The inspiration for my haiku was Syracuse's own Oakwood Cemetery. As an amateur photographer, often with my nephew Giovanni and my niece Gabbi, Oakwood has proved to be a perfectly unique area to capture gorgeous architecture, statuary, and nature co-existing in harmony. Recognizing the surnames of famous Syracusans on mausoleums and headstones draws you instantly into the past. I was surprised to learn that the cemetery, with its fashionable landscaping, hosted picnic parties as “the thing to do” in the Victorian Era. Some may view Oakwood as a foreboding, gothic nightmare, but for me it's a beautiful, reflective place that holds the great builders of our dear Syracuse.