Up in California’s Gold Country, PG&E’s power shutoffs in October hit residents hard: Schools closed, businesses shuttered, cell phone communications faltered, medical services were impacted and food rotted in powerless refrigerators — all while freezing temperatures set in.
Jeffrey Beemer, a massage therapist from Camino in El Dorado County, said the power blackouts were interrupting — or rather coming to dominate — people’s lives, and he wanted to give them a humor-filled way to vent: haiku.
“There were a lot of people expressing themselves in negative ways — like they’re shaking their fists at the air, sometimes,” he said. “So I thought, why not just express ourselves and have some fun with it. I’ve always liked haiku. … I just pictured it more like people blowing off steam with a smile.”
And boy, people did.
Gold Country resident Jeffrey Beemer wanted his neighbors to have a way to “blow off steam with a smile” by asking for haiku about the PG&E power shutoffs in October. And boy did they deliver. (Facebook)
After Beemer posted his haiku idea to the ECDW Chat page, a group on Facebook, he got dozens of replies, many capturing a slice of life without power.
Here are the ones who said their haiku could be shared:
Where is my husband? Sitting in car in driveway. Checking his Facebook.— Alison Smith Loeprich
Cold and dark no light Children don’t open the fridge Beans and Franks again — Laura Waugh
Broken-heartedly I check my phone battery Damn, 12% charge…— Tony Guglielmone
Generator’s making too much noise I am tired of getting up cold When will this be over— Lori Lumactod
Baking and laundry And watching TV at night Gone when the lights died— Liz Hamilton Graff
I freeze in the night Food rots in the warmth of day Plight of the watt-less— Kirstine Bowers
Charging tent visit We all bring dead devices Plug in and make friends.— Patti Farrington
Walking through the house Darkness. My flashlight is dim. What did I step in?— Teresa Hawkins Haselmann
Generator fumes Power loss consumes the brain Coffee would be good— Nancy Maggitti Leonti
Dark is the night sky A million stars I now see Oh, how I love thee— Stacie Derencin
PG&E bites. Propane water heater though. At least I won’t stink.— Gary Navratil
Here are a few more, from Gold Country authors who will remain anonymous, for now:
Short bursts of power Generator on four hours — Then darkness again.
Kids no school today Lost my marbles yesterday Shower pretty please
Fuck PG&E, Really fuck PG&E Fuck PG&E
It’s missing the mark While trying to do its part I’m still in the dark
And finally, there was a message of gratitude — in haiku, naturally — to Beemer.
Sitting in the dark… Now lights shining ON at home. Thank you for haiku— Christine Gaul
Have a haiku of your own? Email the reporter with it: mleitsinger@kqed.org
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