Review of Sarcastic Haiku

Doug Holder  for Ibbetson Street Press

Boston area poet/activist Chad Parenteau has penned a collection of haiku titled: "Sarcastic Haiku." Parenteau writes in the introduction that much of his work is political, and is a sarcastic reaction to our Iraqi fiasco. In this small chap the poet plays poetic hit and run on this tragic/comedy of a war and its players. Here is one haiku about our president and his questionable military service: "Now That We've Won." "Bush flies to Iraq/dressed as young cadet self/ This time, he shows up." And this ironic ditty, with all its sorrow and pity: "Slight of Hand,": "News teams made to pass/piles of buildings we have bombed/to find mass grave sites." Parenteau takes aim and more often than not hits his mark.