Milliku
A comparison of the Art of Haiku and Life at Millikin University by Lindsay Scully, Pat Thacker & Alyssa Thompson. February 27, 2008. See haiku examples in the Milliku PowerPoint Slide Show.
The art of haiku can be relevant to almost any subject or genre. Since haiku is a form of expression that captures a single moment in three short lines, simplicity is an integral aspect of this type of poetry. Although haiku originated in Japan, it has become a global tradition that can be enjoyed by all people of any age, race, or background.
Although the art of writing haiku is generally up to the author’s discretion and comes with few distinct rules, there are some essential elements that are a part of a quality haiku. Each haiku should contain a specific theme, evoke a certain emotion, and capture a distinct moment in time. It should be simplistic and concise, yet have a sense of ambiguity, leaving it up to the reader’s interpretation. It should involve the senses, allowing the reader to experience the taste, sound, texture, smell, or imagery of the haiku. It should usually be written in present tense, and contain two lines that are connected in some way, with a third line that “packs a punch” or serves as the climax. Each word in a haiku is carefully selected, so that there are as few words as possible needed to convey the message. When all these aspects are combined, some of the most thought-provoking and inspiring haiku are formed. Our group found that haiku actually has myriad similarities with the college students at Millikin. While our group found a few key differences between haiku and Millikin, the similarities that we found and the connections that we made far outweighed the differences.
There are several similarities between haiku and Millikin. A key similarity that we found is the concept of connected. The best haiku generally have two lines that are connected in some way. Similarly, a student’s collegiate experience is all about connections: social, academic, and career. Social connections must be made in order to have a positive life outside of the classroom. Academic connections are needed to enhance a student’s experience in the classroom. Students may also need academic connections in order to get internships or letters of recommendation. Career connections are made early on the college years to prepare the student for life after Millikin. Overall, the concept of connectedness is present in almost all haiku and nearly every aspect of college life.
Another similarity between haiku and Millikin is the ambiguity of each. Haiku is interpreted differently by each person who reads it. There is no one interpretation or visualization that is the same. Similarly, no college experience is exactly alike. Some experiences, like haiku interpretations, may be similar, but never identical.
The appeal to emotions and senses is another concept found at Millikin and in haiku. A student’s experience at Millikin produces many emotions-stress, happiness, excitement, homesickness, confusion, and many others. Likewise, reading a haiku produces a variety of emotions in the reader depending on the tone of the haiku and the interpretation of the reader.
The simple and contained nature of Millikin and haiku is also something that the two have in common. Millikin is a very small campus, but offers limitless experiences and memories within its borders. Similarly, haiku are very contained but are open to infinite interpretations.
The seasonal aspect of haiku and Millikin is another similarity between the two. Millikin’s calendar year encompasses all four seasons. The “seasonal hints” at Millikin include snow, flooded sidewalks due to rain, budding trees, and flowers. Haiku almost nearly contain seasonal hints, especially those written by Japanese authors.
Another concept found in both haiku and Millikin is that of freedom. While haiku is thought to be restrictive with its “5-7-5” syllable pattern, it is actually allows the writer to write with an unlimited amount of freedom. Similarly, a college student is allowed unlimited freedom-whether or not to go to class, go to party, do laundry, what to eat, and the list goes on and on. This freedom found in both Millikin and haiku is perhaps one of the most significant similarities between the two.
The final similarity between haiku and Millikin is the concept of the present tense. Haiku is all about capturing a moment and living in the present tense. Similarly, college is about “living in the moment”. Each student claims Millikin to be a part of his or her identity and current home.
While there are many similarities between haiku and Millikin, there are also several key differences. One major difference is diversity. Haiku is extremely global and diverse because authors from virtually every country write haiku. Haiku is also written about almost every experience and can be born from any experience. Millikin is not quite as diverse. The campus population is predominantly white, middle class students. There are few Greek Chapters on campus. There are not as many class options or majors due to the small campus size.
Predictability is another issue that differs between haiku and Millikin. Millikin can be very predictable. Everyone knows everyone, and the life of a student is very monotonous. Daily schedules are pretty much the same; between classes, work, and extra-curricular activities, as well as interacting with the same people every day. Haiku is something that is not predictable. There are usually two connecting lines, but the third line that delivers a punch is very unpredictable and points the haiku in a different direction. Haiku are also extremely unpredictable because they can be about any topic.
The issue of the present and the future also differs between Millikin and haiku. Haiku are all about living in the present and capturing a moment. While college students “live in the moment” at Millikin, Millikin’s sole purpose is to prepare the students for the future. This preparation and emphasis on the future is not something that is stressed in the art of writing haiku.
The final key difference is the issue between the spontaneity of Millikin and the planned and concise aspect of haiku. Millikin students “live in the moment”. As young people, college students live carefree and happy lives. Social outings are often unplanned and arise during random times during the day and night. Haiku deals more with planning. There is carefulness in word selection that is very time consuming. If random words are thrown into the haiku, it can switch the entire tone of the haiku or give a totally different impression.
With all this considered, it is evident that haiku is quite relevant to our lives as students at Millikin. Our lives as college students can be used as inspiration to generate many interesting haiku. In fact, after reviewing the similarities between Millikin life and the characteristics of good haiku, our lives here in this small university in Decatur, Illinois are haiku. Most students probably are not aware just how poetic their lives are! Despite a few minor differences, we can find that there is poetry in the madness that we call college life.
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