The inspiration for this haiku was a comparison of two distinctive motions. An evening of entertainment during a trip to Turkey included local dancers, especially Whirling Dervishes. Later the swirling movement of the wind blowing raked piles of leaves in my neighborhood reminded me of those dervishes' mystical whirling.

My creative process can start at any moment, whenever an idea for a haiku pops into my head. Just before I fall asleep at night, I draft potential haiku lines in my mind and memorize the most promising ones. The next day I write down the lines in my mind and further refine them. A haiku is an excellent way to present an idea compactly.

When considering the spirit of school snow days, I thought back to my childhood. If the winter weather forecast for the following day called for large quantities of snow, we hoped that snow would appear so school would be canceled.

A snow god would have given us a focus for our hopes, so I was happy to create one. It’s too late for me, but maybe today’s children can benefit!

The few words of a haiku have a big job to present an idea and engage readers. It is challenging, yet satisfying, to imagine a story that fits into 17 syllables. I am honored that my haiku was chosen to represent a spirit of the Syracuse area to display for residents and visitors to contemplate.