Nikki Garry • Nikki's Haiku • Profile on Barbara Ressler

After briefly studying the life and career of Barbara Ressler, I believe that she is definitely not recognized enough for her contributions, as they relate to the World of Haiku. Barbara Ressler is a high school English teacher, who teaches her students about haiku (she is often referred to as the "Haiku Queen" by her students). You may ask, "What was it that drew me to Barbara?" Well, I was in search for a haiku author who not only wrote about day-to-day things but also from a spiritual perspective; and this is exactly what Barbara teaches her students to do. Throughout this essay I will first discuss the ‘Haiku House’ that Barbara teaches about, and then I will share with you some of her students’ award-winning work, followed by some of my favorites of Barbara’s work, some of which have won awards and have been published. Barbara relates writing haiku to a house with four rooms, being a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual room, all of which contribute to well-written haiku. In one of her essays entitled "The Gift Outright: Teaching Haiku, Why Teach Young People Haiku?" Barbara discusses the significance of each of these rooms, as summarized as follows. In the physical room, writing haiku trains authors "…to become aware of and use their senses… In addition, one’s mental/intellectual room is sharpened through writing, reading and critiquing haiku." Lastly is the spiritual room, which merely "feeds the human spirit." Put together, these rooms all aid in forming a complete ‘Haiku House.’ In addition, to teaching her students about the Haiku House, Barbara also views haiku as being a means to cope with everyday problems that her students face, conjunction with using their imaginations and writing skills. Barbara believes that "Haiku furnishes writers and readers with a way to deal, to heal, to cope, to hope" (The Gift Outright). As it relates to her students, Barbara is quoted as saying that haiku is "…expressive and reflective, two things they so want at that age. This form is a way for them to understand their feelings. They can be angry and write graffiti or they can write a beautiful poem. I want to see less graffiti and more poetry" (Glindinning 4.B). In a letter of response to her ROSHI award, Barbara adds, "Students learn to transform negative emotions into poignant poems and to celebrate life’s joys through writing haiku. I submit, writing haiku is a psychologically and emotionally healthy practice, beating the less healthy alternatives culture may suggest for dealing with highs and lows in life." With these points in mind, I commend Barbara and her consistent effort to aid her students in dealing with problems that they face in today’s society. Through my study of Barbara Ressler and her work, I was also able to enjoy some of her students’ award winning haiku, some of which have earned them scholarships and even been published nationally and internationally. Barbara submitted numerous poems to me to read, and of them, I have chosen the following two to discuss further . . . awakened from sleep: cries of my aborted baby Keri Haas By far, this haiku is one that supports the above claims that haiku can be seen as a means of "dealing with highs and lows in life." After reading the first two lines of this haiku, I was surprised to discover it true significance. It can be implied that, Keri Haas, must have been comfortable enough to share this poem with others, perhaps allowing her to be healed by sharing her experience with others… Keri takes an intimate moment of her life and precisely depicts her emotions. Below, is yet another award-winning student haiku: going through hell writing a religion paper! Kristine Johnson This is a prime example of use of one’s spiritual house; which could be seen at senyru. The author has taken a sort of spiritual perspective and related it to writing a religion paper in a clever form. I must also share the following student award-winning haiku: beside the waterfall the little girl wets her pants Jane Schueller   silent study hall: my stomach growls anyway Cindy Stierman I see his wholeness through the gap in his teeth Andrea Stapleton   These are just a few among many note-worthy haiku that Barbara has helped "birth." Many of Barbara’s personal work has won awards as well, such as: blind man winks at the blonde’s voice     pretty woman checks her hair in a Jesus picture one month after her death he still smokes outside   Here are others poems by Barbara that I have chosen to discuss further, some of which I have paired with work by other haiku authors that seem to go hand-in-hand: feuding neighbors their dogs mate anyway neighbor’s children leave . . . casually the cat slips out of the hall closet Patricia Neubauer The Haiku Anthology, p. 137 When I first read this poem, the matched pair, by Patricia Neubauer, came to mind. In Barbara’ haiku, though the neighbors don’t get along their dogs still find time to mate – which is sort of ironic. These two points are seen as contrasting views that come together to form a haiku. October Farmer’s Market the change from her bra warm fresh fruit two flies nibbling on a strawberry Natalie Kussart Global Haiku Spring 2002 I like the image of the woman keeping her money in her bra, as some older women do. I paired this haiku with one of my classmates’, Natalie Kussart, because they share the common image of a Farmer’s Market, which in Barbara’s haiku is directly stated yet in Natalie’s is implied. New Year’s Day the neighbor’s dog still craps in my yard This year and on Is all pure gaining for me now— The world and its pleasures Kobayashi Issa Autumn Wind Haiku, p.106 Both of the haiku in this pair are related to a New Year and what it holds. . . In this particular haiku, Barbara seems to be writing as if everything else in the New Year is "looking up," all except the neighbor’s dog who "still craps" in her yard. home from work dad and his smell After reading this haiku, two images came to mind… (1) Dad works somewhere that carries a strong odor that remains in his clothes and hair after work and (2) Dad is having an affair with another woman and comes home late with the smell of her perfume on him. Yet, in both scenarios, they are glad to have him home. Heaven forbid that Barbara was referring to the father’s body odor! This is one of the things that I like about reading other people’s work – you are able to let your imagination run wild and get whatever you want from the haiku! Easter lily hold the morning Barbara’s above haiku is an example of using one’s spiritual room/house to build the foundation of a good haiku. It seems to be coming from a Christian point of view, yet through its vagueness it leaves room for the reader to put it into his/her own context, thus relating to it better. the I’m sorry letter arrives postage due After reading this haiku, I get two quite different images. (1) What a cheapskate! Will he/she ever get it right? He/She might as well have saved the apology or did it in person free. (2) It’s the thought that counts…! And lastly: at seventy-five her pants on backwards again I think that this haiku speaks for itself! As, seen from some of the above examples, Barbara is also known for her senyru. Again, these are just a few of Barbara’s bests. Not only has Barbara written numerous haiku and senyru, but she has also served her community through various service activities and organization. I am honored to have had the chance to look at the life and career of Barbara Ressler. She is undoubtedly a "diamond in the rough." Acknowledgement I cannot end this essay without acknowledging Barbara for all of her support—not to mention her willing contribution of information used to complete this essay and my Web Profile. She did not have to take time out of her busy schedule to help me but she did—and for this I am thankful! I enjoyed our correspondence and wish her blessings in all of her future endeavors! Works Cited Glindinning, Mary. "Dubuque: Simply a haiku hot spot for Midwest poets." Telegraph Herald 2 March 1995: 4.B. Ressler, Barbara. "The Gift Outright: Teaching Haiku, Why Teach Young People Haiku?" (Essay from the author.) —Nikki Garry