This page was created by Alison Morgan. The last update was by students at Xavier University.
Haikus; Our Home, and Who We Are
Haiku 1
Haiku 2
Haiku 3
Haiku 4
Haiku 5
Haiku 6
Haiku 7
Haiku 8
Our Home
Who Are We
Author Statement
For most of my life I grew up in the suburbs of Illinois; raised by a biologist I saw the world differently. From a young age I was exposed to the outdoors and behaving in the most environmentally friendly ways. I loved to play outside, especially in the sprinklers, as well as explore the wilderness. I was taught what I could recycle, throw away, and compost. I learned how to garden, take care of animals, and overall how to tend for the earth. By the age of 8, being ecofriendly was just second nature to me. However it was not until high school, in an environmental science class, did I truly become environmentally conscious of my lifestyle. Since then I have grasped the concept of ‘inter-being.’ From Buddhist teachings, this term entails the notion of everything being connected to one another. This special connection cannot be ignored, as everything that we are is because of nature. Based on my upbringing and experiences I have gained the knowledge of the relationship I have with nature.Every additional class I take and every experience I make my relationship with nature grows more and more. I have found aspects of the environment in all of my academic classes and in life that brings me to this conception of the world. Everything we do and everything that we are is related to the earth in some shape or form. Whether we believe it or not, our lives are dependent on the earth and it goes unnoticed. My concept of “green” literature, and “green” art, is the overarching idea of the relationship of humans and nature. If people can realize and acknowledge their connection with nature from reading literature or interpreting art then I believe that artist or writer has captured “green” literature/art. The idea of green art I want to emphasize is the interconnected component between nature and humans through poetry.
Included in my poems are a short series of haikus, a form of Japanese poetry. Haikus are seen and represented differently from the traditional way; English haikus often have three lines separating the phrases (5, 7, 5), whereas the traditional Japanese way is made up of a single line using the same 5, 7, 5 phrase. Within a typical haiku there is a focus on nature—a main reason I chose to do haikus. Other concepts in a haiku include the relationship of two things or ideas and an expression of feelings or emotions towards that relationship—my definition of “green” literature. I have been exposed mostly to the English version and composed my poems in an English form; I think it is more pleasing to the eye. In some of my poems, two different ideas (line 1 and 2) are conveyed into a connected one (line 3). From the haikus I wanted to portray the simplicity of nature that goes unnoticed. By addressing disregarded and obvious relationships with nature readers can reflect their connections with the earth. I was not big on giving the haikus titles, so instead I put haiku 1 (though 8) in the top right hand corner. By having a succession of haikus, I wanted the readers to reflect on the world’s view of nature—the transition of a pastoral view to a more industrial, selfish perception.
My other poems have the same idea as my haikus but are differently portrayed. People may have a house built out of wood or brick but their home is the earth they live on. What keeps us alive was once a perceived image of neglected reality. The earth serves us and we ignore it. I want these poems to have people understand that all this technology and materialistic objects should not be glorified. Instead nature should be the star of the show because is it the very material that is transformed to make these prized new things. We perceive that all this new technology and materialistic objects are amazing, yet after a year or so we quickly get tired of it. Nature has always been there for the human race, but when we forget that connected we start to deplete nature. I do not write much about the consequences of human consumption but rather enlighten people of the beauty of the environment.
As a visual person I enjoy imagining what I read. To make it easier for the readers to visualize I have provided an image of what I believe fits nicely with the poem. Thus the reader can focus on the meaning of the poem more. The pictures paired with the poems are images I have taken. Most of my studio artwork is centered on nature. In fact, some of my poems are inspired by my artwork. One of my favorite things to do is go for a walk, either around the neighborhood or at conservation parks near my house, for pleasure or to relax. Every so often I take my camera to capture nature’s beauty, innocence, and simplicity.
Today, there is an escalating path of destructive with nature, but there is hope as people come to realize the impact earth has on their daily lives and vice versa. If the world can recognize the implication of our actions then they can promote change. Today, there is this misconception that the world has unlimited resources, yet that is not the case. Every possession we own and everything that allows us to live is produced by the earth. Society should not feel entirely guilty for their consumptions, rather they should reflect on their respect for nature and all that it gives us. The point is not to feel wrong or terrible for daily behavior but instead become aware and thankful for what the earth has provided for us. Acknowledging where our resources come from, people can become more conscious of what they eat, buy, and use—it is more than an object, it is a part of the earth and a part of us—a never ending, interconnected cycle of life.
