On an even playing field of haiku making

Abstract

To help older adults living with cognitive impairments to engage in positive social interactions and maintain verbal creativity, intergenerational small-group sessions of haiku creation and appreciation activity were conducted online during the pandemic. Haiku, a short 17-syllable form of poetry originating in Japan, conveys simple yet emotive seasonal images free from the complexity or logical continuity required of prose. Accordingly, it offers anyone the challenge of an unfamiliar activity while minimizing impediment from linguistic and memory difficulties. The participants’ interactions during the activity and post-session interviews reveal that for both young and old, the haiku creation format facilitated self-expression and sharing of personal narratives. The key to meaningful interaction was the equal positioning of persons with and without cognitive impairments and their efforts to understand their interlocutor’s purpose and conversational direction. The study encourages further studies in pragmatics centered on affect-oriented communication.