Emotional Dove by Josh Lane

Before I started this haiku adventure almost five weeks ago, I told some friends of mine that there is no way I am going to take a Japanese poetry class. I ended up taking this class and did so with an open mind. Wow! Am I glad I did take the class. I have opened myself up to a whole new spiritual world and have really enjoyed learning about the rich tradition of Japanese and American haiku.

Haiku listening to me is a way to sink your mind into what the author might have been trying to relate to. The best part about haiku is that even if you are not on the same wave length as the author, your imagination can wander and come up with your own visions.

Haiku writing has found a special place with me. I enjoy providing the visions to a reader so that their mind might take them to a special place in time. Long after this class is over, I will continue to compose new haiku that will hopefully be enjoyed by many people.

The title of my book was created out of one of my favorite haiku poems that I have written. "Emotional Dove" symbolizes the emotions that I have, and, hopefully, you will receive by reading this collection. The "Dove" symbolizes the peace I have accomplished from my writings.

It has been a very short time that I have been writing haiku, but I find that if you read the haiku slowly and try to vision the surroundings of the poem, the smells, and the colors involved in the poem, your mind should take you to an exact setting that maybe you have personally experienced. I have included several of my haiku for you to enjoy.

Josh Lane 2005