Global Haiku • January 2025
Dr. Randy Brooks

Cardinals and Crows

by
Lance Frederick

My approach to writing haiku is to insert personal experience, feeling from either the heart or humor, and hope that the audience will catch it - with a gleam in their eye. Much like in my social life, I expect people to discover that a lot of what I say/write /produce tends to be nuanced. That’s about half of my haiku. In the other half, I try to expose the human experience by capturing moments that can be funny and inconvenient at the same time. Hopefully people can relate. That being said, haiku is a subjective art and I would be happier still if a reader found their own personal connection to my selections. Connection is my ultimate goal.

I’ve always been interested in haiku, and I’m thankful I’ve been able to explore it deeply and learn beyond the misconceptions of haiku. This is a class that I will take with me. I’ve already started writing haiku on my own in my phone notes app. Whenever one strikes me, I jot it down. Surprisingly, haiku has taught me a level of appreciating for literature arts, and the interpretation skills that I will be able to apply to other forms of literature. In my personal life, I think haiku will be able to give me a better outlook on the beauty of life, and be able to access it more easily.

the airborne sled
shatters upon landing
it served us well

full grown beard
distracts him from the loss
she loved his face

silk hair glistening
moonlight reflecting
in loving eyes

wild ambitions
dusty
drum kit

empty stable
he really was
so hungry

winter wind
face goes numb
nose hairs crystalize

choir concert concludes
hunger racing
cardinals and crows