Wide Open Sky — 2024 Pulse Haiku
Michael Dylan Welch December 27, 2024
Pulse—voices from the heart of medicine celebrates the publication of 26 haiku and senryu published in 2024 with a video
More Haiku
Pulse—voices from the heart of medicine celebrates the publication of 26 haiku and senryu published in 2024 with a video
19 thoughts on “waiting room”
Haiku, if well done, do not need to shout, and can tell a short story or a novel in three short lines, or be a great opening line to one.
Sublime work!
warm regards,
Alan, With Words
Alan, thank you. You know Wh much I admire your writing.
That’s very kind!
It takes something for us not to continue sipping our coffee while it’s hot, even if it’s disgusting, and from a vending drinks machine.
But also waiting room can be seen not just as literal, but allegorical, whether we are ‘waiting’ in a ward or the patient ourselves.
This haiku says more, and allows readers to say more, than some longer poems explaining it all out.
Powerful work!
warm regards,
Alan
Alan, I had hoped the haiku would allow that space for the reader to input different meanings so am glad that it did.
So accurately put Pris. Thank you. Sheila
Sheila, thanks!
Excellent, as always, Pris!
Thank you, Nan!
You have nailed this experience shared by millions. Chillingly accurate. Plenty of dreaming room here for readers to fill in from their own life experiences. Kudos!
Denis, your comment is much appreciated.
Pris
what can I say, you know how much I admire your writing and this one touches me deeply as both a nurse and as someone who has been on this side of the coin as well. How you capture the exact feeling and moment in so few words is startling and so powerful. This was incredibly good…..matt
Matt, I appreciate your comment and am glad this touched you. Yes, you’ve been there.
Pris
Haiku is an easy form to do badly. Compressing images and detail down into precise form. This piece contains a novel-full of suggestion and narrative, hanging empathy around that single vivid focus. An object-lesson in how to do haiku…
Andrew, thank you so much.
Thank you so much for publishing my haiku. I shared the link on Facebook. The other articles have a ‘leave comment’ under them bot the link under pulse haiku says ‘see more’. I did that to enlarge it and finally found the comment box, Haiku might get more comments if the comment link was more specific. I know I enjoy the haiku all though the year but never knew where to say so.
I found your Haiku haunting, Pris. I am an RN and understand all of the emotion, thirst, hunger, pain and hope in those few syllables. Well done.
Thank you, Karen!
I seldom practice Haiku myself and so many write it so badly, but this one hits home with me.
Al, I’m so glad this one spoke to you.
Pris