Have you taken some time recently to clear your mind from the weight of the world and reflect upon nature in a creative way? The Preservation Trust is offering you the perfect excuse to lean into the natural world and art for inspiration. Join us outside today, April 17th, to celebrate International Haiku Poetry Day!

We invite you to grab a notebook and a pencil and venture into your backyard to find a quiet sit spot, a place that beckons you in the moment. Once you are settled and comfortable, your challenge is to write three meaningful lines of verse that relate to your surroundings. The traditional haiku format is three lines with 17 syllables total, using the 5-7-5 syllable structure, read more about building your haiku here.

By cultivating your awareness and lighting up your senses in this natural setting, let’s find out if your haiku can transport you back to this very sit spot even after you are physically gone from it. By sharing your haiku with loved ones, you can help them experience the essence of this very place, even though you may be physically isolated during this time. The goal is to connect with each other through solitude in nature. A haiku can do that!

We realize that writing a haiku can be challenging, so if you don’t come up with one, that’s fine! The most important part of this challenge is that you set aside the time and find the space to give it a try. Turning to creativity for expression is a worthwhile endeavor and can act as a momentary escape from the fears and difficulties that fight to overwhelm us. By bringing beloved landscapes to life in our mind, we are reminded of what treasures they possess and how we are united in admiration.

We hope you can join us today, with the earth beneath you, to find out if you can take your observations, thoughts, and feelings and put them into words. Good luck out there, and please share your haiku with us by e-mailing Sierra or posting to social media by tagging us (@sanjuanpreservationtrust) and using the hashtag #HaikuPoetryDay.

Your entries will be shared here…

Have fun and enjoy!