Global Haiku • July 2018
Dr. Randy Brooks

Shade Tree

by
Michael Means

On the first night of this class, I thought to myself “what the heck am I doing here?” I’ll be honest, to see a professor passionate about little poems was wierd for the first few hours. But when you had us close our eyes and imagine being somewhere else as you recited a haiku about a skillet, bacon and a rooster, I was instantly transported to another place and time. I had never experienced that before. I never realized how powerful a few words could be, regardless of the topic. Word selection is important and this class taught me how to communicate thoughts into emotions. It taught me that I can paint a picture in someone’s head or bring out emotions that have been locked inside. Haiku are everywhere, we just have to block out all the distractions and enjoy them. In my professional life, I’ll use haiku to relax during stressful days. It’s also taught me that it’s not the amount of words you use, it’s about choosing the rights words. One doesn’t have to write a page long email to motivate employees. It’s about choosing the words that connect with the reader. Haiku is also a great gift. I’m always trying to find the perfect gift for my family. I can’t think of anything more personal than a beautiful haiku that they’ll have forever.

a flat rock skips
across a still pond humming
between hops

This haiku is one of my favorites. It’s in the top two that I’ve written. It reminds my of a simple life, enjoying the peace and stillness of the outdoors. I’m pretty easily entertained, and I can recall as a kid seeing how many skips I could get across our five acre pond. I think my record was seven. On a quiet day, you could hear the rock buzz as it bounced off the water. Thinking about this clears my head.

the swing creaks
under the shade tree
grandpa cries

Grandpa, like the old swing has been around awhile. He shared his life with my grandmother. They were married for 50 years, but together for almost 60. For two thirds of his life, he enjoyed life with her. Together that sat on that swing, watching sunsets and kids playing. He was never alone. But when she passed, his life was basically over. He only made it about a year. He cried for weeks, always trying to hide it from us, but we knew he was hurting.

crackling fire
lawn chairs and smores
cool summer night

It doesn’t get much more relaxing at home than a warm fire, on a cool summer night. As the smoke rises and the flames dance, the smell in the air is wonderful. Sitting around the fire pit with the family, talking about life or the ball game or prom is the perfect family bonding time. The smores are the icing on the cake. Add some reese's peanut butter cups, and I’m in heaven.

morning coffee
on the porch
in my pajamas

the crack of thunder
under the bed
a puppy trembles

Springtime brings warm weather and thunderstorms. Our little dog has always been scared of storms. Even a light rain will cause him to have anxiety. When the thunder cracks, he’s nowhere around, but we always know where to find him.

tick tock
the dog waits
by the door