Kerry Hammergren Haiku to Famous Artwork Form Variations in the Haiku of Nick Avis Profile on Nick Avis Love Haiku of Nick Avis & Masajo Suzuki

Side of the Road A Haiku Collection by Kerry Hammergren Poetics Preface When I began writing haiku I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. I have learned to appreciate the beauty of haiku and the many aspects of this art form. The difference between each haiku author’s definition of a haiku moment makes each style distinct. The moments from my life which become haiku are those that are simple and distinguishable as special. I have found these moments make the best haiku because they are the most vivid in my memories. I chose the haiku for this collection because they all come from important moments in my life that I want to share with others.

In my haiku I have a very specific writing style. In this collection the reader may notice there are no capital letters or punctuation in the haiku. I believe simple moments should be written in the most simplistic manner possible. Sometimes extras in haiku writing can add to the moment, however I prefer to leave them out altogether. The title, "side of the road," comes from a line in one of the haiku in this collection. My haiku sometimes stray slightly from the traditional haiku rules, therefore my writing is just on the "side of the road." —Kerry Hammergren Reader’s Introduction Since Kerry and I began writing haiku together, I have been more and more impressed each day with the quality and variety of her writing. Her haiku and senryu define one simple label. Every time readers of her haiku believe they have her pegged (once, as the writer of "smoker haiku"), Kerry writes something completely new and beautiful in a different way. However, I have found a few themes in Kerry’s diverse poetry. One consistent mood in her poems is loneliness. Unlike usual poetry on this topic, however, Kerry’s poems celebrate those moments of alienation and show how a person away from society can really shine. A favorite of her poems that deals with this theme is: still awake      first to see the sunrise Despite this interest in human loneliness, Kerry is also a master at illustrating human emotions in relationships. She has many haiku about friendships and romantic relationships that are touching without the sickening, ultra-romantic tint of many young haiku writers. Her haiku (and senryu) about relationships show an understanding of the range of emotions human beings experience in everyday social interactions. —Meg Schleppenbach