Global Haiku • Fall 2018
Dr. Randy Brooks

Mary Callaghan is a sophomore Entrepreneurship and Accounting major from Chicago, Illinois. While many of her creative arts experiences have fallen under the canopy of musicianship, haiku has allowed her to explore her interests in creative writing this past semester. 

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See Mary's essay on
"Coming of Age Haiku"

The House Where Time Stood Still

by
Mary Callaghan

Introduction

Mary Callaghan is a business student at Millikin University from Chicago, Illinois. Many of the haiku in this collection are haiku that she wrote about growing up in as a women immigrant family transitioning to Chicago. The title “The house where time stood still” is what they would call her Grandma’s house after she moved to Chicago. The house had as little technology as possible and was decorated with old Irish heritage symbols. Despite the limited technology, both sides of her family hold the arts near to their hearts and place a great importance on them. This collection describes her family, her Chicago lifestyle, and the values she was taught growing up. These three themes are what have shaped her as a young woman today and she wants to share them through haiku.

Reader's Introduction

Mary's haiku collection covers many aspects of her personality. From the humorous haiku to serious haiku to love haiku, each one is genuine. She has a unique way of addressing serious topics with tact, but saying what needs to be said effectively. Mary also writes of her Irish heritage a lot. I particularly enjoy Mary's more humorous work, such as the piece below.

the longest line
ladies dressed to impress
all waiting to pee

The image of people dressed up and going out to have a good time, but all waiting to pee is funny to me. It is the fact that everyone is done up, but has to do something not as flattering as celebrating. While perfectly normal, it is still humorous that they all end up waiting in line to go to the bathroom. ~Zach McReynolds

ramblin man
sung through irish brogues
the songs of immigrants

a galaxy away
they sit
laughing at us

The DAR
oh wait
we are immigrants

young woman
told
good thing you’re pretty

motherly advice
never leave without
pepper spray

christmas tree lit
the white snow falls
behind the new piano

old songs
grandma sings
one last time

four types of potato
for the buffet
an Irish tradition

cop horror stories
my hispanic cousin
lightens the mood

my sister’s step
quickens
sundown

no spreadsheets
at dinner
pass the rolls

carved pumpkins
the only ones
smiling

pumpkin hands
the queen
has arrived

shouted slurs
over the bonfire
smoke comes alive

frantically covers
a pimple
interview day

fresh coffee
he smiles
i get the creamer

little girls
sneaking in
a read before bed

childhood friend
comes for tea
comfortable silence

dad brews coffee
fills a cup
just for me

flippy cup
I put my hand
in something sticky

castles
for corporate princes
steel capturing the sun

a soft breeze
brushing my baby curls
tickling my neck