Global Haiku • Spring 2021
Dr. Randy Brooks

Sunrise Haiku

by
Jordan Hildebrand

I decided to title my collection Sunrise Haiku because I feel as though it describes my haiku and my understanding of haiku. Sunrise meaning a new start, a new day, a new memory. When the sunrises each day you get a new and fresh start. Haiku was a new start for me. I also hope that my haiku can bring on new and fresh memories or even rise old memories to the surface.

Writing haiku was something totally new to me. I had never heard of it before I decided to take this class here at Millikin. I started out trying to write 5-7-5 syllable haiku and I found it to be very difficult and almost forced. I felt that if I had to write it this way it wouldn’t sound natural. I wrote about 3 haiku this way before I realize that it didn’t have to be like this. I found out that I could write haiku as I felt. I think it was described to me as writing one sentences and then breaking it down into 3 lines. I found this was to be so much easier and more natural and meaningful. I enjoy the simplicity in haiku. I often find myself writing haiku in my head. If I see something beautiful, I often create a haiku in my head. It is almost as if I correlate haiku with something beautiful. I don’t usually write a dark haiku although I have before. I enjoy writing a sadder haiku because I feel like this allows you to get your feelings out on paper instead of them just being trapped inside you. The more I learned about haiku the more I realized it was people’s way of expressing themselves on to paper. I think reading and writing haiku has a lot of power behind it. This is one of the many reasons why I enjoy it. I think the simplicity but yet power behind reading and writing haiku will be of value to me through my personal, social, and professional life and also for the rest of my life. I really enjoy all aspects of haiku.

ever since
she was young
Daddy’s girl

perched
on the fender
of grandpa’s tractor

basket overflowing
she despises
doing laundry

new normal
six foot distance
with hidden faces

family came to campus
pantry full
along with my heart

sun faded
the sweat-stained
farmer's hat

sun peeking through
my focus goes
out the window