Lisa Swick

EN340 / IN350 Global Haiku Tradition
Dr. Randy Brooks
Millikin University PACE November 2004

Lisa Swick

Why I write Haiku . . .

I am a novice haiku writer. I have only been writing and reading haiku for approximately 5 weeks now. I enjoy haiku because they are very simple in how they are written, yet they can have a complex meaning depending on how the reader interprets the haiku. I write my haiku mostly from past experiences that I have had and from emotion that I am experiencing at that time. The following are some of my personal favorite haiku for various reasons. Some because they sparked a distant memory that was dear to me and some because they are still vivid memories and emotions in my mind. I hope that you enjoy my selection of personal haiku.

we wait in line
to do it again—
roller coaster

in my house, I am
master of the . . .
thermostat

sleeping away
all of my worries—
the longest day

hanging on the wall
my family still
together

floating silently along
with my thoughts . . .
vacation

naked in the woods
falling to the ground—
seasons change

longing to bud
like the leaves
of a tree

we walk for hours
until we can no longer—
fireworks

redrock walls climbing
to the sky
solitude

on her ears
diamonds dance
summer moonlight

crunch of grass
as I feed the dog
winter morning

he loves me
when I feed him,
hates me when I
walk away

thunderstorm’s gift
to the desert—
rainbow

holding hands
mother and daughter
compare wrinkles

fallen tree
  l
   e
     a
       n
         s
on his friends

gray skies feel
the same as me—
winter rain

Rengay

blue heron
standing in the sun
a water lily bloom

current gently flowing
through walls of stone

bubbling downstream
rainbows appear
small fish nibble plants

the heavens awakened
with bursts of
color and light

converging as one
water meets sky

by Lisa Swick & Marie Radtke

we wait in line to do it again— roller coaster

in my house, I am master of the . . . thermostat

sleeping away all of my worries— the longest day

hanging on the wall my family still together

floating silently along with my thoughts . . . vacation

naked in the woods falling to the ground— seasons change

longing to bud like the leaves of a tree

we walk for hours until we can no longer— fireworks

redrock walls climbing to the sky solitude

on her ears diamonds dance summer moonlight

crunch of grass as I feed the dog winter morning

he loves me when I feed him, hates me when I walk away

thunderstorm’s gift to the desert— rainbow

holding hands mother and daughter compare wrinkles

fallen tree l e a n s on his friends

gray skies feel the same as me— winter rain

Rengay blue heron standing in the sun a water lily bloom current gently flowing through walls of stone bubbling downstream rainbows appear small fish nibble plants the heavens awakened with bursts of color and light converging as one water meets sky by Lisa Swick & Marie Radtke

we wait in line
to do it again—
roller coaster

in my house, I am
master of the . . .
thermostat

sleeping away
all of my worries—
the longest day

hanging on the wall
my family still
together

floating silently along
with my thoughts . . .
vacation

naked in the woods
falling to the ground—
seasons change

longing to bud
like the leaves
of a tree

we walk for hours
until we can no longer—
fireworks

redrock walls climbing
to the sky
solitude

on her ears
diamonds dance
summer moonlight

crunch of grass
as I feed the dog
winter morning

he loves me
when I feed him,
hates me when I
walk away

thunderstorm’s gift
to the desert—
rainbow

holding hands
mother and daughter
compare wrinkles

fallen tree
l
e
a
n
s
on his friends

gray skies feel
the same as me—
winter rain

Rengay

blue heron
standing in the sun
a water lily bloom

current gently flowing
through walls of stone

bubbling downstream
rainbows appear
small fish nibble plants

the heavens awakened
with bursts of
color and light

converging as one
water meets sky

by Lisa Swick & Marie Radtke