Haiku for Lower East Side History Month!

Posted by on 05.19.14 in 2014, Events, Partners in Haiku | 0 comments

Haiku for Lower East Side History Month!

May is Lower East Side History Month, and to that end a host of chalking activity was occurring on the opening weekend due to #chalkLES, a multi-organization effort to write historical tidbits on the streets of the Lower East Side.

The organizer of #chalkLES (and generally amazing LES mover-and-shaker), Ryan Gilliam, invited Guerilla Haiku to add some more chalkdust to the scene. To which we resoundingly said YES!

On the eve of our Saturday frolics, I decorated my beloved Tenement Museum with haiku inspired by its work and mission.

But the day truly began in Seward Park where the melting pot of the Lower East Side was out in full force. After getting some Jehovah’s Witnesses to translate their message into 17-syllables, snapping a photo of a group of @janeswalk participants posing with their Jane Jacobs haiku, and being inspired by a young man translating his glorious haiku into Chinese so his mother could appreciate it with him- we headed onwards!

Next up, the Henry Street Settlement, celebrating Lillian Wald (their founder’s) birthday. And we chalked into a multicultural joyful block-party!! We found ample inspiration (and participated in a number of group dances). Check out our odes to a very special neighborhood!

To Haiku!

Abrons Arts Center - American Realness meets - Queer NY City
Jenna's Art is bright - I like to have fun with art - I can do it all!
Cakes made to honor - the Birthday Girl, Lillian - always remembered
Sun's rays unperturbed - by clouds it shows its warm face - to the world's children
LES is home - So many activities - Lots of access here Rosa and Millie)
Longing to be free - she inhaled thetoxic fumes - he forgot his keys
The pain of this life - shattered by this loneliness - remembering you
Tortured souls unite - In memory of them all - Took too soon that day #newtown
Agents of Haiku big and small
The artist writes.
ghm575 May 17, 2014
Henry Street gets chalky!
ghm575 May 17, 2014
Basilisa says - The LES is the best - ...
100 years plus - Henry Street provides service - to the LES
Balloons and Chalk
ghm575 May 17, 2014
Always be lucky - let me tell you a secret - water runs down hill
Today is the day - what will the other days hold? - tomorrow will tell!
Lukas draws flowers - he loves walking on Grand Street - Lukas walks away
Our German Bostonians
ghm575 May 17, 2014
Looks like trouble...
ghm575 May 17, 2014
Eighteen-sixty three - Lucas solved housing crisis - for twenty families

If you want to see this album on Flickr, click here.