Global Haiku • Spring 2019
Dr. Randy Brooks

Old Pickup

by
Whitley Sapp

Haiku are short poems, consisting of two adjacent thoughts that complement one another. This type of literary art is sometimes referred to as the one-breath poem, as it is written with an intentional pause between the two thoughts. The best haiku focus on the present and capture the imagery and emotions of a particular point in time. A common misconception is that haiku are limited to a 5-7-5 format. Although this formatting may have been more prevalent in the traditional Japanese style, modern haiku is an artform that is truly adaptive. Readers and authors have the freedom to shape these poems and create their own story. As I continue to learn about haiku, I find myself stopping to take in the beauties of everyday life. In these short poems, I hope to share some of my cherished experiences with you—the reader.

Saturday rain . . .
an eldery man plays
solitaire

old red car
leaving high school
one last burnout

windy night . . .
the vibrations
of a gentle snore

discovering each other:
a gust of wind opens
the French doors

midnight phone call—
the same
train horn

the neighbor’s orange tabby
a quick turn
to lick its own belly

ninja training
a boy
with a stick

amber cab lights
she scoots
a little closer

ice skating
blue eyes
brighter than the lights

friend’s girlfriend
touches
     my arm

fireplace crackle—   
a half-finished
jigsaw puzzle

golden layers
the crunch
of mother's baklava

mother wraps me in her coat
the smell of
cigarettes

dancing queen
mother hangs clothes
on the line

the hole
in the armpit of my shirt
my little secret

lavender pillow
and a note—
I love you

grandma's garden
salt on a sun-warmed
tomato

weeping willow—
sister swings
alone in the garden

palm Sunday
with soft hands
she picks at my calluses

sunshine
brother’s dog
lays down beside me

children blowing bubbles:
the dog catches one
in his mouth

new to us
family ride in the
old green ford

old pickup—
a wasp crawls
across the rear window