PACE Global Haiku • PACE September 2015
Dr. Randy Brooks

Haiku From My Faith

by
Heather Allen

Preface

I find inspiration to write my haiku from my faith, relationships, family and hobbies. It is easy to write about things you love or are passionate about. It can be comfortable writing about emotional states you've been in, good and bad. Due to emotions being something that most people hold on to, it is easy to remember instances where you found great joy or sadness. You remember where you were, what you were wearing, what you were feeling or what you were doing. With that being said, most of my haiku come from heart felt experiences. My haiku range from subject to subject but all have passion and true meaning behind them.

Some of my favorite ones are about my religion. Those types of haiku are extremely deep and heart felt. I hope to reach out to those who may not know what that feels like. My other favorites are about my daughter. Those are most definitely the easiest to write about because she is so busy all of the time and has such a strong and active personality. She keeps me busy and laughing all the time.

The format of my haiku varies. Sometimes I will start with a hard punch at the beginning, giving you some food for thought and letting you wonder where this would go. Sometimes I end with the punch instead. After learning that haiku don't all have an exact form to follow, I started playing with the one word haiku and even placing them differently on the page. I have found most of my inspiration for format throughout the several authors in the Haiku Anthology book.

cozy, warm fireplace
crackling in the background
football

screeching, loud horns
bright, city lights
sky scrapers

the rough gravel
on a hot day
bike ride to the park

a child's laugh
the swing goes higher
and higher

the strings are becoming thin
lacing each notch tight
before going on the ice

outside the ballet room
the parents crowd
around the window

doorbell rings
company rolls in
—chaos

the children run through
fresh cut grass
to the ice cream truck

snow angels and
a carrot for a nose
the first snow

dad's old baseball cap
stretched and dirty
my favorite team

cloudless day
chalky fingers
hopscotch