EN170 Haiku Writing Roundtable
Dr. Randy Brooks
Millikin University • Fall 2004
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JoanneWeise

But a Dream . . .
Haiku by

Joanne Weise

At first, I was a bit afraid of stepping into this wide world of haiku. But, I'll try anything once, so in came my chair for Haiku Writing Roundtable. I want to thank everyone who decided to delve into this course as well. It wouldn't have been the same without you.

I loved it. The poetry's form seemed sparse to me at first, but only because I didn't know how to slow down and take the time to read haiku. Learning the Zen methods especially helped with my understanding of haiku. It taught me to really live in the moment—which is what I hope the title of my colletion conveys, in a way.

These haiku are a sort of jumble collection of many different themes. As dreams morph and switch course without warning, so do my haiku.

rolling over . . .
enough bed space
        for two

 

 

pen rolls
under the park bench
frogotten bread crumbs

autumn sunset
stealing spotlight
from the bride-to-be

hard nipples
raising painted letters
game day

the pigeon lady’s
usual seat. . .
empty park bench

  

first date . . .
wearing flip-flops
to match his height

in the rain
the bronze man discovers
an unzipped fly

  

twisting the tube
to dress my lips
        in red

morning after . . .
you make my bed
the wrong way

 

turning over
to find your side
       cold

church bells
in the distance . . .
I hum along

  

 

nursing home--
grandma tries
to remember my name

tiptoes on linoleum
to the bathroom
face sullen in the mirror

  

©2004 Randy Brooks, Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois || all rights reserved for original authors