I have always loved the Japanese poetry form of Haiku. What I write doesn’t always strictly conform to the “rules” other than it always follows the pattern of 3 lines — one of 5 syllables, one of 7 syllables, and one of 5 syllables; this is what I remember learning about haiku, I believe in elementary school. I have written countless Haikus throughout my life, many just in my head. Sometimes Kevin and I compose them together. Now I write one most days.
During the pandemic one day, I decided to write a Haiku for each place I had lived in my life. One of these places I only lived in for one month, and one was for 12 years, so there are significant differences in the span of time each of these Haikus cover.
I have updated this to add two more for two more homes that I have lived in since then; one I had written when we moved to our last place in Mazatlán, and one I had written about our new home in Guanajuato. Enjoy!
4/20/20
MY LIFE IN HAIKU: a haiku for each home I have had
I don’t remember
The first home that I lived in
On Atwater Street
Concord, South St. Paul
First home that I remember
Long hill up to school
75th Street
My primary childhood home
From 6 to 16
Casper Way, near school
Little birch forest behind
My sanctuary
Winona State U
Friends lived on 11th floor
Sheehan 8th for me
Back to Casper Way
During a summer working
Money for schooling
Back to Sheehan Hall
Now I live on 11
With a new roommate
Casper Way, last time
But counting inventory
And seeing my love
Back to Winona
This time in a house near the
Very loud railroad
Winona, next place
An apartment with some friends
Rarely was I there
Winona, last place
An apartment for one month
Above landlord’s home
Moving in with Mom
While looking for my first job
Using my degree
Lived with high school friend
“Prestigious West Bloomington”
Once I found a job
Kevin and I move
An apartment on a lake
First home together
Next we move “Out West”
To Kent, Washington
Never looking back
Sailboat, floating home
Bainbridge, West Coast, Mexico
12 years of our lives
While working on boat
Apartment, Bainbridge Island
Very noisy street
Where should we go next?
We miss the mountains, we said
Reno here we come
Carson City job
Carson City apartment
Until we can’t grill
We buy our first house
In Downtown Carson City
10 years of our lives
Sold our house, now we
Travel, “home” moving with us
For about six weeks
Sabalo Country
Our Mazatlán neighborhood
For only four months
Traveling again
For 6 months during one year
Two weeks longest “home”
Back to Mazatlán
One year lease, La Paloma
Beautiful ocean
8/8/20
House coincidence
The parrots told us three times
Bus stop, Facebook, tree
7/1/21
It’s San Javier!
The Universe has given
Our new neighborhood
Pingback: Nature Haikus – Catherine DeZelar Krause – Welcome
A memory for you when living on Atwater Street in St. Paul. I think you were not two yet when I decided to see how you would do taking a walk around the block. You did well, not getting tired. When we got back home, you said “More walk.” A strong and beautiful little girl has grown into a strong and beautiful woman.
Love, Mom
Thank you so much 🙂 You have shared this story with me before, and I always think of it when I tell people that I have loved to walk since I learned how to do it!