I’m taking a break from Da Great Goblin Rebellion this week to share with you all something that happened to me. Full warning, if you are expecting a profound moment of clarity, cool your jets. It’s not that sort of tale. However, as you can tell from the title, it’s haiku related.
About a week prior, I attended New York Comic-Con. It is a huge affair at the Jacob Javits convention center, attended by thousands of nerds, myself included. As time has changed, it has become more than just about comics. All areas of fandom have a presence there. Or most of them, I didn’t take a tally.
Naturally, one big presence is Marvel Comics and by proxy, their parent company, Disney. One of the new attractions at Disney World is the Xandar Pavilion. The planet Xandar appeared in the first Guardians Of The Galaxy movie and is home to the Nova Corps, who are space cops.
Apparently, Xandarians are much taken with earth culture. More specifically, pop culture. So they set up a Xandarian Cultural Exchange booth. Earth visitors were asked to share something of their planet, an item, or even a story or joke, and they would receive a bag of Zarg nuts (toffy peanuts).
As I stood in line I contemplated what to give. I had some swag from the con that I could part with. That didn’t seem right. I could tell my favorite joke, but that might take too long.
I saw what the people ahead of me gave. A button from another booth? The Xandarian manning the booth, whose name tag read ‘Bromir’ cried loudly, “REGIFTER! YOU WERE GIVEN THIS AND ARE MERELY PASSING IT TO ME!”
The next person handed him a ziploc baggy, claiming that anything could be put in this. Bromir decried this assertion. “THIS IS A LIE! I CAN NOT PUT MYSELF IN THIS!”
While Bromir playfully shamed those in front of me, I knew I had to bring something better than regifted swag and empty ziplock baggies. Stepping up, I introduced myself and told him I had written a poem, a haiku in fact. Given the Xandarian fascination with Earth pop culture, this is what I came up with.
Nova Corps arrives
Enjoying Earth pop culture
So many cop shows
Bromir was delighted! He pronounced loudly, ‘BEHOLD! LEO THE POET!’ to those assembled. I took a bow because I love praise.
I like to think that my haiku was a welcome relief from the junk that he was presented with all day. Then a woman working at the booth, asked me if she could take a picture of my haiku with her phone. I of course said yes.
I also have to praise the Xandarian staff who remained in character when interacting with all of us Terrans. In the break room, where I got my Zarg nuts from an alien vending machine, I chatted with a Xandarian on break. He told me that he kept hearing about a ‘Big Apple’ but had yet to find it. I told him he could find smaller replicas in food stores.
As my dedicated readers know, I have two twitter feeds where I post a new haiku daily, @D_and_Dhaiku, and @TrekHaiku. (Please follow if you haven’t already) For a while now, I’ve considered expanding into other nerdy areas. Perhaps, this is a sign that I should. If the MCU wishes to have a resident Haiku writer, please know that I am available to fill that august position.
I’ll leave you with one last haiku.
Tales to Astonish
That’s why we’re True Believers
Cry Excelsior
Photo from Walt Disney World New Today. https://wdwnt.com/
The Writings of Leo Byrne Jenicek 