Journal #3

Haiku – Mayonnaise by Marla McIntosh

Marla McIntosh

This haiku was very interesting to me because it funny. Although it does not match an original haiku, it has similar amount of words and sums up the short event in a few sentences. The author uses descriptive verbs such as “scanning, shrugged, declared” to make the boy seem like it’s nothing special or anything. The author uses irony in that the son is correcting his mother. I find this haiku interesting because it relates with my life. My mom and dad sometimes do not hear what I tell them correctly; this usually causes confusion and we end up arguing. Also, I have had similar situations where my brother asked me to get something. Instead, I end up with something else.

My teenage son was scanning the pantry. I asked him what he was looking for. “Mayonnaise.” Hopeful that he would make his own lunch, I told him to look in the refrigerator. He shrugged and, expending as little effort as possible, walked to the fridge, opened its door and quickly declared, “It’s not here.” I knew it was there. I joined him at the refrigerator, immediately saw the mayonnaise, grabbed it, shoved it into his hands and asked, “Are you blind?” He stared at the jar. “No, are you deaf? I was looking for Band-Aids.”