x
METRONOMES
x
by April Halprin Wayland
x
In this stifling
heat, two dogs meet, pant. Their tails
wag a slow hello.
x
c) 2011 April Halprin Wayland, all rights reserved
x
The story behind the poem:
x
I was at the dog park, watching Eli sidle up to a new dog. They stood side-by-side, looking in each other’s eyes. Their tails began to wag—slowly, at first, then faster. It reminded me of the old metronome my mother still uses. And it made me laugh.
x
I thought, “I have no time, I’ll write a haiku.” HA! Haiku poems are deceptive. As Mark Twain famously wrote, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
x
There are lots of rules regarding haiku. The first and third lines contain five syllables, the second line, seven. They aren’t supposed to rhyme. They should indicate the season of the year. They should be about something in the natural world. They should be in present tense.
x
I wrote 13 versions…and could have written for days.
x
It’s your turn. Go outside. Observe something in the natural world. Read haiku poems. Write a haiku or two. Enjoy!
xEli watches the dog park gate: who’s coming in? Do I know them? Are they friendly?