Haiku Heartsong

In her book, "Haiku Heartsong: In Tribute to my Seeing Eye® Dogs," author Rebecca Lineberger shares the Haiku poems she wrote as a way of summarizing half a human lifetime spent with four wonderful Seeing Eye® dogs - the love and joy of working and playing together, and yes, eventually, the heartbreak of saying good-bye. For the author, these haiku were her way of healing after she lost her beloved Eagle. But as three times before, out of sadness comes joy, with the beginning of yet another journey with her fifth dog, and still more adventures waiting for them to share.

While the poems are a tribute to her own dogs, they will touch the heart of anyone who has ever loved a dog. It is the author's hope that anyone so blessed will find love and laughter, and healing too, in these Haiku journeys. They are truly songs from the heart.

From the Publisher:

"If you've ever loved a pet, you know how special that relationship and bond is. Now, imagine that you can't see, and that your dog is a fully trained guide dog, who provides the gift of freedom and dignity as the two of you open doors that otherwise might have remained closed to you as a blind person.  . No matter how special and strong the bond with a beloved pet may be, the trust that develops between handler and guide dog takes the bond to a whole new level. The love is just as special as other pet owners have, but the bond is not, because the blind person puts their complete trust and safety in what the guide dog does.

Author Rebecca Lineberger shares that love and journey with 4 guide dogs in her book Haiku Heartsong. But why Haiku? And what is Haiku? Haiku is a short form of Japanese poetry that originated in the 17th century. It consists of 17 syllables arranged in three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables respectively. Originally, the subject matter was restricted to nature or one of the four seasons and was meant to evoke an emotional response to the subject. Today, Haiku are written by authors worldwide on any number of subjects. 

Haiku has become much more than a type of poetry, it is a way of looking at the world and finding something deeper, much like the bond Rebecca feels toward the relationship with her guides. The poems evoke a strong feeling or emotion and are a way of trying to help others have some sense of how powerful and special the relationship is between a blind person and her guide."