Charla Bond

Global Haiku PACE • Mattoon, Fall 2005
Dr. Randy Brooks

Charla Bond

Selected Haiku

by
Charla Bond

Charla Bond was born in 1978 at the Decatur Memorial Hospital on January 13. From that day the earth has been blessed with her creativeness. She first experienced haiku while enrolling in a Global Studies elective at Millikin University. She had always enjoyed the escape of poetry. However, when she read George Swede's Almost Unseen she learned to enjoy the challenge of saying more with less. She also realized that haiku can be about a wide range of topics. Charla Bond finds ideas for her haiku from her love for her father, family, and her feelings about domestic violence.

angels appear
. . . in the snow
of my Grandma’s yard

snowshoes
. . . a path that leads to
the old cabin

Simmering Black-eyed peas
. . . homemade cornbread
Granny prepares New Year’s dinner

Chitterlings to be cleaned
. . . Greens to be cooked
Thanksgiving at Grandmas

woman of the eve
. . . red dress, red heels, red lips
being escorted to her destiny

Shivering
. . . in the dark night
Dad comforts me

Family’s Bond

Laughter in the kitchen
. . . Pleasant Aromas
Joyfully Mother and Daughter cook

Preparation of the chitterlings!
The Mother’s approach to clean them

Though happy times flourish
. . . Chopped onions
Make them cry.

Stuffing the turkey
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

The arrival of the family
. . . Awaiting dinner
Gathering in the home

Soft sentiments of life history repeating
To share with my loved ones

Temporary Insanity

Red with Envy
...kindness taken for granted
A lover scorned

From the exteriority
. . . Facial expression hard to read

Entering the home
Behind the door. . . .
I hide

Holding
In my hand
The baseball bat

A thought of imprisonment
Lessens the hatred in my psyche

Pausing
We talk
Instead of me hurting you

rengay by Charla Bond and Audrey Bond (mother) 11/23/05