Global Haiku • Spring 2010
Dr. Randy Brooks

A Day in the Life of a Champion

by
Olivia Birkey

This collection contains my most memorable haiku. The subject matter varies, but all-in-all, the haiku can be applied to anyone's life. Each haiku contains something for each person to relate to in some way. You can see the heart, the spirit, the feelings emitted through these haiku.

               mom chases
               after the ball
               daughter’s first homerun

                                             suicide squeeze
                                             runner from third
                                             in a pickle

               golden sun
               replaces the ball
               error number one

                                             catcher’s signs
                                             barely visible—
                                             downpour continues

               headfirst dive
               back into first
               umpire calls her out

                                             in her memory
                                             she wears
                                             Mom’s old number

               national champions
               coach runs
               from the water cooler

                                             extra innings
                                             all my fault
                                             thankfully a win

               over the fence
               I hit
               my first homerun

                                             waking up early
                                             to play our game
                                             morning dew

               silence
               only crickets chirp
               and the crack of the bat

                                             glove in hand
                                             she takes the field
                                             for the last time

               walk-off homerun
               they carry off
               the diamond queen

                                             adrenaline rush
                                             as they start
                                             the fourteenth inning

               summer tournament
               we show off
               our softball tans

                                             delayed game
                                             they jump in puddles
                                             behind first base

               tornado winds
               dirt storm blows
               in the catcher’s eyes

                                             diving catch
                                             her double play
                                             saves the game

               national tournament
               red Ohio dirt
               uniforms forever stained

                                             eye black
                                             face of a warrior
                                             domination time

               long fly ball
               lost in the sun
               mild concussion

                                             called strike three
                                             she throws her bat
                                             in frustration 

               she steals
                               second
               unnoticed 

                                             little blooper
                                             between fielders
                                             her first RBI 

               rounding third
               headed for home
               the tying run

her heart
a Rubrik's cube
to figure out

blinding fog
driving even slower
through the procession

heated pool
no one knows
he peed

blowing dandelions
I wish
for her survival

Barbies and 4-square
we shoot hoops
around them

freshly cut grass
we lay together
watching the clouds