Sporting purple parasols, paper maps and plenty of sunscreen, a contingent of Tucson's most lyrically inclined trekked through downtown for a hike unlike any other. Instead of summitting peaks to overlook valleys and vistas, this group of explorers stopped on street corners to marvel at concrete planters filled with poetry.

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About 100 people attended the March 21 guided tour opening the seventh annual Haiku Hike, an outdoor art installation and a journey through the wonders of the written word hosted by the University of Arizona Poetry Center and Downtown Tucson Partnership.

Beginning outside Hotel Congress and stretching down East Congress Street to North Stone Avenue, the hike features 20 poems written by predominantly local artists, all of which address the theme of "connection." More than 1,600 poems were submitted to this year's competition, including 1,325 from Tucson. The selected haikus are printed on acrylic signs and placed in planters alongside native fauna. The hike is open to the public through June 1.

A short form of poetry originating in Japan, haiku follows a 17-syllable structure in three lines of five, seven and five syllables often depicting rich imagery and seasonal topics. 

Judging this year's submissions was Paola Valenzuela, event and development coordinator for the Poetry Center. To choose the final poems, Valenzuela not only considered the quality of the writing but how each submission engaged with the theme.

This year's poems explore romance, environment, parenthood and family bonds – all contained within three lines and 17 syllables. 

"I was surprised by all the connections people wrote about: With the moon, with nature, with the celestial – but also the simple connections in life that you may not always think about, like catching a stranger's eye in the park or playing Roblox with your cousins," she said. "That's the thing about haiku; you can appreciate the little things in life. I hope the hike allows people to take a moment to think about and reflect on their own connections with people and the world."

Concrete connections

With a megaphone in-hand, Valenzuela led a troupe of poets, family and friends through downtown Tucson on a bright and sunny Saturday morning alongside Tyler Meier, executive director of the Poetry Center. Together, the duo stopped at each haiku to let either the winning poet or a daring hiker read the work.

"Having people opt in and want to be a part of this event is one of my favorite things about this community," Meier said. "The cultural life of Tucson is so rich, and the university is a big part of that. We're just so pleased to have this connection to our community."

Among those who read their own work was Veronica Contreras, a native Tucsonan who dedicated her poem to her late brother:

Fonzo Conteras
walked in black boots of leather
in the hot desert

"I love this city and I think it's a beautiful place," Contreras said. "I have always loved writing, and I will take any chance I can to contribute to Tucson's artistic side. My brother is my legend, and the fact that I can give something back to these streets that has his name on it – I just had to try."

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While Contreras gave back to the city that shaped her and her brother, contributors like Dara Yen Elerath took a chance from afar. Hailing from Albuquerque, Elerath traveled to Tucson and celebrated the Haiku Hike alongside her fellow poets. 

'It's not something I have ever experienced before," she said. "I have published poetry, but this was a really unique opportunity."

Her submission mixes halting emotional imagery with nature:

Touching the pale scars
across her now empty chest
snow on rose petals

Whether exploring heartache or joy, shared spaces or the small moments that shape humanity, this year's Haiku Hike guides participants through emotional peaks and valleys, illuminating lived experience and what it means to be human. 

For Crystal Moore, president and CEO of Downtown Tucson Partnership, that spirit of exploration lies at the heart of the installation.

"The Haiku Hike welcomes people to experience Tucson's urban center in a completely different way," she said. "It changes downtown Tucson's everyday spaces into places of creativity and thoughtfulness. It encourages people to walk the urban trail and engage with our city through poetry, providing a genuine sense of discovery."