{"id":4048,"date":"2005-08-30T20:18:47","date_gmt":"2005-08-31T00:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2005\/08\/30\/lee-gurga-this-dentist-makes-"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:57:27","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:57:27","slug":"lee-gurga-this-dentist-makes-you-say-aha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2005\/08\/30\/lee-gurga-this-dentist-makes-you-say-aha\/","title":{"rendered":"lee gurga: this dentist makes you say “aha”"},"content":{"rendered":"
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last bale of hay–
\nwe sit down on it
\nand watch the moon<\/p>\n

. . . by lee gurga<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/blockquote>\n
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 <\/p>\n

I<\/em><\/strong>t may be the last week of August, but we’re here working hard to<\/font> bring the very best in haiku poets to f\/k\/a<\/em>‘s readers. Frankly, they <\/font> don’t <\/font>get any better than our newest Honored Guest poet, <\/font>Lee Gurga<\/font><\/a>. <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"GurgaMug\" Born in Chicago, Lee lives and works as a general dentist<\/a><\/font> in <\/font>the farming community of Lincoln, Illinois. A past president of the <\/font>Haiku Society of America, he is currently editor of Modern Haiku<\/a><\/font><\/em>,<\/font> the longest-running journal of haiku and haiku studies in English. <\/font><\/p>\n

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His haiku collections have twice been chosen as best of the year<\/font> by HSA, and his <\/font>Haiku: A Poet’s Guide<\/em><\/font><\/a> was recognized by HSA<\/font> as the \u201cBest Book of Criticism\u201d for 2004. <\/font><\/p>\n

Of course, as with our other Honored Guests, we care far more<\/font> about the poet’s haiku and senryu than about his credentials. In the <\/font> haiku of Lee Gurga, I believe you will see not only a mastery of the<\/font> genre, but also the personal warmth and empathy that is mentioned <\/font>by all who know him and his work. This is one dentist that everyone<\/font> likes to visit — and to bring home. With clear words and direct images, <\/font>and a zen-like egolessness, he allows the reader to feel the subtle “aha” <\/font><\/p>\n

moment that was experienced by the poet. <\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"GurgaScent\"\u00a0 <\/font>Reviewing <\/font>Fresh Scent: Selected Haiku of Lee Gurga<\/font><\/em><\/a> (1998), Cor van <\/font>den Heuvel, Editor of The Haiku Anthology<\/em>, declared that “Lee Gurga seems <\/font>destined to forge a fresh poetic heritage for the midwest.” He continued:<\/font><\/p>\n

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“Not only does Gurga give us the beauty of the land, he<\/font> presents us with the activities of its people in such a way <\/font>that their loves and strengths, their sense of God and family,<\/font> and their good humor and friendliness all reach out of the <\/font>poems like a warm handshake. In giving us the heart of the<\/font> heartland, his haiku give us the heart of America.”<\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

At times, this weblog very much needs Lee Gurga’s warmth and<\/font> humanity. Like his <\/font>Fresh Scent<\/font><\/em><\/a> editor, Randy Brooks, I’m “grateful <\/font>to Lee for his gifts to us, these haiku from rural America.” Thank you,<\/font> Lee Gurga, for the honor of sharing your poetry — beginning right now:<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\"barnG\" <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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summer sunset\u2014
\nbaby finds his shadow
\non the kitchen wall<\/font><\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/font> <\/font> <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n


\n<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n


\n<\/font>street magician\u2014
\ntourists appear
\ndisappear<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

a bike in the grass<\/font><\/font>
\none wheel slowly turning\u2014<\/font><\/font>
\nsummer afternoon <\/font><\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

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\n<\/font>\"girl's<\/font><\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n


\n<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n


\n<\/font>fluttering madly\u2014
\nbutterfly in the slipstream
\nof a passing freight<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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\n<\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

against the rumbling<\/font><\/font>
\nof the thunderhead:<\/font><\/font>
\nhis toy gun<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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\n<\/font>
\n\"GurgaScentS\"<\/font> Lee Gurga<\/strong><\/font> from <\/font><\/font>Fresh Scent:<\/em> Selected Haiku of Lee Gurga<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/a> <\/font><\/p>\n

(edited by Randy Brooks, Brooks Books, 1998)<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

“summer sunset” – 1st place, 1990 Manichi Dail News Haiku Contest<\/font><\/p>\n

“street magician” – hon. mention 1989 World Haiku Contest<\/font><\/p>\n