Global Haiku • Spring 2020
Dr. Randy Brooks

Montage

by
Pascaline Muhindagiga

This booklet contains a Montage of haiku. People have many experiences, some shared others not. This set of haikus expose and give examples of love, self-image, abuse, death, togetherness, youthfulness, breaking laws, reminiscing about the past, childhood memories, natural disasters and mental illnesses, and fear. These are some of the experiences that we as individuals go through. Pascaline’s haiku show a glimpse of these realities.

he beat me to death
he gave me flowers
he beat me to death

This haiku is one of my favorites. I wrote this haiku because it reminds of my cousin who was in abusive relationship. Her boyfriend used to come home drunk then beat her. The next day when he realized that he beat her, he was always come home with a gift, so my cousin could forget what happened and forgive him. Fortunately, she realized that she cannot stay with that man and she left. Pascaline Muhindagiga, Spring 2020

song from my childhood
do you still remember this?
she askes

I really like this haiku because it reminds of my childhood. My mom always reminds me of my childhood songs. Sometimes when she turns on her radio, if the radio plays my childhood songs, she calls only to ask me if I still remember the songs. Pascaline Muhindagiga, Spring 2020

1,2,3
I’ve lost count
the number of times I think about you

hey mirror
do i look okay?
i’m talking to you!

cops on the corner
underage in the house
everyone out     id?

no church
no wedding
what are we doing now?

global pandemic
empty school
spring break never ended

confinement
from balcony to balcony
grandmothers' conversation

my grandpa’s car
neighbors complain about
the smell fumes