Tony Lipka • Tony's Haiku •

Clark Strand is a person who concentrates mainly on his spiritual nature. Most of his works are centered on his “mindfulness” and spiritual growth. Clark was a living in a Zen Buddhist monastery when he first saw this term of “mindfulness” and it has stuck with him every since. His sense of this mindfulness is a process that begins with meditation every day. This process is long and cannot reach its goal overnight. It is a long process, but he believes that it eventually comes with everyone. Strand has written two works, Seeds from a Birch Tree and The Wooden Bowl. Both of these works incorporate his sense of mediation and mindfulness. Clark has been teaching haiku for over twenty years now. Even in 1995 be founded an English language society called, New York Haiku. Clark now lives in the Catskill Mountains with his family of a wife, Perdita Finn and two children. In the book, Seeds from a Birch Tree, many of the haiku in this book are not his, but of his students from the past or even his own teachers’ writings. He uses these haiku to incorporate the spiritual journey that he wants to present to his readers. This journey is about the events that happen in his own life, but he makes sure to tell the readers that it is not written in chronological order, but rather the significance of each event. He also uses this book as a way to show his readers how to write a haiku. The way the he sets up his chapters reveals to the readers that he is teaching them also how to write haiku and not just read and admire the work of another person’s writing. Below are listed his works that show this spiritual growth and development of his “mindfulness,” of all things. When he expresses haiku about nature, he says that he uses his haiku as a form of discipline. It is a way to “let nature back in” (Strand 40). Loving its whiteness I walk around the birch tree To the other side. “Seeds from a Birch Tree” pg. 40. His use of nature is evident in this haiku; however, it is still apparent that he is taking a spiritual journey as well. He talks about his appreciation of life by loving this tree. Even though it is a tree, he appreciates every aspect about it, that is why he takes the time to go to the other side of the tree and see all of its individual features. He was probably taking a walk when he wrote this poem, or reflecting on a time when he was outside and remembered his experience with the tree. By him appreciating its uniqueness and beauty, it shows his spirituality of all things great and equal. He takes the time to appreciate this, so it shows that he does not feel inferior to the tree, but more captivated by nature in general. Old crabapple tree— Too early, but anyway I give it a shake. “Seeds from a Birch Tree” pg. 97. Clark also states that not every haiku has to be serious; it can be a celebrated event that took place. Even a small memory that catches a writer’s interest can be written about. This poem is a memory of the writer when he was trying to get a piece of fruit down, even though it wasn’t ripe. Whether or not they really wanted the tree’s treasure or just shook it for the fun of seeing the fruit fall is up to the writer. It’s not really understood to the reader. A yellow sunset: It’s cool outside the restaurant After eating fish. “Seeds from a Birch Tree” pg. 110. After writing this poem, Clark explains to the reader that sometimes writing haiku, an author may try to put too much meaning in to the haiku, thus it ruins it original meaning to the memory. He thinks it is more important to write the initial reactions to the event rather than trying to make a meaning out of an event. He says that it should just happen naturally. This haiku is a really good example of this. This haiku sets a memory and scene, but I don’t think that it really has a good meaning, but rather a creative landscape for the reader to imagine. Late Winter Storm: A button pops off & clicks On the wooden floor. “Seeds from a Birch Tree” pg. 120. In this poem, he concentrates to the reader the importance of pairing and grouping images together and fitting them into a haiku form. He stresses how important pairing is and how it needs to be mastered every time a person writes a poem. In this poem, his images are winter storm and the button falling on to the wooden floor. When reading this poem, the reader can instantly imagine hearing the loud click because the winter storm is not making a sound. However, I do not really see his spiritual side in this poem, or his “mindfulness,” in it either. Its existence is not as prevalent to me as it is in other poems that he writes about. After a long climb Only my feet have printed The basin of snow “Seeds from a Birch Tree” pg. 147. In this poem he does head back to his spiritual side. Even in the book he talks about how this is one of Zen haiku. He went on a really long climb, and he needed a rest. He did not take a rest until he saw this basin and he figured it would a good place to take a quick break to rest. He also talks about this day is extraordinary because he felt as though all of his Zen training had begun to come together. He says as though he feels that everything in his life was merging now into haiku. This poem was the result of his anticipation of the climb and also his appreciation of nature’s beauty. Man in Blanket— Looking as though the snowflakes Have made him smaller. “Seeds from a Birch Tree” pg. 151. This poem was a continued poem he wrote from the same climb. He wrote it one night after an exhausting day of climbing. He discusses in the book how tired he was and all he could think about was climbing more. When I read this poem, I can imagine me in the same position. Climbing all day, then at night the snow is falling and it keeps piling up and making my efforts of that day so insignificant, and knowing that there will be more the following day. This is what I think of when he says, “Have made him smaller.” After reading some of Clark Strand’s poetry, I did like his writing style. I found it really interesting his points about Zen and how they have influenced his writing of haiku. However, I do believe that I would have enjoyed this book more if it would have had more of his own writings in it rather than the writings of others such as his students or people he admired. I did like how this book wasn’t only a show case for haiku writing, but he also went about teaching the reader the correct way to write a haiku, and the important steps to follow. What I found most interesting is that he has this mindset about “mindfulness,” and spirituality in most of his writings. Of course this is from his influence of the Zen Buddhist monastery and their teachings about the relationship between people and nature. I find that to be a very important understanding when writing a haiku poem because basically most haiku are written about nature. What I didn’t find out, and tried to, is what influenced him into becoming a Zen Buddhist monk for more than twenty years. I didn’t know if it was his writing that got him interested, or maybe other outside factors. I think it would have been really interesting to see which came first, his belief of Zen or his writing for these types of haiku. I really enjoyed reading Clark Strand’s book, Seeds from a Birch Tree. These haiku were really relaxing, and I loved how he talked about each one and what influenced him in writing it. After reading this book, I have a better understanding what makes up a really good haiku. I know now that it is not always a good to try to find a deeper meaning, but rather write initial reactions because it usually posses the real meaning that the writer wants.