Global Haiku • Fall 2015
Dr. Randy Brooks

Cycles of the Moon

by
Jeffrey Davis

Author's Introduction

Poetry is an interesting art. Words, seemingly with no common connections, are linked and highlight specific times. Memories, images, a future, a past. Each word is carefully selected and ordered in such a precise way that each, though it has been used countless times before, is unique. A pattern shapes and a poem is born.

The haiku is an interesting form of poem. Typically thought of in the 5-7-5 format, haiku can offer in just a few lines more insight on a person than nearly anything else. The haiku selected in this work, however, do not all follow the 5-7-5 form, but still highlight times of important significance throughout my life. They highlight the bright times, the dark times, and all of the grey area in between. These are the cycles of my internal moon.

Reader's Introduction

Jeffrey is a writer who is able to incorporate intimate feelings and convey thought provoking images through his work. With the mind of a musician, his background in rock music lends itself to many of his haiku.

hourglass memories
draining away
with each grain of sand

Many of his haiku seem almost lyrical. Not only does this haiku flow very well, but it also provides a very intense image of thousands of sand particles running though the body of an hourglass. Another outstanding trait of Jeffrey's haiku is the "bluntness" of speech. Many of these haiku may seem "dark", when truly they are just not sugar-coating the issue or focus at hand.

depression hungers
rabid wolves
tear inside my head

With many of his haiku being of similar nature, there is also the side of Jeffrey that is very light-hearted. Like many artists, he has a soft-spot. He loves to enjoy time with his cat, Stella, who he has had since she was a few weeks old.

orange furball
steals my heart
with her squeaky meow

Much like himself, Cycles of the Moon, reflects the many different pieces and phases of his life. Cycles of the Moon includes many brilliantly written haiku to challenge your mind and provoke interesting thoughts.

Aundrea Marsh
Taylorville, IL

are you there?
footsteps in the eerie shadows
must be memories

snakes in my pocket
knotted tightly together
hear them call to us

streetlight glow
I see you walking away
down the train track

ghostly dandelion seed
floating in the breeze;
take me for a ride

poisoned apple
no longer my gateway
to Eden

going home
prairie grass waving to me
Goodbye

bed of pine needles
muffles my footsteps
the doe turns her head

like roses
people blossom
and slowly wilt away

hollowed out eyes
—do you still look right
through me?

love
after all this time?
"always"

caffeine.
cafFeinECaffEiNecAFfeIne.
crash.

alone together
better
together alone