Behold, mortals,

a celebratory homage

to all things nerdy.

For years we have longed to escape the confines of our parents’ basements, but today we Matrix mavens and Lovecraft lovers have emerged from our AV Squad closets and seized the reins of popular culture. Of course, our chronic asthma and social anxiety still keep us from talking to the girl at GameStop, so we have a way to go. Good thing there’s Nerd Haiku, a light-hearted, lightsaber–pointed poke at the absurdities, stereotypes, and truths of nerd culture. These fun, thoughtful, clever poems speak to the core elements of our nerd universe: science fiction, fantasy, comic books, super heroes, big-budget movies, role-playing games, TV series, animation, cosplay, and more, as well as our celebrated (and derided) authors, artists, actors, and franchises. All of us—from comic book and comedy nerds to computer and design nerds—will appreciate and cherish these gems of poetic wisdom.