Garry Gay's Haiku Techniques
One of the most amazing aspects of writing is the variety of types. A person can write poetry, short stories, novels, biographies, and/or autobiographies; the list goes on and on. Writing gives people the chance to explore the world in a way that is unimaginable to everyone else. Being a writer is more than just possessing a skill; it is possessing a gift. A gift, that, the poet Garry Gay appears to possess. He is able to use his haiku poems to take his reader on an adventure through memories and experiences. He shows them different moments in life without them ever having to leave their seats. When I had to decide who to do my author study on, my choice was very simple.
What is so amazing about Gay’s talent is that he did not go to school for anything writing related. He received his BPA degree from Brooks Institute of Photography in 1974. Gay has spent his time since graduating as a professional photographer. At the present time, he resides in the California wine country with his wife, Melinda and daughter, Alissa.
Garry Gay has a way of using his haiku in very special ways. When reading through many of his poems, I came across various techniques that he uses such as: using his haiku that cause readers to see contradictions and comparisons, using his haiku with a sense of undertone, having his readers think the poem is going one way for the first two lines and then change directions with the last line, and using imagery to accentuate his already beautiful poetry. While these are not the only techniques he uses, these are the four that were the most prominent when conducting my research.
When writing haiku, Garry Gay plays with his words in a way that causes the readers to see contradictions and comparisons. An example of this can be seen in the haiku from Garry Gay’s book, River Stones.
weight lifter
slowly lifting
the tea cup
Gay, RS, 18
With this poem, Gay does a fantastic job of painting an image of this large, very muscular man, lifting a dainty little tea cup. I can almost see him struggling with the fragile teacup as he brings it to his mouth, as to not break the cup into tiny pieces. Considering this man is a weight lifter, it can be assumed that his hand are rather large. Much larger, in fact, than the tiny teacup he uses. I can imagine that if this man were to close his hand around the teacup, you would not be able to tell he had anything in his hand.
This poem also brings up the question, “Well, what is he doing with a teacup?” In all honesty, I imagine him having a tea party with his daughter or niece because not many weight lifters would pull out a tea set and serve himself beverages. However, if there was a little girl involved whom he loved, he would do it with a smile, just to make her happy. It is endearing to imagine this big, tough, and buff man playing with his little girl. It is the kind of image that warms the heart and makes the reader smile.
Another poem that uses contradiction is from Gay’s group of work titled, Family Reunion.
to cheat
the echo . . .
we whisper
Gay, FR, 1
The contradiction of the words “echo” and “whisper” is what really sticks out in this poem. In order to create an echo, a loud sound must be created, and because of this, I associate the word “echo” with loud noises. Obviously, “whispering” has the connotation of a quiet noise, so these two words really complement each other, despite the fact of their contrasting qualities. They play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses and make a beautifully powerful haiku.
Whenever I think of an echo, I am immediately taken to the Grand Canyon. I do not know why exactly, but that is directly where my mind goes. With that being said, when reading this poem, I imagine a couple standing on the Grand Canyon, whispering to each other. In normal cases, people go to the Grand Canyon and scream as loud as they can so they can hear the echoing of their voice between the walls of the canyon. There are not too many cases where a couple will whisper to each other when in the presence of that much majestic beauty. With that being said, this haiku is beautiful and special in that way. It takes a moment that not many people get to experience and displays it to the world.
Along with using his haiku for comparison purposes, Gay also has a way of using undertone by saying one thing, while also saying another. An example of this can be found in his book, The Face of the Dragonfly.
the dying oak tress
clinging to a few last leaves—
their veins showing.
Gay, TFOTD, 12
The first reading of this poem portrays an image of an old oak tree, clinging on to its last few leaves; because once the leaves are gone, it means that the tree is truly dead. Unfortunately, the leaves are close to falling off, which can be seen by the obvious protrusions the veins are making from the leaves. This reading is the obvious image, but if the reader looks closer, a different image begins to poke its head out of the poem.
The dying oak trees can actually resemble elderly humans who have lived long and healthy lives, but are beginning to see the end of their lives draw near. When talking about the elderly, the second line is not talking about their last few leaves, but rather their last few years. The third line is still talking about veins, but instead of the veins that can be found in tree leaves, it is talking about the veins that can be seen on the elderly’s body.
Another example of Gay’s impressive use of undertone, and also imagery, can be seen in the haiku from his book, Along the Way.
along the way
an old oak branch
becomes a walking stick
Gay, ATW, 13
This poem, when read on a surface level, appears to just be talking about an old oak branch being turned into a walking stick along the way of a journey. However, when the reader really digs into the poem, more meaning begins to pour out. For example, another reading of this poem can reveal that it is not talking about old branches, but is saying that although something may seem useless at first, if you give it a chance and find where it belongs, it can become very helpful and maybe even lifesaving.
When I read this poem, I relate it to people rather than objects. There are some people in your life that you pick up just because they are there. You keep them around for a while and before you know it, you cannot imagine your life without them. The friendships I have made at college happened just like that. I came to Millikin looking for a place where I belonged and people who loved the same things I did. The very first week, I met a group of fantastic people who were, well, just there. I was not sure if we would stay friends, but I knew that at that moment, I liked them. Little did I know that this group would become my closest friends; a year later, I cannot imagine my life without them.
Garry Gay also has a way of making his first two lines lead the reader in one direction, but the last line changes the meaning of the poem entirely. This can be seen in the poem in River Stones:
wild roses
drop their petals
in the roadside ditch
Gay, RS, 17
The reader, when first seeing this, begins by conjuring up an image of beautiful roses. The roses can either be in a vase on a counter, or in the arms of the reader’s beloved, however, as the reader goes on, this beautiful images changes to one of a roadside ditch. For most, this is not the most romantic setting, or the happiest. Gay does a wonderful job with making the reader see one image, but then turn the image right around to a sight completely different. It is because of this reason that I find Garry Gay’s poems so fascinating.
When I first read this poem, I saw a beautiful image of a wife waking up to a bouquet of roses from her loving husband on her bedside table. I can see her smiling as she reaches over and reads the little note attached to the flowers. Her heart warms and she feels so blessed to have such a wonderful man in her life. However, as I went on, I instead saw a wife throwing the roses her cheating husband gave her into the roadside ditch, so she would never have to see them again. I also enjoyed the contrasting colors that Gay seems to use. Most roadside ditches are a dark green or brown, but the rose petals come into the image and add a sprinkle of red. This contrast of colors in the image is just very beautiful and real.
Another example can be seen in Along the Way, by Garry Gay.
the china doll painter
carefully applies lipstick . . .
to herself
Gay, ATW, 27
This poem begins by making the reader think that the china doll painter is painting lipstick on the doll, but then turns around and states that she is putting lipstick on herself. Although this poem seems simplistic, to me, it has a deeper meaning. There are times in life where you become comfortable with your life and you get a routine and stick to it. People begin to think that you are predictable and that they can guess what you are going to do exactly when you do it. The fun part about life however, is being able to do something that surprises those people. You get to go out and do something for yourself that they would not expect. It is a freeing feeling that is incomparable to anything else. It gives you this sense of power and happiness that is not always present your everyday life. That feeling of power and happiness, is, for some reason, what I feel when I read this poem. This woman is finally doing something for herself; she’s taking a break from what everyone expects her to do and is doing something for herself.
Finally, Garry Gay has a way of adding a special touch to his haiku by his tasteful use of imagery. He does not overwhelm the reader with an annoying amount of imagery; he just uses it to add something special to the poem. An example is,
low valley fog . . .
the birth steam of a new calf
in the morning light
Gay, RS, 3
With this poem, Gay uses the first two lines to put a clear image into the readers head. When someone reads this, he or she will be able to picture a mother cow and her newly born calf in the pasture. They are surrounded by a blanket of fog, and the steam of the calf blends into the fog in the air, making it officially a part of this world. Every line of this poem adds another layer to the image that is portrayed in the readers mind. By the end, it is a beautifully, well thought out image.
One other example is from Gay’s book, The Silent Garden.
after the storm;
at the rainbow’s end
a snail.
Gay, TSG, 16
One of my favorite moments in life is the peace that follows a storm. During the storm, the sky was gray, rain came down and lightning struck the earth while thunder rumbled its soundtrack. However, when the storm has finally ceased, the skies are beginning to clear, everything looks clean and refreshed, and the birds start chirping again; it is one of the most beautiful sights that anyone will witness. It is also a sight that most people have seen at some point in their life and because of that, Gay does not need to give a very detailed description of the image, which is perfect for haikus. I love, though, how the last line also throws the reader for a loop by, instead of following the childhood tales of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it is a snail.
When looking at this poem, I also get a source of irony. I get this image of someone who has gone through a terrible event and, at the end of it, they are expecting their pot of gold. However, once they finally get to the end of the rainbow, it is not gold, it is a snail. All that work and all that trouble and heartache and what do they get? A snail. That is kind of a buzz kill. It’s kind of slap in the face to anyone who has ever said that, “things will get better.” This poem is proving that that is not always the case.
Many people think that writing only comes from within, but that is not always the case. Sometimes, a writer needs to experience and see the world in order to create. They gather their inspiration through moments of their lives or parts of the world they experience. The “within” part, is what people get out of the writing. How a person relates to the poem or what they feel when reading the poem is what makes writing great. Garry Gay has the ability to write in a way that makes people feel connected to the poetry. He writes not only for himself, but for his readers. He not only keeps them entertained, but gets them thinking and feeling, which is what makes reading haikus so enjoyable.
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Works Cited
Gay, Garry. ”About the Author.” Long Way Home. Brooks Books, 1999. Web. 24 October 2013.
Gay, Garry. Along the Way. Crosby: Snapshot, 2000. Print.
Gay, Garry. The Face of the Dragonfly. Oakland: Leanfrog, 1979. Print.
Gay, Garry. Family Reunion. Santa Rosa: N.p., 1999. Print.
Gay, Garry. River Stones. Normal: Saki, 1998. Print.
Gay, Garry. The Silent Garden. Kentfield: Smythe-Waithe, 1982. Print.
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