Hialeah Haikus – Only a true Miamian will understand

Hialeah Haikus

I hate Abuela,

Why she gotta call my girl,

“La Tira-flecha.”

This is an example of a haiku you will find as you skim through the pages of Hialeah Haikus, a book comprised of haikus written by a group of local Miami artists. The group is called Foryoucansee. The authors are Alex Fumero and Marco Ramirez. This collection of poems follows the form of a traditional Japanese Haiku with three lines (5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables). Want to know the catch? Well, instead of themes on nature and its surroundings, this book makes references to the culture here in our beautifully sophisticated Miami, specifically in Hialeah, that you would only truly understand if you were immersed in the culture.

Here’s another teaser sample of what you will find in the book…

She mani-pedis,

At a spare room at her house,

Comes out super nice.

This is so Miami/Hialeah. I remember when I was in high school, one of my friends had this super amazing nail lady from El Salvador who would come to her house and paint her nails. Let me tell you…I fell into the routine for a while. Who can blame me? Great manicures and pedicures in the comfort of your home. Down side? You have to speak really fast in Spanish and are practically obligated to tell the lady your life story before you are obligated to listen to hers. And let me tell you, from experience it could be a long drag of a story.

The great thing about these haikus is they are meant to celebrate the “real” Miami culture. And I am NOT talking about South Beach with half-naked, unnaturally tanned girls running around Ocean Drive. What I am talking about is the everyday life of a true Miamian.

I will leave you with this little note to think about…

Either my jeans shrank,

Or this rice and beans diet,

Is stretching my ass.

Gotta go read the rest of the Hialeah Haikus!

Hialeah Haikus