My Life As Told in Haiku Poems

I feel kind of sheepish writing this Haiku Memoir when I have NEVER written even one Haiku poem that I can remember.

I think it hits the highlights of my life if you look closely enough.

I hope you enjoy reading it.

Haiku Creations By Linda Rivenbark

Happy Little Me!

Blonde hair, beaming smile.

Bare feet run on packed dirt ground

And wander in fields.

My Mother

A picture of love,

Tenderness personified.

Yet stronger than steel.

My Dad

My first love he was,

My example of manhood.

Always there for me.

My Brothers

Making memories.

Two older and one younger.

Always had my back.

Going to School

One day I wake up

And find out it's time for school!

A new life begins.

Minnie Mouse book bag

and black-and-white Oxford shoes.

Excited and scared.

***

Learning to sight read,

and to color in the lines.

How to count and add.

***

Writing a real story

With just the words I could spell.

I thought that was hard.

***

I learned to speak French

In 8th through 12th grade French class

My name was Elise.

***

Twelve years slowly pass...

It is graduation day!

Where did the time go?

University

U.N.C.C. first.

Prepare to be a teacher?

Help the children learn?

***

In the Seventies

teaching jobs were not enough

For the new teachers.

College

Switch gears...College time!

Earning Allied Health Care field

Degree will open doors.

Career in Medical Transcription and CNA

Terminology.

Hone typing skills for typing

medical reports.

***

Three decades later

Start my first caregiver job.

Elder care at home.

***

Learn new caring skills.

Nurse Aide training shows new ways

to care for patients.

(Back to Personal Life)

Young Love

Wavy, auburn hair

Framing haunting hazel eyes.

Seen through mists of time.

Marriage

We exchanged our vows

"As long as we both shall live".

Meaning every word.

Changes

Things change. People change.

Grow together, or apart.

Know when to let go.

Divorce

Our best plans can fail.

We must let go and start again.

Life has more for us.

Parenting

A new love is born

When holding our newborn child.

Life is all brand new.

***

Tiny fists pull on

Our hair and all our heart strings

Changing everything.

***

Sleepless nights are hard,

when baby is cutting teeth

or they have colic.

***

Toddler days come next

Pulling up, and that first step.

Oh! We feel so proud!

My Son s

Two little blond boys

Born almost two years apart,

Fun to watch them grow.

***

Firstborn takes first steps

On upholstery shop table.

Then just watch him go!

***

Swimming like a fish,

Brother number two took off

In the backyard pool.

***

The teen years were hard.

They were not all smooth sailing,

but we made it through.

***

Handsome, tall and strong.

Blue eyes filled with deep resolve.

I see my small boys.

My Daughter

Dress-up was her game,

Borrowing my high-heel shoes.

Today, she’s the Mom.

Cos play was great fun

"Look out Princess Ariel,

Watch out, here I come".

***

Playing with brothers,

She had to learn to compete

and "fight like a girl".

***

Now a strong woman

She has a son of her own,

Makes her mother proud.

***

Grandchildren and Greats

Children grow up fast!

Then they give us a grandchild.

Our hearts exude love.

***

Each milestone helps us

recall the happy days when

Our children were young.

Growing Old er

Yes, the years bring change!

In so many different ways.

We learn to adapt.

***

Shoulders slightly stooped.

Halting steps may slow our stride.

Spirit still feels young.