Sarah Lutz Profile on Alexis Rotella

Alexis Rotella’s Pyschological Haiku Although haiku poetry, a concise, usually three-lined form of poetry that originated in Japan but has become universally acknowledged, has not been wildly accepted by the past and recent popular culture; the past few decades have seen the literary world embrace haiku as a highly respected and profound creative outlet. Among the many haiku poets of the United States, there have been a few that have been able to stand apart as leaders in their genre. Alexis K. Rotella is one such writer. Rotella has published over forty books, most of which revolve around her haiku; and her works, extending beyond simply the haiku genre, have been widely published, earning the praise of critics and fellow authors alike. Aside from being a highly renowned haiku author, Alexis is active in several different areas of study. She is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Certified Colorpuncturist. Rotella would describe her "occupation" as a "Classical (Five-Element) practitioner," and she devotes her career as an acupuncturist to healing the Spirits of her clients, as she believes that the health of the Spirit is pivotal in the emotional, physical, and psychological health of every person (Rotella). Alexis is an ordained Interfaith minister, and she has earned a doctorate in Clinical Hypnotherapy. Private law firms, the U.S. government, and a management-consulting firm have employed her skills in these areas. Alexis discovered her calling toward Japanese-based literature while completing her undergraduate thesis in Zen Buddhism at Drew University (Rotella). Through this attraction to the Japanese literary tradition, Rotella discovered her passion and talent for haiku. Rotella has since come to be known as one of the current premier haiku writers of the United States. Kasuo Sato, a professor at Waseda University in Tokyo, writes, "Alexis Rotella is one of the best haiku poets in the United States. She has a born talent to catch the haiku moment in nature and in the human world. If she had been born in Japan, she would have become a leading haiku poetess" (Internet). Many haiku readers and critics would argue that, despite her geographic location in the United States, Rotella still been able to rise as a "leading haiku poetess." When asked, via email, if she found haiku to be a higher level of creative expression because of its intrinsic author-reader relationship and openness to interpretation, Rotella responded, "I don’t like to categorize haiku as ‘higher’ or ‘lower.’ A haiku should get you at the heart and if you spend time trying to decipher the meaning of a haiku, it may not be haiku at all. However, many will disagree with this and that’s ok. Long gone are the days when I sit around the table with other poets trying to come up with hard and fast rules for the criteria that compose a good haiku. Good work truly comes out of one’s life experience and one’s involvement with the moment." (Email 4/24/01) Alexis Rotella’s poetry stands apart from other haiku author’s for being not only finely crafted, but having a distinct "psychological" perspective in many of her poems that many other writers are seemingly unable to capture. The term "psychological" here is referring to the very internal and "personally universal" tone used in much of her poetry. Rather than simply commenting on images or moments in life, Rotella goes beyond and is able to see into situations, bringing out the depth and emotion of the moment. While some poets could argue that this technique could detract from the haiku by making the scenario too personal, Alexis has mastered the psychological concept. She brings humanistic characteristics into the haiku, making the moment striking to the reader. However, she still allows room for personal interpretation by playing on emotions that are found universally in the human character. When questioned via email as to whether or not this psychological approach was intentional, Rotella responded by writing, "I have never intended my work to be "psychological" … with my Scorpio moon, I am naturally this way, looking deep into the reality of ‘what’s out there.’ Skimming the surface of life is not my way and frankly, it leaves me cold" (Email 4/24/02). Rotella believes that her style of writing stems from the core of the person she is; it is not forced or contrived to take on aspect unnatural to her character. The idea she introduces of refusing to "skim the surface of life" gives testimony to the depth of her haiku. Because the best way to understand a writer’s personal style is to experience the author’s actual works, it is necessary to look to and analyze a select, representative group of Rotella’s haiku. The following eight haiku have been selected to display both the psychological aspects of Rotella’s haiku and separate, particular aspects of her haiku that appeal to reader and distinguish her from other poets. The haiku are divided into three groups, with two groups containing three poems and one group containing two haiku. Rotella excellently incorporates the human senses into her poetry, not relying on merely visual imagery to add poignancy to her haiku "moments." In the following haiku, she uses the sense of touch to elicit a desired reader-response: Against his coat I brush my lips— the silence of snowflakes. (172, The Haiku Anthology) Here, Rotella draws on the sensitivity of the lips in juxtaposition with the rough texture of an overcoat, to draw the reader into the poem. She then relies on the human ability to connect with the sensation depicted in this poem. The final line, "the silence of snowflakes," serves to set the scene and the mood of the haiku. This poem captures an image that is capable of being interpreted several different ways. I envision a woman sitting alone near a window, holding an old coat that previously belonged to someone who is no longer a part of her life. The woman brushes her lips against the coat, lost in remembrance of the coat’s owner, and is struck by both the sadness of loss and the peace of a comforting memory. The snow outside her window offers a respectfully calm and silent background to her reverie. The poem has also been interpreted in a more positive light. It can be seen as a couple huddled together outside, using each other for shelter against the falling snow. As they cuddle together for warmth, their proximity allows for her lips to rest against his jacket, thus connecting the two lovers to each other and also to nature (due to their exposure to the elements). Whatever the interpretation of the individual reader, it is undeniable that this poem as a strong psychological aspect. The introspection of the person in the poem implied by the action of brushing lips against a coat, invites the reader to not only visualize this image, but imagine the thoughts of the woman in the poem. The reader is then led to imagine what they would be feeling/thinking at that moment. As each different reader brings his/her own experience and interpretation to the reading of any haiku, theoretically, there could be an infinite number of moments envisioned from the reading of this haiku. It remains true, however that this poem, aided by its use of strong tactile imagery, captures a strong moment that grabs the reader and stays with them long after their initial reading. The next poem takes advantage of the sense of hearing, allowing a certain sound to address the reader, pulling them into the image of the haiku. Leading him in … my bracelet jangling. (171 The Haiku Anthology) In this haiku, Rotella relies on the connotations individuals have with the sound word "jangling" to draw reader-response. I find her word choice to be both enticing and mildly alarming, as though the man in the poem is being drawn in and is heading for a potentially dangerous situation. I find the poem to be very sexually/relationship motivated, as though the man being drawn in is a future lover. The image invoked by the line "Leading him in …" combined with the sound of her bracelet sets a provocative scene that speaks to the reader, inviting them to bring their own shared experience to the poem, making it complete. While the imagery of a woman leading a man into her heart or into a relationship is relatively straightforward, the depth of this poem comes as the reader considers the psychological aspect of this haiku. The implied and subtly hinted motivations of the woman and the reaction of the man being "caught" add a human level to this poem that encourages the reader to delve into their own psyche and compare their own experiences to this stimulating scene. The final poem representative of Rotella’s use of sensual imagery falls back on the more typically used sense of sight, but uses the imagery so artistically, that the moment is painted with words. Stretching the tips of my toes touch sunlight (6 Rearranging Light) This poem calls up the image of wiggling, struggling toes reaching hopefully toward the warmth the sunlight promises. I envision a small child, or even an adult, on one of the first warm days of spring, longing to be in the sunlight after a long winter of darkness and cold. The mood of the poem, set through the images of sunlight and wiggling toes, is one of joyousness at being able to reach the warmth of sunlight and excitement and satisfaction at having reached their goal. The moment captured in this haiku is made especially strong by Alexis’ uses of carefully selected images that most readers will connect with. It is also aided as the reader is given a human look into the moment: the longing to reach the sun and the playfulness of the subject implied through the use of "toes" as a central image. The reader is able to connect with the poem on a deeper level due to this peek into the human motivations of the moment. Rotella works well with interpersonal relationships, offering insight and interesting perspective into moments that many people would dismiss as commonplace. This topic lends itself well to her psychological style, as she is able to reach the heart of many situations in a way that simple depiction of the moment would not allow. The following poem illustrates both her psychological approach as well as her insight into human relationships: Lying – I tell him I’m not looking for a prince (169 The Haiku Anthology) Possibly because I can personally relate to this poem, or possibly because this scenario relates to anyone who has been in a failed relationship, this haiku manages to excellently grasp the moment a woman lies (both to herself and to her lover). She lies to allow the relationship to continue even though it has become evident that "he" is not her prince. Rotella has insightfully and creatively captured human’s willingness to stay in an unhealthy relationship merely to avoid the reality of being alone. The motivations of her action (avoiding loneliness, attachment to her lover) are subtly, yet undeniably implied through her word choice. Because the poem is written in first person, the reader is clued into the fact that, at least subconsciously, the woman herself knows that she’s lying and being untrue to her emotions. Through the use of a psychological look into the motivations of the situation, Alexis provides her readers with a clever, humorous look at a common experience. The next poem, taken from her collection entitled An Unknown Weed, captures, with some humor, the over-analysis that often occurs in the context of relationships. All night I think of the cactus he sent. (13 An Unknown Weed). Here, I envision a woman lying awake at night contemplating a strange gift from a man she was or is involved in a relationship with. Because the character of the cactus is spiny, harsh, and unforgiving, the woman is attempting to read into the gift for underlying messages from her significant other. Even if the gift was innocent and free from subtle innuendoes or implications, the possibility that it is not is enough to cause the woman to lose sleep. Because of Rotella’s unique psychological perspective into this scenario, the reader is given insight into the thought process of the woman in the poem, as she stays awake, contemplating the possible motivations behind the gift. Owing to her ability to read deeply into human relationships, Rotella is able to capture the humor in the common activity of over-thinking relationships with this unique scenario. The final poem chosen to represent her mastery of haiku commentary on interpersonal relationships, is taken from her collection Rearranging Light. This poem, slightly more metaphoric than the first two, is nevertheless equally aware. During our argument a pink rose tightens its petals (16 Rearranging Light) Although this poem is beautiful on the literal level because of the imagery, I find it more powerful on the metaphorical level. Because the rose if often used as a symbol of love and commitment, the closing of this rose during a fight between lovers is especially significant. It symbolizes the pulling away and the raising of the "guards" around the two individuals’ hearts that often takes place when one is involved in an argument. Although in love, as they feel attacked, both people in this situation retract slightly, as though attempting to protect their feelings from being trampled. The closing of the rose also represents the defense mechanism of closing oneself off in the face of attack or rebuke. Here, Rotella’s relationship insight and keen psychological awareness work together to depict the mindset (as represented by the rose) of two lovers caught in an argument. The final three selected poems are poems I felt brilliantly displayed the emotion, motivation, or thought process of a situation. Each of these haiku showcase Rotella’s astute ability to see into the psychological aspect of a moment and invite the reader to connect on a deeper, more personal level. First, in a poem taken from The Haiku Anthology, Rotella comments on parent-child relationship, in a way that is both humorous and still gives serious consideration to the frustration of the moment. 300 miles away – my father makes sure I hear him sigh. (177 The Haiku Anthology) This poem is universal in that it is often important to fathers that their children know exactly how they feel at all times, even from a distance. Here, the reader is given a situation that is both humorous and frustrating, as the child receives an expected response. There is also a small sadness in the poem, as the child deal with having disappointed the father yet again. The frustration comes in both never being able to please the father and also wanting to stop him from reacting in a hurtful manner. The humor comes in that the child most likely knows what the father’s reaction will be before he utters a sound. Rotella’s sound imagery is, again, wonderful, as the reader can almost hear the father’s sigh – exaggerated and heavy. Rotella’s insight proves powerful here, as the reader is given a look into the psyches of both the father and the child. The next poem has a slightly morbid quality none of the previous poems have contained. This particular haiku displays Rotella’s ability to be completely serious, offering her insight into a grim subject matter, and analyzing the situation accordingly. In the dead child’s room the smell of pencils (25 Rearranging Light) The sadness of this poem is striking, as both the sense of loss and the feeling of suspended time overwhelm the reader, causing him/her to pause after finishing. Simply the phrase "dead child" is enough to elicit a connected response from the reader, as most everyone is affected by the thought of losing a young loved one. The lines, "the smell/ of pencils," go on to add a poignancy to the moment, as the reader is made aware that the child’s room has been somehow removed from the passage of time outside its walls. The characteristics of the room as the child left it are all still accounted for, including the smell. Again, Rotella’s use of sensual imagery is gripping, and her insight into the thought process of the person entering this child’s room, as they notice the smell, is strikingly aware and leaves the reader with an image that will be slow to fade from one’s mind. Wanting to include a "signature haiku" of Rotella’s in my project, I asked, via Email, if she could give me such a poem. Alexis responded with, "Signature haiku? I think that’s up to the person reading my work to come up with. Just like a mother might say she doesn’t have a favorite child – she feels love for them all – that’s how I feel about my work. They all came out of me and for that I am grateful to be able to share my own little moments which I realize are but dewdrops on the face of Eternity." (Email 4/24/01) Rotella feels that each haiku is special in that it captures an individual moment to which she deemed worth responding. While individual readers may have chosen "favorites" based on the poems they most readily relate to, each haiku Rotella has written has been a product of her creation and merits her love. Alexis Rotella, while involved in many differing professional and recreational pursuits, has risen to the top as one of the foremost haiku writers of her time period. Her unique "psychological" perspective sets her apart from other authors by offering readers a deeper connection to her haiku "moments." As displayed by her use of sensual imagery and her astutely aware insight into interpersonal relationships, Rotella’s poetry grabs readers and offers lasting images that inspire individual response, analysis, and, ultimately, enjoyment. —Sarah Lutz