Book of the Week – Heaven and Hell in China by Suezan Aikins
It is often the smallest moments that leave the deepest impressions. Whether a fleeting glance, a playful chorus of children, or the contrast between rain-soaked streets and indifferent passersby, these snapshots of experience connect us to something larger. The sequence of haiku and tanka in Heaven and Hell in China by Suezan Aikins explores the beauty of these moments – moments of humor, introspection, and unexpected connection. Each poem offers a window into the subtle, yet profound, intersections of nature and human life.
Heaven and Hell in China was published by Prospect Press in 1995.
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Here are a few selected poems from the book:
thru monsoon rain
a torrent of people
in sunglasses—
from under a big belly
comes a lace hankie—
with dozens of kids
the Hello! Hello! duet
climbing Moon Hill—
as I slip into
an antique black jacket
the salesgirl smirks –
her dazzling clothes a mirror
of years starved for color—
meeting a wildman’s eyes –
we wind at the same time
You can read the entire book in the THF Digital Library and please share your favorite poem from the book with us.
Do you have a full or chapbook length book published in 2019 or earlier that you would like featured as a Book of the Week? Contact us for details. Haiku featured in the Book of the Week Archive are selected by the THF Digital Librarian Kenneth Pearson and are used with permission.
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Some intense poems in this chapbook, thank you for sharing them with us!