PACE Global Haiku • PACE February 2010
Dr. Randy Brooks

Selected Haiku

by
Katy Price

After taking the class Global Haiku with Dr. Randy Brooks my perception of haiku has changed. In grade school we were all taught that a haiku had to follow the theme of 5 7 5. This made haiku writing a daunting task for me. Haiku was something that had rules and regulations and for me there was not much enjoyment in writing them. I would sit in class and just think of lines that had the right amount of syllables.

Now I realize that haiku is an art form and not a syllable count. Haiku’s are meant to inspire the reader imagination. A well written haiku allows the reader’s senses to come alive and gather their own interpretation of the haiku. When I create a haiku it is often brought on by an emotion or memory. I like to incorporate my emotions with the hopes that the reader will do the same. Many times a memory will strike me and I try to make it come alive through the haiku. I try to make the haiku represent a feeling or memory that everyone has had at some point in their life. All of my haiku come from personal feelings and memories. Through writing haiku I have been able to recall memories or feelings that I thought had been forgotten. Reading and writing haiku has become very therapeutic for me and I now enjoy the art.

—Katy Price

waterfall
children spread
ashes

torn sweatshirt
still keeps me warm
Daddy

under a pavilion
he waits…
they kiss

ice covered pond
young girls
skate freely

year after year
my best friend
Mom