West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission inspires student haiku

Inspired by the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission's Summer Haiku and Fall Haiku project, Leman Middle School sixth-grade Dual Language learners in Janet Ayala's and Jose Villa's language arts classes enjoyed exploring the creative art of haiku as part of its spring poetry unit.

The city has created an online gallery of the students' work, each haiku framed in the school color of the Leman Chargers, which will remain on the city's website through the end of the current school year.

Haiku is an ancient form of Japanese poetry which can be traced back to the 9th century. It is distinguished by three short lines that do not rhyme, but which follow a structure of 5 sound units (or similarly syllables) in the first and third line, and 7 sound units in the second line.

The works of four Japanese master poets, Matsuo Basho, Kobayashi Issa, Masaoka Shiki, and Yosa Buson, are often studied as exemplary models of the art form.

Today, haiku are written by authors worldwide, and now, by those of Ayala's and Villa's classrooms.

The West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission was established by the city in January 1993 with the mission of enriching the lives of all residents through the active support of cultural arts activities in the City.

The cultural arts commission sponsors public art programs, workshops, art exhibits, community art projects, and other special events. It also supports the popular downtown art destination, Gallery 200, and maintains a thriving local artist network.