...

Pure joy and delight! Thank you, Sharon and Peter, for your haikullaboration. Would love to purchase a poster as well to possibly use as an activity prior to our Literary Festival in October. ;-) Sharon Creech's Chasing Redbird remains one of my daughter's and my favorite books! Of course you two are friends!--blessing all of us with your inspiration! Grateful...

Anonymous said...

I LOVE haiku, and I think the two of you are amazing talents. Your haiku-llaborations are gems, and you know what? I'd love to see a picture book filled with them! I hope you do it and I'm so glad you shared these :D

Lisa said...

POSTER! Excellent. I would buy many. Great for a classroom, library or home.