Pure Poetry with The Haiku Guys
What started out as a little booth on a street corner in Williamsburg with the intention of conducting a series of interviews about entrepreneurship blossomed into a lucrative poetry-writing business that can earn them up to $250 an hour. The Haiku Guys, composed of Lisa Markuson, Erick Szentmiklosy and Daniel Zaltsman, are hired to write to poems at an array of events, and their next stop is the Montauk Beach House this Saturday (July 25th). I sat down with this quick-on-trigger trio to talk about the genesis of their unique business, and their answers delivered in 5-7-5 syllabic phrases will leave a smile on your face for the rest of the day, guaranteed.
It took me so long/To come up with this haiku/Please don’t laugh at me. Okay, that’s the best I can do. I am ready to receive your judgment. (Bonus: I will do a somersault if you deliver your answer in haiku).
time is but a thang
double points for trying doe
you’re now one of us
That was the best icebreaker ever. Anyway, tell me when you noticed your knack for poetry. How old were you? Did you doodle in your notebooks growing up in school?
we often wrote words
not always in haiku form
but we were poets
Do you write poetry for yourselves? And if so, what have you been writing about recently?
keep pocket notebooks
moments of inspiration
come at any time
from hills to highways
city streets are rocket fuel
our hearts on paper
Why do you think people like having customized poetry written for them? And what is it about the haiku that’s so powerful and effective? Is it the brevity perhaps?
when was the last time
someone wrote a poem for you?
surprise gifts for all
I know you still have your day jobs, but if this were to grow even more would you consider doing it full-time? Where do you want to see The Haiku Guys go?
all around the world
in languages we’ve yet learned
as this plane takes flight
Did you feel pressure when you first started doing this? I mean, once you started building a following and getting gigs; did it ever affect the creative flow, and if so, how did you combat that?
if you read our work
from when we first hit the streets
you’d have a good laugh
with each day that comes
perfect practice makes perfect
always aim higher
What are some funny stories you have about people requesting haikus from you? Any peculiar people stick out in your mind?
just the other night
a woman requested one
about a jewish portugese man whose favorite word was “disgusting”
we asked her for another subject
sometimes it just doesn’t happen
What are some reactions you see from people when they read their poetry? Why is poetry the most pure, unadulterated glimpse into one’s soul?
sometimes its as if
the entire world disappears
other than their poem
tell us anything
we promise to meditate
and return to you
somewhere in the ether
we connect with your intent
our words take you there
Are you excited for Montauk?! What plans of leisure do you have when you visit?!
atlantic wonder
calling for adventurers
no time for leisure
What’s the next step for The Haiku Guys? Can you give us a sneak peek?
everywhere you go
your own personal poets
on call all the time
Guest Written by Greg Mania.
