Haikus on Depression, Teenage Angst and Peter Griffin by Matthew McGuirk

Whenever there’s time to fit in

creative writing during the poetry unit,

students are all about haikus.

Maybe it’s needing the structure or

the 5, 7, 5 for syllables,

but I guess it shouldn’t surprise me

because some of them would prefer to write an essay

that length when it comes to breaking down Beowulf

or slicing up Sir Gawain.

Don’t want to leave bed

I need time to think on life

Or else I am dead

Sometimes I wish I had a little more to look at,

but it goes to the guidance counselor either way.

The stack of haikus on my desk mainly deal with angst,

in one form or another.

So much hate right now?

Do they all hate me right now?

Can I leave right now?

I have to give them credit for simplicity.

I’m not sure if I’m overanalyzing this next one,

but it ended up in guidance too.

Peter Griffin, yeah!

Drunk at The Clam all night long!

Please take me with you!

The more we write,

the bigger the stack gets on the guidance counselor’s desk.

I’m glad it helps get stuff out,

but I wonder if I should require something

a little longer to help her decipher the feelings

and know what questions to ask.

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Matt McGuirk teaches and lives with his family in New Hampshire. BOTN 2021 nominee with words in various lit mags and a debut collection with Alien Buddha Press called Daydreams, Obsessions, Realities available on Amazon and linked on his website.

Website: http://linktr.ee/McGuirkMatthew Twitter: @McguirkMatthew Instagram: @mcguirk_matthew.