Poetry Review: Poetic Form

Dogku by Andrew Clements

Illustrated by Tim Bowers

Bibliographic Citation: Clements, Andrew. Dogku. Illustrated by Tim Bowers. New York: Simon & Schuster. 2007.

ISBN-13: 978-0-68985-823-9

Review: The Haiku rhythm found in this story makes it a must share. The endearing story, told through the 17 syllable pattern per page, of a stray dog looking for a home, makes for the perfect book for trying your own version of haiku.  The imagery evoked from the specific vocabulary, used to produce this pattern, appeals to readers of all ages due to the familiar circumstances when meeting a stray animal.

Morning brings children.
Hugs, licks, barking, and laughing.
Warmer than sunshine.

Introduction to Share: Haiku: 17 syllables arranged in a 5/7/5 pattern. The possibilities are limitless for ideas when writing haiku.  This story uses this pattern to tell the whole story. The sample given above is a perfect example of how just a short pattern can tell a small story.  Students will find it easy to write about a pet when using words as in this sample. Each haiku could be used individually as an example or the author's note in the back of the book, expressing his reasons for writing haiku, could be used to "hook" students into writing.