Time Required
Approx. 30 minutes

Materials
One set of haiku strips prepared according to directions (below).

Setting
A large group in which participants may move freely. Maximum of 30 people, and preferably a number divisible by 3.

Program Process
The facilitator posts on newsprint a demonstration haiku (one not being used in this exercise) and informs the participants that each of them will receive one line of a three-line haiku. Their task is to find the other two members of their group.

The facilitator distributes the strips randomly by having participants draw one from a box without looking at them. When all trios are formed, the facilitator asks each subgroup to recite their haiku to the entire group.

Variations
The facilitator can subsequently assign an additional task to each team (e.g., interview one another and report back to the larger group). Allow sufficient additional time for completion of that task. If appropriate, the task can be written on the back of the slips of paper so that when the "puzzle" is complete the task is clear to all.

Directions for Making Haiku Strips
Each three-line haiku (examples follow) should be triple-spaced on a 3" x 5" card. Cut each card into three strips, one haiku line to each strip. Include one haiku for each three people or enough strips so each participant will receive one. Choose haiku which correspond with the appropriate season.

Sample Haiku

Lend me water please?
Some fresh young morning-glory
has captured my well. Chiyo-ni

Pretty butterflies,
be careful of pine-needle points
in this gusty wind! Shusen

Bright red pepper-pod:
It needs but shiny wings and look
Darting dragon-fly! Basho

For the Emperor
himself, he will not lift his hat
A stiff-backed scarecrow. Dansui

Oh do not swat them...
Unhappy flies forever
wringing their thin hands. Issa

Windy winter rain...
My silly big umbrella
tries walking backward. Shisei-jo

Ah, the falling snow..
Imagine dancing butterflies flitting
through the flakes! Oeharu

From watching the moon
I turn, and my friendly old
shadow led me home. Shiki

The leaves never know
which leaf will be first to fall.
Does the. wind know? Soseki

All day in grey rain
hollyhocks follow the sun's
invisible road. Basho

Jewels of small shells
in ripples of sand, tangled
with kelp and rubbish. Basho

It is not easy
to be sure, which end is which
of a resting snail. Kyorai

Only a chirping
insect told me it was night
so bright was the moon. Etsujin

On the temples great
bronze bell a butterfly sleeps
in the noon sun. Buson

Broken and broken
again on the sea, the moon
so easily mends- Chosu