EN340
/ IN350 Global Haiku Tradition
Dr. Randy Brooks
Spring 2002 |
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Brianne Marsel
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The
Haiku Song
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Profile on Bernard
Einbond's Haiku
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Selected
Haiku
by
Brianne Marsel
I
feel that my haiku reflect a lot on the ideals and subjects
that I value, such as family and friends. I have a very close
family, and many of the memories that I base my haiku on are
related to family gatherings, my childhood, or weekends at
my Grandparents’ house. Also, my Grandmother passed away
in December of 2001, and that led to many memories and experiences
that might not have been exposed to at this time had this
not occurred at this time. I had a very happy childhood, and
grew up in a small town, so several of my haiku represent
those simpler times, and it was a wonderful escape to go back
and live through them again through my haiku, especially with
all the stress of college.
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I
also feel that simplicity is beautiful, and everything in
God’s world has it’s own aspect of perfection and
wonder. Nature doesn’t have to be something astronomical
to be a work of art, even the simplest blade of grass is a
wonder, and I tried to capture some of that beauty within
my haiku writing throughout the semester.
I
value my friends so much, and they definitely help keep me
sane. My friends have helped me to see the irony and humor
in life, as well as love, and therefore, many of my haiku
and senryu are a twist on the typical world of fairy tale,
even though I am very much a believer in “Once Upon a
time”. Sometimes things don’t always happen as we
plan them, and that can make for some very interesting times!
Finally,
over the past year I have been so blessed to experience a
love like I have never known, from a man who has helped me
grow so much since I have known him. My experiences in relationships
was very limited (i.e. non-existent) before I met him, and
as our relationship has gone forward into an engagement last
December, my haiku this semester finally have a wonderful
(although not always perfect) reality to base the idea of
romantic love upon; unlike when I wrote poetry or songs before,
and had to imagine everything based upon other’s experiences.
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Valentine's
dance
I only go
for the cupcakes
(Illinois
Times, Feb. 21, 2002)
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corner
booth
old friends
sharing cold fries
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lilac
euphoria
green fingers tickle
our newly bare feet
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gold
band doesn’t fit
like it used to
faded roses on the mantle
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make-up
removed
now he tells me
that I’m beautiful
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His
back room is a sanctuary of old
couches with cushions re-covered
where the stuffing poked through
and pictures of dogs playing poker.
His 19-inch window to the world
is broadcasting makeovers on Maury
louder than any outside noise, as
he sits with a warm Bud Light by
his side from a day’s worth
of sipping. In and out of sleep,
his head nods to his chest covered
by a threadbare polo shirt made
useful when wintering in Florida,
but Midwest chill leads to an electric
bill influenced by 80 degree heating
and his gnarled appendages are frozen
in a “cigar holding” position,
the outcome of a habit given up
three years ago. My Grandfather
is ready to move on to the next
world. Everything that impacts him
here has happened already, and he
pats the arm of the couch next to
him, empty almost four months from
the hand that wore the gold band
now on his left pinky finger.
lifetime
of stories
a
man living
in
yesterday
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fingers and lips
tattooed in blue
memories of mulberries
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memories
of grandma
carefully in boxes
clothes to give away
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tarnished
world
made new again
first
snow
fall
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Untitled
(the haiku song)
sunlight
through new leaves
patterns on the water
God
in the details
a
butterfly
perfectly
painted wings
laying
back in tall grass
building cloud castles
I become a child again
open
field
picking
the wildflower
from
behind my ear
skipping
stones
your hand smooth
on the small of my back
tree
swing in the back yard
toes
stretching higher
touching
God
sand
on my feet
my footprints
already washed away
(see
the
tabs)
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©2002
Randy Brooks, Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois || all rights reserved
for original authors
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