The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons

Citation

Farrar, Sid, and Ilse Plume. The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons. Chicago, IL: Albert Whitman &, 2012. ISBN: 0807581291

Poetic Elements

The poet makes ample use of many poetic techniques, which is admirable considering that he's working in the form of haiku and there are such rigid structural requirements for this type of poetry. He sprinkles alliteration throughout such phrases as “...snowmen stand very still...” and “...waiting patiently in the pumpkin patch...” His greatest tool seems to be his use of simile and personification. Hearing him describe how the “...thick, black clouds grumble...” and the “...robin asks earthworm back to her nest...” paints a vivid picture and evokes imagery for the reader. His comparisons are simple and elegant as in “...dandelions from the earth like countless little suns...” and “...like tiny fallen stars fireflies quietly blink...” The 5-7-5 syllable format gives the poetry a certain rhythm but there is certainly no room for rhyme within these haiku. Perhaps my two favorite images from this book of haiku poetry are “...apples loll...dreaming cider and hot pie...” and “...lawns call a truce with mowers...” It really is quite impressive that he was able to draw such images with so few words and so skillfully employ a multitude of poetic elements in his work.

Appeal and Overall Quality

This collection of haiku can easily be described as consistent in form. There are no labels or titles for any of the poems, signifying how any of the poems could really apply to more than one month. You could try to group them by months, seasons, etc. but the author does not intend for that to happen, I do not think. There are twelve poems, one signifying every month of the year and one final haiku describing how the earth spins and circles. This debut poet crafts extremely rich haiku that is coupled with beautiful watercolor illustrations by a Caldecott Honor winner.

Each haiku is spread across two pages with a predominant design of framed illustration on one page with the haiku and smaller illustration contained within a circle on the other page. Occasionally there is a full color, full page illustration that spreads to the corners. The end of the book contains a wealth of information on the history of haiku, the cycle of life and what defines a year, and information on each of the four seasons. The layout is interesting here in that the 12 poems are followed by the information which is followed by one final haiku about the earth. This symbolizes how the months, the seasons all come together to create the wonderful spinning “...tapestry of days, months, seasons—life.”

Spotlight Poem

Waiting patiently

in the pumpkin patch for his

face : Jack O'Lantern

Follow-Up Activity

This would be a great piece to use with a unit on months of the year, weather, or even life cycles. There are so many topics covered so succinctly in this book and in these haikus. I would have the kids choose their favorite haiku from the book and illustrate it or else write their own haiku about a favorite season or event of the year. We could then compile them into a class book of haiku.

Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-This quietly contemplative collection offers a look at the wonders of nature over the course of a year. Each spread gives a glimpse into a different scene-thunderstorms, apples falling from trees, fireflies at dusk, birds feeding their babies, and other animals in their natural habitats in the different seasons. There are 13 haiku in all-one for each month (although they are not labeled, allowing readers to infer when each one takes place)-and a final one describing the Earth circling the sun as "spinning a tapestry of days, months, and seasons," bringing awe-inspiring perspective to children just learning about how vast the universe really is. Plume's understated yet cheerful artwork brings the selections to life and exemplifies the power and beauty of nature. Farrar gives an explanation of haiku in the back of the book and also discusses characteristics of the seasons and the "cycle of life"-how a year is measured and how the equator divides the world and affects the way seasons are experienced, etc. This charming book is a wonderful supplement for units on weather, seasons, animals, or poetry in general.