This
issue is dedicated to
Robert John Mestre
Cofounder of Simply Haiku
Simply
Haiku is the brainchild of Robert Mestre. Without his vision and dogged perseverance,
it would not exist. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, Rob has to hang up his
hat and move on. We at Simply Haiku will miss him. The following were
written by staff and friends as a tribute to our friend and colleague.
Robert
Wilson
A Different
Day: A Haibun Written for Rob Mestre
by Toshiro Takeshita
I never knew
what 'fighting through the pain' meant until I watched Rob go through this ordeal.
Being Rob I know he did not tell exactly what was wrong with him. He does not
like pity or burdening others with negativity. He believes in always looking at
the positive.
pulling the
thorn
out of his finger--
beautiful rose
Rob has a
herniated disk, which has been injured and re-injured many times. The last time
was when he was attempting to move his computer desk with everything in it and
on it. When he did so not only did pressure increase on his spinal chord, but the
disk ruptured and pushed one disk tearing and damaging part of his spinal
chord. Leaving one leg almost paralyzed.
in the park--
three legged dog
doesn't know it
For awhile
he was down and depressed. When I came to help he looked like a mountain man.
Unshaved, losing weight, and mean. Meaner than anyone I had ever met. Then one
day it just stopped. I don't know why. He never said and I never asked.
There he was
showered, shaved, and actually trying to meditate. Then every day, he would steadily
try to exercise more and more, and meditate more and more.
meditation--
bee's buzz
louder
It was very
weird. He went from mean with no hope to one of the nicest people I've known with
all the hope in the world. I would not even call it hope. He had new beliefs.
New views on everything.
little waves
lapping at my legs--
thoughts swimming
Today he is
much better. He will never be the same. Yet I don't think he would want to be.
He has decided to spend the rest of his life promoting what got him through this
time. Love, his family and friends, and his belief system. He tells me now that
every second is a second that should not be wasted. That everyone's life is a
book, that needs someone to write it. If you don't the pages will still be there
but remain blank and wasted.
where those
roses
as red yesterday?
a different day
| the willow at night |
|
| a tree |
|
| just a tree |
one bright peak |
 robert
d. wilson |
above the clouds |
| |
High Sierras |
| |
Allen
McGill |
| moved by the sun |
|
| evergreens stretch across |
|
| winter's pond |
slow shadow |
| Bette
Wappner [b'oki] |
oak leaves appear |
| |
on the grass |
| |
Michael
Rehling |
| spring stream -- |
|
| the pebbles sing |
|
| a new song |
day's end |
| Carol
Raisfeld |
the long shadow cast |
| |
by a pebble |
| |
Ray
Rasmussen |
| cherry blossoms |
|
| in dim night |
|
| lead me to haiku |
|
| Etsuko
Yanagibori |
|
