Ashlee Peth • kukame: Three Years with roommate, Kirsten Leyndyke kasen renga: One Hundred

WE TALK OF FAITH A collection of Haiku by Ashlee Peth I would like to thank Kirsten Rae Leyndyke for her contribution in writing the rengay enclosed in this book. I would also like to thank her for being a wonderful roommate, supporter, and friend. This book is for her. Over the course of this last semester I am to spend at Millikin, I have learned through this class to value and appreciate haiku. Because the nature of haiku is to notice and recognize the simple moments in life, I have found myself recognizing and appreciating the simple moments in my own, something I greatly value as I leave a place that has so many memories, for I have these memories to take with me.

These haiku are a collection of some of my favorites as well as the favorites of my classmates. I believe haiku are to be shared and enjoyed, which is why every single haiku in my collection is one that was born in class. All of my haiku are special to me, because they each have a meaning, a moment, and a memory behind them. I trust and value the opinion of my classmates in this endeavor, which is why they, inadvertently, have the honor of choosing my book. I have called my collection “We Talk of Faith” for a few reasons. One, it is my favorite line in my favorite haiku that I have written. I believe there is so much meaning and depth behind the simple action of talking about faith. Two, every person on the earth has faith in something. Faith is not just inclusive to religion or belief. You have faith right now that the chair you are sitting in is not going to collapse. It is a universal principle that everyone can identify with. Lastly, I believe that my experience at Millikin can be summed up in saying, “We Talk of Faith.” My own personal spiritual life has grown immensely while at this school, and the desire I have for my life is to talk about nothing except my faith. Although these haiku aren’t all about faith, they are my memories, my feeling and my moments. They are what make up me. And I have faith in that.