UGP, Haiku, empathy

I think that the UGP, Haiku have something very much in common.
The whole premise of writing in an unfamiliar genre is to get familiar with something unfamiliar, and remember what it is like to be uncomfortable, to wobble, to be uneasy, and ask a result to feel empathy, as a writer, learner, and teacher.

I feel like the more I read in the genre of Haiku, the more I feel that empathy is a huge piece of it. Almost like music, it evokes sentiment, and with that sentiment, we relate to the artist, whether a musician, songwriter, singer, poet, or writer.

I have been reading Haiku by very famous poet, Matsuo Basho, who lived from 1644-1694.  I feel like I am taking a walk with him or with him sitting looking at the moon or the clouds or the sky with him when I read his haiku.  I also have read more about him as an individual. He was known to withdraw from society for periods of time, in an bare, austere hut with no luxuries with only simple necessities.  I feel like he invited the simple into his life and his poetry so that he could see the magnificent in the simple, free things in life. I also get the feelings that he could empathize with poverty, with hunger in several of his haiku. Here is one I especially love.

For a lovely bowl

let us arrange these

flowers...

Since there is no rice

So, how can I produce haiku with empathy in regards to education?  I think of what is hard in education about being a teacher. Many tests, many students, struggling students, stressful nights of grading stacks of papers, little resources and time to work with, parameters and standards to compete with and align to, work-life balance, equality in education, social class stratification.  Then I also thing of the beautiful things, student's laughter, student's aha moments, group energy, student's compassion for each other, students' compassion for their teachers, student's helping each other out, student's being proud of their work and accomplishments, achievements at the end of the year, pride as a teacher, sharing curiosity, brainstorming sessions, student-teacher heart to hearts, teacher aha moments, attuning to a parent for the benefit of a student, getting support from the school in new ideas or programs.

Classroom question marks
Swirling like fish in a bowl
Hooked by teachers hearts

Giggles and pencils
Scribbling dreams and passions
In the shape of school

Courageous souls meet
paper and pencil, classmates
Fearlessly building knowledge

Compassionate rules
Giving room to grow grander
Make mistakes and rise

Seeing you see me
Makes my heart and soul tickle
School rocks when I'm seen

Fear, mistakes, growth, steam
Going forward sometimes slow
Supported, meet me.

I love how this project has been like a group of circles overlapping, creates a flower, a circle of life. It has overlapped teaching methods, being a learner, growing from making mistakes, writing, writing, writing, reading other's work, and creating a final portfolio.

I am excited to see the final product.

I am also grateful for the site Haiku of Basho that let me dive into the feeling of ancient pristine haiku today.