WFH | Your work-from-home haiku submissions

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Ruslan Rafikov, associate professor of medicine, shared this photo along with his haiku submissions. See more of his photos on Instagram at @ruslan._.rafikov.

Ruslan Rafikov, associate professor of medicine, shared this photo along with his haiku submissions. See more of his photos on Instagram at @ruslan._.rafikov.

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Faculty and staff are continuing to find inspiration and tap into their creativity in this work-from-home environment – whether it's adapting to teaching classes online or finding some humor and levity in a complicated situation.

Just as you did when we asked for happy news, work-from-home tips and pictures of your home offices, kids and pets, you came through when we asked you for haiku exploring Zooming, working from home and home schooling.

You'll see some familiar themes in these poems, along with a few new ones, including working in pajamas, finding balance through nature, and appreciating commute-free days.

Find your inner peace by reading dozens of submissions from your colleagues in all of their 17-syllable glory. And for more perspective on how people can turn a stay-at-home atmosphere into an opportunity for artistic creativity, read this UANews article.

 

Traffic Jam Again At home challenges –
Four Adults, A Dog, All Home Cats walking on the keyboard
Hallway – at Rush Hour! When can we return?
   
Karena Nespoli Home-schooling the kids
Human Resources Representative I now see, teachers need more
Department of Medicine Appreciation
   
  Zoom meetings all day,
Kids are arguing Faces in boxes.  Welcome
Dogs barking, husband on phone To the Brady Bunch
Where are my headphones?!  
  Feeling so alone
Roll out of the bed Co-workers are far away
Check the mirror, all OK I miss Nerf gun wars
Time for my next Zoom!  
  Walter Ries
Lots of morning walks IT Manager
Although life is disrupted Office of Student Computing Resources
Good time together  
   
Debbie Claggett Is your Zoom frozen?
Coordinator Or is that a GIF of you
Interdisciplinary Capstone Program Pretending to nod?
College of Engineering  
  Nick Prevenas
  Senior News Writer/Media Relations Analyst
Everyday I work University Communications
At home until at least five  
And then I have wine  
  Dining room office,
Maya Patterson extra bedroom workspace next,
Office Specialist, Senior kind of miss downtown.
Arizona Institutes for Resilience: Solutions  
for the Environment and Society Sacred library
  in extra bedroom space is
  now the home office.
Quarantine hair length  
Fostering insanity My dogs sleep a lot,
Solution: No hair! but are tied to the start of
  each Zoom meeting, woof!
Who are these children  
Running through my Zoom meeting? Jennifer Priest Mitchell
Oh wait, they are mine Faculty Coordinator
  College of Medicine – Phoenix
Our cats and our dogs  
Do not understand why they  
Cannot be on Zoom Staff meeting on Zoom
  My kids burst into the room
I never would have Thank heaven for mute
Believed how much it could mean   
Speaking face to face Isaac Flater
  Marketing Specialist
Shana McClelland SALT Center
Senior Research Administrator  
Research, Innovation & Impact  
  My dress code is nice
  Because I’m working from home
The dogs at my feet. I’m not wearing pants.
Waiting for their entrance. Zoom!  
Meeting interrupted.  Ding! Buzz! Zoom! Ring! Beep!
  Multi-tasking is my game.
Alexandra Franz How may I help you?
Administrative Assistant  
University Libraries The phone does not ring.
  There are no copies to make.
  I’m "working" from home.
In PJs or sweats,  
A virtual Monet garden  I tried Zoom outdoors
Takes my kids to France Incessant noise from neighbors
  Now it is too hot
In breakout rooms and  
Google docs and Padlet screens Their school, my school, work.
Students still make friends Brain is bouncing in my head.
  Where is my coffee?
Can you hear me now?  
Students close but far away. Trying to teach them.
Black screens hide their face I forgot math had letters,
  But I can still spell.
Heidi Quist  
Graduate Assistant Helping with homework.
Department of French and Italian Mom still rocks geometry.
  Take that, teenage sons!
   
Bloopers and hiccups Lunching on my couch
Spotty video and sound Dog waiting for tasty snacks
Just smile. It’s okay! Drooling on my floor
   
Working from afar Amy Warren
Our resilience is tested Administrative Assistant
Yet we persevere! Department of Spanish and Portuguese
   
Meg Cota  
Assistant Professor of Practice DRIP DRIP COFFEE NOW
Educational Policy Studies and Practice ZOOM ZOOMS ALL DAY LONG IT SEEMS
  KIDS SCREAMING… HELP ME
    
the daily commute Megan Eagon
even that I seem to miss Manager, Ticketing
but not enough though Centennial Hall | UA Presents 
   
focus through a new scope  
once was quite invisible Plugged in life all day 
is now obsession Beep Ping Bubble Ding Ring Buzz
  Technology Loop
revolving seasons  
flipping through calendar days Sam Eagon
time is now fluid Technical Director 
  Centennial Hall | UA Presents 
springing from social  
to summertime distancing  
evolving in fall Three months, hard pursuit. 
  No Suit. No Rest. And no Hair
thousand one steps round spring I won’t hold tight.
twelve hundred sixty one feet  
convenient comfort Extrovert cooped up.
  If retirement’s like this, 
Andrea Lawyer Yep, I will be bored.
Coordinator, Employee Services  
Research, Innovation & Impact Thomas O. McDonald
  Chief of Staff
  Office of Business Affairs
My kids redefine  
“lap-top,” Sorry my email  
Read: hhjj Is this home schooling?
  I think more like home zooing.
Other essential Ugh, pay teachers more.
Workers: Elmo, Peppa pig  
Working mom heroes Write po-ems from home?
  Well, only when it is dark.
Leona Davis My tears? Lyrical.
Events and Programs Coordinator  
Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry Andy DuMont
  Director of Communications
  Executive Office of the President
Through the glass – a hawk  
Nature penetrates Zoom call  
A spray of feathers I begin speaking
  Everyone looks on, blankly
Cheryl Gerken Forgot to unmute
Educational Outreach Coordinator  
Arizona Public Media LQP haiku
  I try and try, but alas
  I’m out of syllab
No alarms since March  
Hoping to eat out again soon Andy Ober
I miss my coworkers Assistant Director, News
  University Communications
Joy Caron  
Coordinator, Personnel and Faculty Status  
HR Generalist III Aging parents: Fear
Mel and Enid Zuckerman  Silent, empty classrooms: Grief
College of Public Health Hummingbirds: Delight
   
  Brenae Bailey
We are all in this Lecturer
The commercials tell me so Department of Mathematics
It's like cubicles  
   
Andy Lewis isolation angst 
Executive Assistant never focused, always hungry
Financial Services | Administration won't return to pants
   
  Mikayla Mace
cat sits on the table Science Writer
zoom, write, cook, clean, sit, stand, again University Communications
kitchen universe  
   
Lisa Falk Alone at my desk
Head of Community Engagement and  Cicadas' voices are heard
Associate Curator of Education Can they hear mine too?!
Arizona State Museum  
Teaching Associate, College of Education Deborah S. Corcoran
  Senior Auditor
  Internal Audit
Working outdoors now  
Mosquitos in my “office”  
Getting hot today it took me two months
  and still found myself roaming 
Snacks in the kitchen To get to work
Computer in the bedroom  
Where does my head go the lost connection 
  Cat is smiling guiltily
I have the best zoom in and zoom out
Coworkers and office mates   
Two cats and a dog Disturbing my writing
  Someone tries to blind me
Nancy Tepper Sun at the horizon
Garden Kitchen Instructional Specialist  
Pima County Cooperative Extension Ruslan Rafikov
  Associate Professor of Medicine
  Department of Medicine
What is happening?  
Learn, accept and find balance  
See the world anew The cat at my feet.
  The Rincons out my window.
Erin K. Deely Here I sit, working.
Director of Recruitment  
College of Science Cassie Walker
  Prospect Research Analyst
  Development Services
I've always wondered,  
can meetings be an email?  
We're finding out now! Gila Monster stroll
  Love my Sonoran Desert
Scott G. Skinner Working-from-home views
Applications Systems Analyst  
Developer, Principal Betsy Wilkening
University Information Technology Services Education Outreach Coordinator
  Water Resources Research Center
   
Morning routine same  
Office has changed now What happened to Spring?
Waiting for what's next Wish it could begin again
  With no Pandemic
Margie Puerta Edson  
Senior Director of Development  Gazing at the door
and Alumni Relations Not missing the morning rush
College of Engineering But I do miss you
   
  Nancy Rash 
Another day home Financial Services Specialist
Discovering Great things Financial Services | Payroll
I never had time for  
   
I don’t miss the ride. Spring blossoms blister
No traffic is the best part Electric breeze bears no scent
Saving stress and earth A day without sun
   
When will it all end? Imprint on closed eyes
We must return to normal Light and dark urgent to-dos
Proceed with caution! Orange cat purring
   
My grandson is here Glowing faces watch
Working on studies and music Bright song from sole cardinal
My home filled with joy New industry glints
   
My dogs are so glad Susanna Eden
I’m home every day to play Assistant Director
The cat – not so much Water Resources Research Center
   
Kindness and love abound             
Thinking of others is key Sound is cutting out
We’ll all be stronger Video is way too dark
  Zoom is the new norm
Tovi Ballesteros  
Associate Accountant  Dietlinde B. DuPlessis
Planning, Design and Construction Communications Specialist
  Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources
   
Stay out of harm’s way  
Zoom is not the same for me A full day of work
I miss my Wildcats in my pajamas. How nice!
  Less laundry to do.
Amy Selegue   
Program Coordinator, Senior Roy Goodman
University of Arizona Cancer Center Administrative Associate
  Student Behavioral Education
  Housing and Residential Life
Forced working from home  
Was not in my arrangement  
But it is working No quiero pensar
  Ay, el virus, el virus
Working in pjs Déjame en paz!
Avoid the zoom camera   
No hair styling done I don't want to think
  Oh, the virus, the virus.
Carol Stuehm Get off my planet!
Clinical Research Coordinator  
Department of Medical Imaging Quieres regresar
  a la Universidad,
  Cuídate pues ya!
Must work from home now  
But the fridge is so empty You want to come back
Eating grilled cheese again to the university
  take care already!
Kevin Ricotta  
Systems Administrator II Arlene Islas
Office of Student Computing Resources Video Communications Manager
  University Communications
   
Mailman strolls up walk  
Dog stirs, hackles rise – quick now! My deadline is nigh
Where’s the mute button? But the fridge, it is right there
  Cold treats seduce me
URL chains link  
colleagues meeting by meeting Kyle Mittan
Through our Zoomiverse Communications Specialist
  University Communications
Christine Seliga  
Library Operations Supervisor  
University Libraries  

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