Maureen Ritter • Reader Response Essay on Caroline Gourlay's Haiku

Snapshots A Haiku Collection by Maureen Ritter I have often thought that my mind functions somewhat like a digital camera, taking pictures of moments that I save in the back of my consciousness, to be recalled later when I am searching for inspiration for an artistic endeavor. This semester, I have found no better proof for my theory than my haiku experience. This collection symbolizes four and a half months of gathering memories that had lain dormant for years. As I read through some of my best work from the semester, I realized that I had finally found a way to express those "snapshots" from my youth. Haiku is the only art form that has allowed me to escape verbosity and capture the true, simple meaning behind these memories. They exist as pictures in my mind, and so it is only fitting to express these remembrances as images. Haiku's simplicity intrinsically negates the need for excessive detail and long-winded description and allows the reader to focuse on the sights, sounds, and smells of the scene before them

I have gathered here a collection of twenty-five snapshots that not only represent my best attempts at haiku, but also some of my finest memories from my twenty-year life. I have tried to stay true to my own definition of haiku as I moved through the semester: simple pictures with a world of possibilities and meaning behind them. Sometimes, all we need to do is slow down and relish each experience, taking snapshots and making memories to sustain us for years to come. —Maureen Reader's Introduction Maureen Ritter has compiled a collection of her finest haiku. With these haiku, Maureen has taken a dive into complex creativity with a simplistic format. She captures the essence of the moment, while exploring the reaches of her pen. Through images and sensory words, she captivates the reader, allowing them to be anywhere from the top of a volcano, to a family gathering. Most importantly, Maureen's collection shows the reader her vast experience with, and knowledge of the English language. She wields her words like a sword, deftly making her selections and placing them where they are at their utmost effectiveness. You can smell the "horeseradish" sliding down the drain and see the "infinity" beyond the cliff, just as the "city girl" sees it. Her crisp sense of language and humor make her voice strong and distinct. Her haiku are a joy to read. They demand much more than just a quick glance. —Katherine B. Steimann