Global Haiku • Spring 2013
Dr. Randy Brooks

Glimpses Into Each World

by
Darien M. Sloat

Author’s Introduction

“I glimpse into each world” is a line from a haiku in this collection that I believe describes the collection, a collection that comprises of descriptions of brief moments in my own world and the world I imagine. From what I’ve learned as a haiku student, a haiku is a short poem that captures a moment in time and allows an author and reader to share and conjure that, or another, moment. I’ve selected these haiku for my author’s collection because I believe they most completely and accurately depict moments via my highest verbal capabilities. These haiku are glimpses, glances, at moments from my life, my imagination, and my observations.

Reader’s Response

In his collection, Darien offers a unique insight on human relationships through an innocent, yet fully aware perspective. As majority of his works incorporates children Darien’s haiku manages not only to be endearing, but also relays powerful emotion through the discoveries of such pure figures. With unsophisticated wording, his haiku imitate the thought process of a child while also establishing a casual and personal tone. The effectiveness of his haiku derives from such a tone, as the connection of the reader is not deterred by unnecessary elaboration.

Beginning his collection with a charming image of a child excitedly greeting his father, Darien implies a unique theme that only further develops throughout the entirety of his collection.

rumbling garage door
boy rushes
to greet his father

Told from the child’s perspective, the first line establishes a sort of flourishing excitement merely from the sound of a garage door. While never explicitly stating the boy’s feelings towards his father coming home, Darien influences the reader through the vivid word choices of “rumbling” and “rushes”. This careful word choice is seen in each of the haiku selected for this collection. In its entirety, Darien’s works propose stunning imagery and a fascinating outlook on human interactions.

~Therese O'Shaughnessy

rumbling garage door
boy rushes
to greet his father

my valentine
has a t-rex on it
she likes me

casting a christmas pageant
young boy softly chants
“please, not judas”

walk of shame
the moon
too bright

overflowing sink
dirty dishes, murky water
she ponders pregnancy

whoosh of cars
whizzing by
I glimpse into each world

tenderly        she makes his place
then the old woman
eats alone

leaves dance o’er the ground
her voice          my feet
barely touch or make a sound

I reclaim the pillow
I once put on her side
because it was softer

tears zigzag
through wrinkles
he cannot wake her

noting my frail figure
he throws the dodge ball
lightly

bedtime
son’s half-asleep request
another story about mom