Global Haiku • Spring 2016
Dr. Randy Brooks

Just a Guppy

by
Lauren Montesano

For my haiku class, I did a project in which I took screenshots from the movie, The Little Mermaid, where I wrote haiku to go along with the moments in the movie. The very first haiku I wrote for this project was the same haiku that I titled my book after:                         

just a guppy
living life
without adventure

I decided to title my collection off of this haiku for many different reasons. The first being the fact that I look up to Ariel as a huge role model in my life. In this case, she uses the word “guppy” to make fun of her best friend, Flounder, for not being as adventurous as her. This is one of the things I admire about Ariel so much; she is not afraid to go out and chase her dreams. This semester has brought many ups and downs, but what I have learned the most throughout these past four months is that I cannot be afraid of being who I am, despite what others may think of me. Many of my haiku tell the story of a failed relationship. Even though this was one of the toughest things I had to go through these past few months, it has taught me to worry more about what I want to be, and less about what those around me think I should be.

What does Haiku do for me?

Going into this class, I had no experience with haiku, but I did have much experience with poetry. In my past, I have often used poetry to help me cope with difficult times that I have had to go through, and this is shown very much so in my haiku. For me, writing haiku is a coping mechanism, and also a way to inspire others. I hope my haiku can bring you back to a time where you have had to make a difficult decision, therefore reminding you how strong you were in order to go through with it. Writing these haiku helped me realize the greatness that can come from getting through a difficult event in your life, and I hope they can inspire you to think the same.  

~ Lauren Montesano 5.10.16

About the Author

Lauren Montesano, is finishing up her sophomore year at Millikin University. She is a theatre major with an entrepreneurship minor who plans on owning her own company one day. Unfortunately, she will not be returning to Millikin next semester because she is going to go live another dream of hers as a performer in Walt Disney World for the semester, but she will return to Millikin in the spring to continue classes in order to gain her degree and graduate in Spring of 2018!

sand under my nails
wishing I could be
part of his world

if only he could know
the things
I long to say

a hug goodbye
in the rain
time stops

the rain
always reminds me
to come undone

searching
for the right words
in my cuticles

handshake
becomes weak
I thought you’d be happy.

loving me
in the shadows
then letting me go

love
turns to like
turns to friends

missing you
the way I know how
silence

in this apartment
his smell
the only thing left

hair pulled back
lipstick on
pretending I’m okay

a smile
the rainbow
after the storm

feet
tripping over each other
just keep smiling

driving down the road
I used to turn left
now turning right

when you
don’t recognize yourself . . .
how can anyone else?

sun on my face
reminds me
this is where I’m meant to be