haiku collection by Benny Hooper I never thought much about Haiku before taking this class. I knew they were of Japanese origin. I knew they consisted of three lines (in fact I thought they had to be three lines or else it wasn't a Haiku). I knew that Haiku didn't rhyme. That is about as far as my knowledge of Haiku went. I took the class because I figured it would be fun and there might not be tests to take. Upon taking the course I have learned a great deal more. I learned the make-up of the Haiku. I learned different variations of the Haiku.

I think most importantly, I have learned where Haiku come from. Haiku come from inside. Haiku come from our experiences. Haiku come from vacation. More importantly though, Haiku come from me. I could write a Haiku about sitting on my couch, or flying in an airplane. I can write about playing basketball or partying in Panama City. That is the beauty of the Haiku. I can write about anything I want. There are not rules or regulations. You just have to feel and experience, and write about it. Anything in my life can instantaneously become a Haiku. It can be an irrelevant conversation with my neighbor or a life-changing occasion that will be with me forever.   The splendor of the Haiku is the illustration. Let me better explain what I mean. Anyone can write a Haiku. It takes the reader to create in their mind what the Haiku says to them. Some Haiku give me a perfect illustration, as if I were there with the author. Some Haiku leave me wanting a more detailed explanation. Some Haiku will give very little detail about their experience. In some cases these few bits of information will perfectly demonstrate their encounter. The imagination is what encompasses an excellent Haiku. The imagination of the writer and the creativeness of the reader make-up the Haiku.   I think my background has laid the groundwork for me to be able to originate thoughtful and creative Haiku. My experience as an athlete has allowed me to locate those times when I have played golf by myself and had a special moment. I am a very active person and enjoy exploration and adventure. I consider myself to be a comical person as well. This is the source of my writings. I love having fun and doing some crazy things. This makes Haiku writing very entertaining and puts a smile on my face as well as the readers. I love nothing better than to read one of my humorous Haiku and see everyone laugh. That is what it's all about.