I just watched Where the Wild Things Are last night and finally finished the book last week. Boy, that was a long read 😉

Other than noting how visually stunning the movie was and that I think it may be alternately scary or dull in places for small children, I do not know that I am prepared just now to say much at all about it. Whether I get to writing more about it or not though, here is an interesting take by David Brooks. In essence, Brooks is starting a conversation, and whether one accepts his construction of contrasting classical and psychological visions of the struggle of the hero, both the book and the movie are about the heroic journey or heroic cycle. Joseph Campbell would be pleased.

But, I digress (indeed, I digress therefore I am). This new category on the blog is designed to be a series of prompts to encourage readers to create little bits of poetry in response in the comments. In other words, rather like James Bond, who is licensed to kill, you are now licensed to practice a more deadly art. Generally, I will ask for haiku, but I might get more ambitious.

Your assignment this time, should you choose to accept, is to write a haiku based on either the book or the movie or even just the phrase of “where the wild things are.” The only stipulation is that either your first or your last line must be, “where the wild things are.”

In truth, given the subject matter, most of these offerings are really more likely going to be senryu. As is my offering below to get things going.

like carol i too
must choose not to eat my feet
where the wild things are