Poetry Help Us

I was helping in my son’s classroom on the day they learned haiku.  I aspire to admire poetry, but usually I prefer a good novel.

Explaining poetry to kids who on a daily basis are chastised into writing complete sentences was a joy.

“Where does the period go? You don’t need punctuation?!”  You can imagine the delight.
It occurs to me that the conversation about oil and gas development could benefit from some communication via haiku.
              
                Five syllables stop
                Shrieking less listening more
                Space for empathy

You don’t have to be a genius to write lines with 5-7-5 syllables.  But you do have to stop shouting and boil down your thoughts into sentiments.
              
                Can you imagine
                Shouting loudly in haiku
                Would you laugh or cry

And isn’t it funny how you must count the 5-7-5 syllables on your fingers?  Perhaps hoping to catch the author in error.  Or joining physically in the joy of simple phrasing.

                Let us simplify
                Energy conversation
                Soft thoughtful haiku