Jeffrey Winke's Playful Haiku

by Jacob Dellert
October 25, 2015

Jeffrey Winke writes what comes to him. He even says as much in the preface of Vexing Laughter. He ends the preface with "The harsh haiku critic will have a field day pointing out the many reasons why these cannot be legitimately considered true haiku" (p.11-12) He writes his haiku so that the reader has something to think about. Jeffrey leaves the haiku open-ended so that the reader can put their own twists and thoughts to the haiku. He also wants the reader to relate to the haiku. Jeffrey says a haiku can be written anywhere—in traffic, while eating, or even before bed.

Reading the prefaces of two of his haiku books, I don't believe that Jeffrey Winke is a typical writer. Not that many who write haiku are typical anyway, but Jeffrey differs even more so. Not only does he enjoy writing haiku, but he wants his reader to enjoy reading and writing them as well. It isn't about writing haiku to become famous or to publish a book. Jeffrey just wants to get as many people into the art as possible. He believes that haiku is relaxing and can help with the stresses of life.

When I first learned of this assignment, I wanted to find an author who wrote political haiku. I don't think there are many political haiku out there. There may be some from generations gone by, but not much in the way of current events and happenings. I think there is a reason for that. Politics can be such a depressing and upsetting topic. I don't think men and women who write haiku want the reader to experience that when reading their haiku. Sure there are topics that are upsetting but for the most part those haiku are about life events that someone wrote about to probably get things off of their chest. Politics, while it has an effect on our lives, for the most part we can't control it.

With that thought in mind, I have decided to go with haiku that are more light hearted and that make a fun read, Jeffrey Winke's playful haiku. The haiku in this essay are from Vexing Laughter (2013) and what's not there (2001).

today's "to do"
too much to do
with too much do

Winke, WNT

In this haiku we see a very busy individual. His to do list is much too long and has things that aren't on that list as well. The writer feels a bit overwhelmed because of everything seems to be needed all at the same time and he seems to feel like he is the only one doing anything. Everyone can relate to this feeling. Everyone has the pressures of everyday life and sometimes feel like they can't finish their own "to do" list. It is especially true for my fellow PACE students at Milli. We work, we have homes, many of us have children and we have school on top of all of those things. When I first started in the PACE program, I felt like this all of the time. Working a full time schedule, with overtime on top of that, spending time with my family and doing homework, I felt I never had time to do anything else. You have to learn how to budget your time, otherwise life will swallow you up.

biker bar
the toilet tank
bolted to the wall

Winke, WNT

The writer is finding out how tough a bar can be. Maybe it is his first time in such an establishment and he are shocked to find that the toilet tank is bolted to the wall. The writer is probably wondering why in the world would someone need to bolt this to the wall. Maybe they have had fights in the bar that involved the use of a toilet tank or there could have been an upset customer who destroyed the bathroom. The owners find it easier to bolt the tank to the wall rather than buying a new one all of the time. Whatever the case may be, I think the author is shocked to find this in the bathroom and shocked to find that people act that way. The writer doesn't find himself in biker bars often and probably won't be going back any time soon.

another whiskey
even the trophy trout
swims

Winke, WNT

This haiku is about a man who is drunk. He is sitting in a bar having a few drinks, maybe with some friends, and realizes he is drunk. He probably went for one or two, but had too many while he was there. The moment he realizes he is drunk is when he looks up at the mounted trophy trout on the wall and sees it moving. The trout obviously isn't truly swimming, but due to his drunken state the author sees the trout swaying back and forth, making it look like it is swimming. The alcohol seems to have done its job as the author doesn't seem to have to many worries about being drunk and is finding the "swimming trout" humorous.

campaign flier
the incumbent's picture
from twenty years ago

Winke, WNT

While this isn't completely political, it does mention politics. I see this as a man walking down an alley in a big city in the United States. For some reason or another, this flier has not been thrown away in twenty years. Whether the street sweeper has just missed it all this time or it's stuck behind an object and has just been there for this long, who knows. Nonetheless this flier is there and the man walks by it and sees it. As he looks at the flier he reminisces about what he was doing twenty years ago. He thinks mostly of the good times he had twenty years ago and doesn't focus on the bad. He thinks back to who he voted for in that election and if that was the right decision. He also reflects on the what-ifs. What if the other candidate won? Would the world be different? Would his own life be different?

bathed warmth
admiring she who
admires herself

Winke, VL, 45

This is written while observing someone. The writer watches as a woman, who might not be to happy with her life, watches another woman who seems quite happy with her own life. The woman who is watching realizes how much better she should feel about herself, while watching the woman who is very happy. The author can see a transformation in the first woman as he watches. He can see that she, without even speaking with the second woman, is getting advice from watching her actions. The author, not knowing either of the women, feels proud of the first woman, he can see that she plans to better herself and she knows just what she wants to do.

afterlife?
you gotta be joking . . .
end it already

Winke, VL, 86

I think this is a joke and not too serious. The person is having a rough time in life, but nothing too serious. Someone says to the author something about the afterlife, to which the author responds with this line. He doesn't mean it in a damaging way, just playfully. He's saying if this is what life has to offer, who needs an afterlife?

deeply overtaken
an explosion of lust
in her eyes

Winke, VL, 89

The author is on a date and is doing well. He can see in the young lady's eyes the success he is having on the date. She can hardly hold herself back from wanting to be with him right now, but her eyes are giving her away.

political fingers
deftly squeezing nuts
during the wallet lift

Winke, VL, 105

This is one of his more political haiku. The author is saying that the government and their sticky fingers, easily make you feel comfortable while taking what is yours. They make you feel safe, stroke your ego, tell you they will take care of everything and make you promises all while raising your taxes, taking your freedoms and looking out for themselves. I've always thought politics was a lot like wrestling. In front of the crowd the two sides are enemies but behind the scenes the majority get along and work together for a common goal. Democrat or Republican they will all work together if it meets their needs.