“Haiku can be accessible and deep, immediate and enduring. They are about life, and my life is richer because of them.” ~Peggy Willis Lyles, To Hear the Rain
Haiku of the Heart
Although little is known of the details of the life of author Peggy Willis Lyles, what is certain is that she is one of the most gifted and renowned authors of the English-speaking haiku community. Her haiku, which are skillfully crafted to simultaneously bring readers into her own experiences while encouraging them to “co-create”; that is, make the experiences their own, are some of the simplest and most powerful in existence. This essay examines the life and work of Peggy Lyles, and takes an in-depth look at the themes, tone, and nature of her remarkable haiku.
Peggy Lyles, the oldest of three girls, was born on September 17, 1939, in Summerville, South Carolina (“Peggy Willis Lyles”). She spent her childhood years in North Charleston. This beautiful area, the lowlands of South Carolina, meant a great deal to Lyles (Lyles 121). She would continue to return, on visits and in spirit, due to its special place in her heart throughout her life.
Lyles attended the College of Charleston and The Citadel, and then went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in English from Columbia College, from which she graduated with honors (Lyles 121). She received her master’s degree from Tulane University, where she held the status of a Woodrow Wilson Fellow (“Millikin University”). As a graduate student, she taught freshman English at Sophie Newcomb College, and went on to teach at High Point High School and High Point College in North Carolina.
Around this time, a daughter and son were born to her and her husband Bill Tucker. Two years later, in 1968, she and her family moved to Athens, Georgia, and lived there for eighteen years. Lyles had retired from teaching due to an unfortunate turn in her Crohn’s disease, but her career was far from over (Lyles 121). Indeed, this closed door was merely a push in a different direction; one that would lead her to make a number of significant contributions in poetic and literary circles.
After commencing work as a college professor, Lyles delved passionately into the world of English-language haiku. She continued to teach at the University of Georgia, and volunteered as a creative writing instructor in workshops for grade school students of all ages (Lyles 121). Lyles then became involved in the business of publication, and for five years, she was poetry editor of the regional magazine, Georgia Journal. Other positions included associate editor of The Heron’s Nest, a haiku journal, and co-founder of Pinecone, a bi-monthly journal of the North Georgia Haiku Society (“Peggy Willis Lyles”). At this point, Lyles was becoming established as a noteworthy literary figure.
Lyles is best known for her beautiful haiku. She blossomed as an author, and her accolades include membership of the Haiku Society of America, Honorable Mention of the Harold G. Henderson Memorial Haiku Award in 1980 and 1986, and the Museum of Haiku Literature Award in 1985. Her work has been featured in several Haiku Anthologies, such as The Haiku Anthology, second and third editions, edited by Cor van den Heuvel; and Global Haiku, edited by Dr. Randy Brooks and poet George Swede (“Millikin University”). She has had work published in five different collections: Red Leaves in the Air (1979), Still at the Edge (1980), Prisms (1986), Thirty-six Tones (2001), and To Hear the Rain (2002). Her poems have been read extensively at a variety of haiku festivals (Lyles 122). The sheer amount of recognition given to Lyles speaks volumes about the quality of her work.
After long years of devotion and creation in the realm of haiku, Lyles passed away at age 70 of cancer on September 3, 2010 (“Peggy Willis Lyles”). However, the legacy of her work continues to live on in an incredibly powerful way. Lyles approached life with zeal and the desire to teach others, and made many inroads in the field of literary arts through exploring the bounds of creative writing. She has been key in cultivating cultural appreciation for haiku, and has left behind a precious gift of her own: haiku, which according to the author herself, are “about life” and meant to be shared with others (Lyles 10). Each one is a part of Lyles, and it seems as if she hopes her readers can feel similar ties to them.
Because the spirit of Lyles lives in her work and her work remains, I will, from this point on, refer to her in the present tense. I will also include some of her own words, recorded in an interview with Lidonna Beer of Millikin University in April of 2000, because I feel that she, as an author, can most accurately explain her haiku technique and inspiration. To omit her words would be to omit important insight about the lifeblood of her haiku.
Lyles expressed that her haiku are meant to be read aloud. The reading and sharing of haiku is an avenue through which people can connect to one another. Lyles said plainly, “I find reading aloud an essential step in the process of composition, and highly recommend it for the individual wanting a full experience of someone else’s haiku” (Lyles 127).
Reading haiku aloud is essential, not only to invite an audience into a poet’s work, but also because “the sound of words” are particularly important. That being said, an appropriate time of silence for reflection after the reading is always beneficial.
According to Christopher Herold, Lyles “doesn’t pad her haiku with unnecessary words, nor does she strip them down to the point of being inaccessible” (Lyles 12). In other words, she has successfully been able to “show, not tell”, an ability to be valued by any haiku author. Despite the openness of Lyles’ haiku, however, they still reflect what was most important to her. Several key elements of her life stand out as particularly prominent, and the first is the importance of the natural world. It is apparent from Lyles’ haiku that plant life, weather, seasonal changes, and a variety of other aspects of the earth around us play a huge role in her sensory experiences. She seeks to share these same experiences with her readers. For example,
summer stillness
the play of light and shadow
on the windchimes
Lyles, To Hear the Rain, p. 22
The reader is brought to a hazy afternoon, in the heat of summer. Immediately, one imagines wisps of clouds moving across the golden orb of the sun, casting light and shadow on the softly swaying windchimes hanging from a porch beam. It is almost possible to see the undulating twinkle of light on shiny metal tubes, and perhaps even hear a tiny shiver of sound as a wayward breeze causes just enough of a stir to nudge one chime against another.
Lyles’ true virtuosity, however, lies not in merely evoking sensory episodes, but in subtly inducing emotions to accompany them. She doesn’t name an intended feeling explicitly; she doesn’t need to. Her wording is so carefully orchestrated that a response is automatically generated in her audience, before they even pause to think about what they should be thinking:
sweet peas
tremble on the trellis
the bride’s “I will”
Lyles, To Hear the Rain, p. 25
The delicate trembling of sweet peas mirrors the tremor of a young bride’s heart, as she understands that her marriage not only means the beginning of a wonderful new life, but also the starting on an unfamiliar, uncharted path. She realizes the gravity of giving her word; the implications of marriage vows. She is just like a fresh bud, opening in the spring of her life, and will hopefully continue on to live a long and joyous existence throughout her summer and autumn years. Almost unconsciously, the reader empathizes with the young bride. It is as if one could literally nod respectfully in her direction and wish the newly-wedded couple every blessing.
Another haiku, perhaps a little less sober, elicits feelings just as potent:
sun shower
the river otter
somersaults
Lyles, To Hear the Rain, p. 26
The exhilaration one feels during a sun shower washes over the reader. Such instances fill one with a sense of joy and awe, because rain, often accompanied by sad or somber undertones, is now tempered with the brightness of the sun. This is something rare and exciting. The earth receives a twofold blessing: a cleansing by gentle droplets, followed by healing light and warmth. The river otter, sharing in the reader’s delight, expresses a feeling of exuberance. His somersault, a ridiculous and joy-filled action, symbolizes freedom. This is not incessant rain that bids us remain housebound; instead, the sun’s promise that the shower will be short-lived invites us to come out and dance.
Natural imagery, which serves to create a visual picture in the viewer’s mind, is an important tool that Lyles uses to relay powerful moods in many of her haiku. In her interview with Beer in 2000, Lyles reported that her inspiration comes
“. . . from the sensory experiences that surround everyday life – the tastes, smells, textures, sounds and sights of the world close at hand” (Lyles 125).
Undoubtedly, descriptions of flora and fauna, especially that which is found in her beloved South Carolina lowlands, play a role in such experiences. Lyles accurately conveys what it means to allow nature to touch oneself – to let oneself go in the act of listening, looking, touching, smelling, and feeling deeply the wonder at the complexity of the world beyond humanity.
In the same interview, Lyles also emphasized another important theme: the role of memory in her haiku. She states that “. . . the poet brings her whole life’s experience, everything she is, to each [haiku], and at the same time virtually disappears into the details of the poem’s moment” (Lyles 125).
Lyles’ haiku contain real, concrete memories and pastimes, reflecting little snippets of her life that, some may say, create a sense of vulnerability. However, this supposed “weakness” is actually one of her greatest strengths. Lyles goes on to say that “. . . haiku merge images from the exterior world with the landscape of the poet’s heart so effectively that a receptive and fully participatory reader can become part of the poem, too” (Lyles 125).
Through her haiku, she is purposefully opening the doors of her heart to her readers, and inviting them to come in.
Some of Lyles’ most prominent memories appear to be about the family. In her collection of haiku To Hear the Rain, a great number of poems imply interactions with children and loved ones, even to the point of mentioning such relationships outright. Christopher Herold records that “dynamics of family and delight with children . . . are of utmost importance in Lyles’ life, more even than her passion for writing – more than haiku” (Lyles 14). It is no surprise, therefore, that two such great loves of hers – family, and writing – be intertwined in such a way. Herold sums it up aptly by saying, “her haiku are born of love – lots of it” (Lyles 14). This love is so strong, that her readers are fully aware of its dual force and gentleness. Lyles illustrates the warmth of a shared evening in the following:
snowed in
the wedding-ring quilt
lumpy with children
Lyles, To Hear the Rain, p. 64
By way of Lyles’ subtle word magic, the reader is transported to a cold winter’s evening, in which heaps of snow surround a cozy home. The blanket of white is too deep to prevent any movement outside, and families are confined indoors. Within, refusing to be daunted by the chill, a warm glow reflects the love a family shares. It is on dark nights such as these that their care for one another shines most brightly. The wedding-ring quilt, a treasured family heirloom given to the young couple, now serves to cover and protect more than just two. The family has grown, and with each new member, their bond strengthens. The description of the quilt as “lumpy with children” removes any pretension, reinforcing the idea of homey atmosphere dominated most strongly by love.
Lyles demonstrates skill in conjuring up a wide range of complex emotions in her readers, which, in my opinion, she accomplishes most powerfully through her family haiku. The previous example fills the reader with positive reassurance and contentment, as if they were there in the very room. However, Lyles has also mastered recreating the sting of poignant goodbyes, another experience that all families must endure at some point:
lingering goodbyes . . .
hard rye crusts on a paper plate
beside the radish rose
Lyles, To Hear the Rain, p. 80
Sometimes, it will not do to avoid mentioning a painful subject; it must be openly acknowledged. Lyles doesn’t beat around the bush by making the reader wonder what sort of interaction is happening in this haiku, but she also saves it from being overly blunt through her thoughtful inclusion of punctuation. Aloud, the ellipses cause the speaker to literally linger on the word “goodbyes”, letting the “s” slip innocuously into silence. As one pauses after the first line, one also ruminates on the notion of a bittersweet parting. Lyles understands that these happenings are difficult to bear, and through the sadness, she also provides a sort of healing balm. One must face these hardships.
Lyles often includes simultaneous sensory experiences in a single haiku. In the above, the reader is faced with the notion of goodbyes and “hard rye crusts”, the remains of a delicious picnic meal. Lyles explains to Beer that her memories often involve more than one important aspect of a situation, and that “. . . such natural juxtapositions stir physical and emotional responses in me and are poems ripe for the taking” (Lyles 125).
Lyles goes a step further in her haiku by merging sensory stimuli. Doing so solidifies the mood she attempts to create, and fills in crevices just enough to aid the reader in sharing this experience. The picnic is over; the goodbyes are inevitable. The radish rose, whose presence has accompanied many developments over the years, and witnessed many a family gathering, remains. It seems to promise that one day, everyone will be together again.
A final aspect of life, reflected again and again in Lyles’ haiku, is the notion of spirituality. Lyles expresses a profound respect for faith, and emphasizes somber reflection on things both earthly and sacred. Often, she weaves the two together, just as in her haiku that layer nature’s role into an ordinary experience. For example,
offertory chant:
in the darkened vestibule
umbrellas drip
Lyles, To Hear the Rain, p. 19
In the somber stillness of a church, where folk have gathered to worship despite wind and rain, liturgy is reverently spoken. However, Lyles, like a young child, notices the drip-drip of umbrellas that complement the people’s chants. This image now becomes her definition for the “offertory chant”; the two are forever linked.
Some of Lyles’ haiku move beyond description, and into the philosophical. She confronts the reader with ideas and questions that cause one to, in a way unexpected and perhaps unfamiliar, think deeply:
traffic jam
my small son asks
who made God
Lyles, To Hear the Rain, p. 57
A conundrum that has plagued humanity for ages about Divinity’s origins is presented to Lyles by her young child. In the middle of a very earthly phenomenon, a traffic jam, Lyles immediately transports the reader into a realm of spiritual thought and deep contemplation. We are gently reminded to keep things in perspective.
Lyles’ haiku indicate both acceptance and questioning of religious views. In the following, which could describe a child recently born, approaches a tough question:
passion flower
your faith
or mine?
Lyles, To Hear the Rain, p. 76
The love that two people shared produced new life, and now it is time to look into the future. While one is aware of the importance of spirituality, one is reminded that the right answers aren’t always clear.
Peggy Willis Lyles’ haiku are some of the most beautiful, poignant, and pure in the English-language haiku community. She writes with simple feeling about everyday life, memories, nature, and the passage of time. Her haiku are like snapshots, giving readers a lucid glimpse into her life, and inviting them to take the next steps, interpreting the haiku for themselves. This “co-creation” is what makes her haiku so powerful: the reader plays as much of a role in his or her experience of the haiku as Lyles does. She tells her readers,
“I hope they touch your sense of wonder, stirring responses that make the sharing mutual. I hope they spark the desire, new or renewed, to write and share your own haiku” (Lyles 11).
The best haiku not only speak to our hearts, they encourage our hearts to speak. Sometimes, this means closing our eyes and listening. Lyles has invited us to join her in this, to hear the rain.
Works Cited
Lyles, Peggy. To Hear The Rain. Decatur, IL: Brooks Books, 2002. Print.
“Millikin University Haiku Writer Profile: Peggy Willis Lyles.” MU Haiku: The Website. Millikin University, 16 August 2001. Web. 24 March 2013.
“Peggy Willis Lyles, 70: Revered haiku poet.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Media Group, 14 September 2010. Web. 24 March 2013. |
