October 2011 NaHaiWriMo Writing Prompts
Selected by Pris Campbell, West Palm Beach, Florida
1 |
Awe. Write a haiku that evokes a feeling of awe without using the word. |
2 |
Loneliness. Bashō stressed the concept of sabi (loneliness) to his students. It doesn’t necessarily refer to a lonely scene. |
3 |
Courtship. Write a haiku you would use to woo someone you love or have loved. I realize tanka is usually used for this, but let’s see if haiku can do it , too. It doesn’t have to be “romantic.” |
4 |
Butterfly or butterflies. |
5 |
A shelter of your choosing (home, shed, cave, tree branches, etc). |
6 |
A path or journey (real or internal). |
7 |
Beauty—something of great beauty you’ve experienced today. |
8 |
A loss. |
9 |
Telephone/cell phone (October 9, 1876, was the date of the first two-way telephone conversation). |
10 |
Any type of discovery, yours or someone else’s (in honor of Columbus Day). |
11 |
A kiss. |
12 |
Innocence. |
13 |
Late, too late. |
14 |
Baldness (in honor of Be Bald and Free Day). |
15 |
Write a one-line haiku on any subject. |
16 |
A sensual haiku. |
17 |
Dusk. |
18 |
Belly. |
19 |
Frog (let’s honor Bashō’s famous frog haiku by honoring his frog. I’m not posting it because there are so many translations but searching online will give you a selection if anyone isn’t familiar with it—there are new writers here who might not be). |
20 |
Scent . . . but don’t name it. Get your reader to smell it through your words. |
21 |
A place (inner or outer) of peace/meditation. |
22 |
Clouds or cloud formation. |
23 |
Windstorm. |
24 |
Evoke dawn without using the word. |
25 |
A new beginning (internal or external). I had this prompt planned before the earthquake in Turkey so if anyone wants to use the prompt with Turkey in mind or simply write a haiku related to Turkey, please do so. |
25 |
A frightening event. |
27 |
A consequence of war (internal or external). |
28 |
Migrating bird or birds. |
29 |
Cemetery. |
30 |
A secret. |
31 |
Spirit or ghost (in honor of Halloween). Hope we have a huge response to October’s last prompt! |
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