Global Haiku • July 2018
Dr. Randy Brooks

Closing My Eyes

by
Dannika Beedle

Upon entering the Global haiku traditions course I wasn’t really certain what to expect. Honestly, I just knew that I needed to pass the course to meet a requirement. I never knew there could be so much gained from the course.  Nonetheless, on the very first day I went in with an open mind and was prepared to take in all the knowledge that the course had to offer. On the very first day I remember the first thing we were told to do was close our eyes and imagine the haiku that was spoken. After having a few class sessions, I quickly realized that this tool was going to be repeated often. I would consider this to be the first tool that I learned for the success of this class. As the class progressed before I began any kukai, or haiku I would close my eyes before I’d even match my pencil to the paper.

Closing my eyes helped me concentrate and dig deep into my thoughts on what to say or how to express myself in the haiku I’d written. If I could imagine what I’d written easily than that was my cue to move forward with what I’d done. As a result I was happy with the majority of the haiku that I’d written, I even won on one of the kukai contests, which made me really happy overall. I had no idea that such a small task could make such a large difference. I carried that tool with me throughout the class to the end.

Aside from tools I believe that taking this class has taught me the importance of appreciating the smaller things, generally speaking that is. Since haiku are normally typically shorter poems, and do not rhyme, it is not unusual for those kinds of poems to be overlooked. After taking this class however, I quickly learned that these 3-5 line poems can have so much meaning behind them. There is also so much room for ideas to be inferred from these poems. I quickly learned to appreciate haiku poetry as I could really focus in on what I felt was relatable, funny, or lovable! I was happy that a haiku so small could send such a large message overall. Upon applying short haiku to my personal life I began learning that I could really appreciate the smaller things that I encountered in my personal life. Additionally, in some situations funnily, I found myself accidentally using haiku in responses to other people in conversations.  Upon applying short haiku in my professional life I began learning that saying less could indeed speak more in some situations.

winter night
no jacket
not a care

afraid to be herself
when no one else
is watching

fireplace warms
our frostbitten hands
creators of snowmen

mellow evening
crickets chirp
not a single word

moonlight glare
a dip into the cool
honey suckle

torn quilt
how we
first met

lost child poster
comes down
uneven chocolate cake

headphones in
distractions
out