I had to write a haiku about my mentor/mentee relationship with Phillip last week (long story involving a conference I’m presenting at). Most people did things rhyming and contemporary. I opted to go classical haiku, which includes references to the seasons as metaphors for periods of time in life. In Japanese culture, cherry blossoms are reverred for their beauty and ephemerality; the reason you see folks flocking in the Quad to take pictures is…well, complicated, I guess, and I don’t feel like typing it all out. Some time I will. In haiku, cherry blossoms symbolize change, transition.
papers, books, advice;
laughter mixes with critique –
cherry blossoms fade