COVID Haiku, why not

 

 

I am in need of music, poet Elizabeth Bishop wrote in her poem of the same name.

 

I am in need of distraction, I find myself saying, and how nice!, distraction is everywhere— funny animal videos, show-me-your-dance-moves Instagram accounts (shout-out to my daughters), clips of Italian mayors shouting at their constituents who won’t stay home.

 

So here’s a Poem Elf distraction. I’m inviting you to submit a Quarantine Haiku. You can also send me a picture of your haiku, Poem-Elf style. You can be in the picture or not. I’ll post as many as I can.

 

Email your haikus and/or photos to thepoemelf@gmail.com.

 

A brief tutorial on haikus (for better instruction, link here and scroll down):

 

• Haikus have three lines, traditionally 5-7-5 syllables, but feel free to experiment. No one’s counting.

 

• Start with an image (something you see, hear, taste, touch, smell) around you.

 

• Keep it simple. Try not to get too metaphorical or flowery.

 

• Haikus often contain an element of surprise or sudden understanding.

 

Your haiku can be silly, profound or mundane. Just not political, please. The point is to use the structure 5-7-5 to re-focus your thoughts away from anxiety and worries.

 

Just so you’re not self-conscious about submitting work that is mediocre or worse: first of all, it doesn’t matter. This is just supposed to be fun, communal and distracting.

 

Second, here’s mine so you know the bar is low:

 

Goodbye, soda bread

Once upon a time, St. Pat’s!

Crumbs and raisins now