Alan Pizzarelli

        Alan Pizzarelli is a famous haiku poet. He is known for his humorous and playful poetry. Alan is not only an accomplished haiku poet, but a musician and artist as well. He was born in 1950 in New Jersey and was mentored by Harold Henderson in the early 1970's. Alan's poetry was noticed in no time. He specializes in senyru which is similar to haiku. Senyru is brief and utilizes the same structure as haiku but is often comical. I have found that Alan Pizzarelli's poetry stands out from most other haiku. I find it to be very forward, or blunt, and usually funny or provocative. It almost seems he takes his poetry to a whole different level. I recently read online that Alan Pizzarelli is well known for the prankster sensibility he brings to is haiku performances and readings. I chose to write about Alan because his poetry is so unusual and unique. I enjoy reading his work and have found myself somewhat amazed after reading some of his work. He definitely had no problem holding anything back.

taking a bath
farting
          bubbles

Alan Pizzarelli, Karma Poems

        I really liked this poem because who has not done this at some point in his life? I find it hysterical. When I first read this haiku, I immediately thought of my little boy farting in the bathtub and giggling as he watched the bubbles come up to the surface. It is cute to watch someone so young and so innocent make himself laugh. He is only two and is too young to understand that this will soon be socially unacceptable. The joy I have watching my children is like no other joy I have ever known. I can remember taking baths with my sister as young children. We used to make shampoo Mohawks and see who could make the biggest bubbles when we farted. This was so funny to us at that age. It still seems pretty funny now that I am thinking back to it! Imagine farting in the bathtub now!

tonite
nothing to write
but this

Alan Pizzarelli, Karma Poems

        This poem is also humorous. It is so simple. I picture Alan sitting at home with a cigarette in hand and possibly a "Jack and Coke." He sits in a recliner with the lights dimmed trying to get inspired or come up with his next haiku. As he relaxes, all he can think about is how he can't really think of anything to write about. The harder he tries to clear his mind, the harder it is to come up with a haiku. So, incidentally, he writes about just that. He has "nothing to write, but this." So basic, I love it.

the fat lady
bends over the tomatoes
a full moon

Alan Pizzarelli, The Haiku Anthology

        Again, this poem is comical. I can totally see a fat lady out in her garden picking tomatoes. She is wearing a huge sunhat, a red tank top, and capris pants. The pants are not well fitting for her frame and every time she bends over....a full moon appears. Obviously, this woman is picking tomatoes during the daytime but Alan chooses to use the "full moon" to signify her big butt. We get a good view of her bottom as she bends over the tomatoes. We've all seen it at some point in time and most of us probably giggle to ourselves and think, "Oh my!" This is a cute poem that everyone can relate to.

a leaf
  falls into the still lake
rippling            wilderness

Alan Pizzarelli, A Silver hubcap (1975-6)

        This haiku is really quite different than the other poems I have chosen to write about. Alan really changes direction with this one. This is a very audible and visual haiku. I imagine a single leaf falling into a very calm, quiet lake. There is no wind and the day is sunny and hot. The lake is way out in the country where there are no homes or roads. It is peaceful. The leaf falls into the lake causing only minimal rippling of the water in that spot. There are only faint sounds of insects around. The sounds would never even be noticed or heard if the wind was blowing slightly or there was any urban life around. I really like this poem even though it is about nature because it is so well written and leaves room for much imagination.

   fog drifts
over the frozen pond
   the parting year

Alan Pizzarelli, A Silver hubcap

        I really like this poem as well. Nature poems are not my favorite, but Alan seems to write nature poems to my liking. When I read this poem, I picture thick white fog drifting slowly over an icy pond. I am driving very slowly in my car because I can barely see in front of me and I am alone. It is late at night and almost the New Year. I slow down to almost a stop and start thinking about how fast the past year has gone and how quickly time passes. My daughter is now crawling and it seems just a few months ago I was walking around very pregnant and very uncomfortable.   I think the poem signifies how quickly things change and how different things can look after the fog drifts by.

    driving
out of the car wash

            clouds move
  across the hood

Alan Pizzarelli, The Haiku Anthology

        I like this haiku because it gets back to Alan's comical side. I think mostly everyone can relate to this poem. It sure seems that no matter when I decide to wash my car, it will surely rain that same day after I have washed my car. I could wait for the most sunny day with not a cloud in the sky or choose a day that has no chance for showers according to the meteorologist, and my car would still get rained on after going to the car wash.   I mean, if farmers are hoping for rain, they should call and tell me to go wash my car!!

        The final Pizzarelli poem I chose is very similar to another haiku by Mykel Board.

smoking a cigarette                                                    through binoculars
thinking                                                                      a woman looking at me
smoking a cigarette                                                    through binoculars

Alan Pizzarelli, ZENRYU                                         Mykel Board, The Haiku Anthology

        Not only are these two poems similar in appearance, but also in phrase usage. Both haiku start and end with the same phrase and this, in turn, makes the poem very simple, interesting, and easy to read and imagine. They are both somewhat comical and unique. Most haiku do not use the same words over again in the poem but these do and they are from two different authors.