Global Haiku • Fall 2017
Dr. Randy Brooks

renku:

Celebration

by
Alex Herrera
Mackenzie Martin
Maddy Delano
Morgan Better
Megan Batty

The Light in the Dark

by
Alex Harrera

Of the many possible subjects that haiku can be written, family is the biggest for me. I am very close to my family and I love spending time with my friends so whenever I am able to include them in my haiku I try to do so. I titled my collection The Light in the Dark because that is what friends and family are to me. They are that extra thing to keep me going when times get rough and my reason to keep my sanity with all of the craziness that has been happening in my life lately. The haiku I have chosen to be in the collection reflect both the times I have tried to capture with friends and family and my experiences where I needed them to be there for me. My title mainly came from my signature haiku having a campfire that can be thought of as a light in the dark where those most important to me are gathered to be with each other and have a good time.

clear starry night
sitting around
a dancing campfire

sun sets on the horizon
silence emerges
and so do I

asleep with remote
in hand
my exhausted father

movie night with friends
just kidding
genetics

world domination
gathered around a table
risking it all

sixteen hours a day
how hard
  
my mother works

illuminating the dark
lightning bugs
whisper Morse code

finally adults
the great mayfly race
begins

wishing to find the one
like everyone else
the booming voice of a cicada

Soaked Shoes

Four years ago, my sister and I went fishing in a secret pond that we were given access to due to a connection at the time. I was a warm summer day after work and we wanted to go fishing. I personally am not a fan of fishing because my patience runs out too fast, but my sister used to love it so I wanted to go with her. We gathered up our equipment and headed to the spot which took only a few minutes. Everything went well to our astonishment and we had a great day. The fish seemed to only be biting in the middle of a shallower area that surrounded a small islet so we did our best to jump to it without getting wet. The thick vegetation made it difficult to see where the dry land started so we ended up soaking our shoes and having a good laugh. Dragonflies were whirling along the bank and the grass had grown tall which made it very easy for insects to become annoying. The place had not been used in years and nature had reclaimed the area, overrunning the old barn and tractor that lied across the pond. My sister and I sat through most of the day catching fish and goofing around in field adjacent to the pond. We were already close, but trips, little adventures, and small outings like this are dear to me because at that time I knew that one day we would grow up and get lives of our own.

frog
leaps through the air
my joyous little sister

Alex Herrera

I really liked this haibun because I think it is such a sweet story. It reminds me of all my memories I had like that with my siblings as I was growing up and it makes me sad that days like those don't happen anymore. I think the author of this haibun was accurate in saying that the two will grow up and get their own lives one day. It does happen so just reflecting on those memories and never forgetting the times with our loved ones like that is so important. ~Kalli