한국중앙영어영문학회

This study explores how African American poets have transformed haiku into a medium of artistic innovation, cultural reflection, and emotional healing, focusing on Lenard D. Moore’s Long Rain (2021). Building upon the legacy of earlier poets such as Richard Wright and Sonia Sanchez, Moore reimagines haiku as a cross-cultural form that blends classical Japanese aesthetics with African American rhythm, spirituality, and lived experience. This paper examines how Moore integrates traditional haiku principles—brevity, imagery, nature, and mindfulness—with modern and racialized realities. His poems reveal a delicate balance between the natural and technological, the personal and collective, and the Japanese and African American traditions by merging elemental motifs, color symbolism, and everyday scenes. The study argues that haiku serves not only as a literary expression but also as a restorative practice that allows both writers and readers to confront pain, find clarity, and experience renewal. Moore’s adaptation of the form demonstrates how art can transcend cultural boundaries and offer healing through simplicity, attention, and connection. Ultimately, Long Rain exemplifies how the African American re-envisioning of haiku contributes to a broader understanding of resilience, creativity, and the power of poetic form.