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.
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.