Global Haiku • January 2021
Dr. Randy Brooks

So Real

by
Sam Thornburg

In today’s fast-paced society, sometimes we all need to sit back and really take a look at ourselves, lest we fly off the rails from growing up too fast. One of the more unique ways of doing so is through poetry, especially in a form like haiku. Though it might appear to be less powerful than longer poetry, the bite-size art form comes packed with a discernible gravity. Haiku draws readers in with its simple to understand yet amazingly profound descriptions of the world around it, capturing endless situations in just a few short lines.

Haiku invites readers to do the thinking for themselves, placing their own experiences, memories, and sentiments into each set of stanzas to bring it alive. No need for a cryptography key; haiku is accessible across all ages and walks of life. Writing haiku is also simple and English haiku do not need to conform to a syllable rule. Haiku seems to be one of the most open poetry forms, with the only general rule being that it must be short. It allows for clever wordplay (especially in Japanese haiku), down to earth observations, and retelling of memories. Different forms of Japanese haiku such as rengay allow individuals or groups to tell charming stories, building off of each other. Beautiful pictures are painted for when the time comes to share it all together in regular Kukai: haiku sharing social events.

Before taking Global Haiku Traditions, I had little appreciation for art, having spent many of my days focusing entirely on math, economics, and science. Yet, in the back of my mind, there was always a little draw or pull towards art, as it always kept popping up and sticking around. I also constantly thought of new ways to express myself that weren’t cringy or condescending, seeing the results of both throughout my life. After hearing about the haiku class, I decided it would be interesting to try it out, thinking that it would be an excellent way to learn about a higher English concept in a short amount of time. Even still, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to this class, as all of the adults and friends around me told me it was a waste of time. However, after even the first day, I really began to enjoy haiku for what it is and how I could express myself in a way that was in sync with a lot of concepts I already subscribed to.

Haiku emphasizes slowing down, appreciating the small details, and being meticulous with organization and word choice: characteristics of writing and socializing I think are very important. Truly, my first haiku was a reflection of that feeling, embodying my surprise, enjoyment, and relief upon taking Global Haiku Traditions and hearing the past handwriting of “5-7-5” requirements removed:

special shoes on
boarding plane
so real

Not only is it the grand feeling I got when leaving the depressing land of California for the last time before coming to Millikin, but it’s the feeling I got when my parents finally left my Woods apartment to drive home and I was left alone. It was the feeling I got when I met President White for the first time, confirming the Presidential Scholarship I was promised. It was the feeling when I hugged my best friend for the first time. It was the feeling when I was able to take the highest level finance classes early and receive the highest mark possible. It was the feeling when I was driving back from O’Haire, realizing I was free from my past: so real. It’s so real!

While I don’t incorporate many mathematical or financial elements, I hope you enjoy the haiku written by a hardcore mathematics and finance major. Many of my favorite haiku are based on my childhood memories, focusing more on being in the moment. Try to think through the memories in your past to see if there’s a place for my haiku, or a forgotten friend who embodies the sentiments you get. Consider calling them or sending them a nice letter. Show them love!

~ Samuel Thornburg

fine china
put away
for the first time

glistening pine tree
running towards mother
first words

snowshoe prints
dot the frozen lake
         three missed calls

off in the distance
the oasis!
a single porta-potty

post-workout stretch
the mirror
adds five pounds

a scratched up record
beneath dust
the perfect love song

kitchen laughter
the wedding band falls
down the drain

stock reports
I do it
for her

packed ice rink
a single
outreached hand

little red scooter
blazing around the block
I'm the cool kid now

mother chats on
car keys in her purse
jsut out of reach

broken kitchen window
was it the baseball
or the Lord Xythor?