HAIKU DIALOGUE – Finding peace and contemplation… in hidden corners – Photo Three
Finding Peace and Contemplation… in hidden corners with Guest Editor Marietta McGregor
At times in our lives, fast-moving events of our day-to-day existence may become overwhelming. Between work and family responsibilities, daily needs and doomscrolling, days rush by in a breakneck blur and we sometimes end the week with a sense of ‘where did that go?’ We’re surrounded by the wonders of our shared universe. Maybe it’s time to become immersed in the enjoyment of one aspect of this spectacular world which amazes, delights and refreshes us. We can marvel at the night sky or clouds by day, cheer a ladybug as it climbs a twig and opens its wings, dangle our feet in a cool river, rest in a tree’s benevolent shade, stroke velvety green moss, smell ozone freshness at the coast, crunch through frosty grass, listen to morning birdsong, taste a last autumn apple. Small pauses in quotidian life may be devoted to living slower, using every sense, and sharing our pleasure through poetry. Simple gifts.
Each week for the next few weeks there will be a photographic prompt on the theme of ‘Finding peace and contemplation. . .’ with images capturing moments when we might seek inspiration if the going gets tough. I look forward to reading your personal response to the moments you’ve discovered.
next week’s theme: in hidden corners Photo Four – window garden
A former garment factory in industrial inner-city Sydney, Australia has been transformed into a café for coffee and meals with friends. Wandering through back rooms of the old warehouse I came across a small side office, which was dimly lit and crammed with plants, pots, garden tools and quite a few spiderwebs. It seemed to be used as a potting room. I felt enclosed behind the multi-paned window and its profusion of greenery, but it was pleasant, not at all claustrophobic. Imagine if you were sitting here. How would you feel? Would you glance out? Slip cuttings into pots? Or daydream? Please send in your haiku inspired by this window or other hidden corners with a view.
The deadline is midnight Eastern Daylight Time, Saturday March 27, 2021.
Please use the Haiku Dialogue submission form below to enter one or two original unpublished haiku inspired by the week’s theme, and then press Submit to send your entry. (The Submit button will not be available until the Name, Email, and Place of Residence fields are filled in.) With your poem, please include any special formatting requirements & your name as you would like it to appear in the column. A few haiku will be selected for commentary each week. Please note that by submitting, you agree that your work may appear in the column – neither acknowledgment nor acceptance emails will be sent. All communication about the poems that are posted in the column will be added as blog comments.
below is Marietta’s commentary for Photo Three – island alley
Thank you all for responding so graciously and creatively to the prompt. What a wealth and variety of poems came in this week! You obviously enjoyed exploring many amazing hidden corners. For most writers it seems getting lost is a positive experience, freeing up your travel and leading to new sights, sounds, and experiences, including encounters with friendly locals and the joy of unexpected vistas. For others, there’s a slight sense of foreboding in losing one’s way, or in being in unfamiliar territory. Some poets wrote very personal haiku about roads taken, or not taken, in life. Others explored the depths of memory, and took us where those thoughts led. As good as a holiday for me, this week’s selection was a hard one as so many poems were heartfelt. My thanks to all, and thanks of course to Kathy, Lori and THF.
narrow alley—
a different smell
from the windowsMaria Teresa Sisti
Italy
This haiku draws me because of its immediacy and the way it conveys real, lived experience. How vivid memories are when they’re linked to our sense of smell! In my mind, places have distinctive smells, all interesting and unforgettable, like onion soup from a monastery window (many years ago I smelled this in the Capuchin Crypt in Rome). Here the poet is wandering back streets. It’s a warm day maybe close to lunchtime, and they’re feeling hungry. From windows flung wide, a new aroma drifts into the street. Is the smell unfamiliar, emphasising to the poet they are only travellers, not locals? Is it a familiar smell evoking a sudden sense of homesickness? Or does its very familiarity make the poet feel at home even in a strange town?
on the wrong alley
to the clinic
hollyhocksKeiko Izawa
Japan
So much in this poem remains unsaid and that is what makes it memorable. A wrong turn is taken on the way to a doctor’s surgery or health centre. Maybe the mind of the person who mistakes the route is distracted by worrying thoughts about possible test results or nervousness about a checkup they must have, so they become confused about which street to take. Taking this wrong alley, the person is surprised by flowers. Hollyhocks are an early summer or summer kigo in haiku poetry. They are tall, strong plants with a spike of beautiful, silk crêpe-textured flowers. They flourish in impoverished ground and will live longer if the ground is not treated at all. In some places, their leaves were thought to protect from natural disasters. The juxtaposition seems to convey a sense of optimism and hope. Taking this ‛wrong’ route may not be a mistake after all, but a deliberate choice stemming from a desire to see the hollyhocks and be cheered and reassured by their resilience. The haiku is open-ended, leaving the reader to wonder.
dead end
the way back looks
differentRehn Kovacic
Mesa, AZ
A spare haiku which uses only seven words to express a great deal. It’s a common experience to have to retrace your steps whether you’re hiking in the country or walking round an unfamiliar city, only to find you don’t recognise any of the features or landmarks you thought you recalled. Things have a disconcerting way of looking different from other angles and in changing light. While that’s my literal reading, the poem may not be referring to the physical world. The haiku could be about a different kind of journey that’s also going nowhere, one that involves choices at work or in one’s personal life. Again, it’s possible to try to go back from life’s dead ends to the place where you started, but the road back is not the same at all, and may be unrecognisable. Or it could even be a journey through the poet’s mind. Although overt metaphor or allegory is not used much in haiku, in this instance it’s perhaps up to the reader. A haiku that is open to various interpretations.
a refugee resting
inside his chalk drawing—
cobblestone street
Arvinder Kaur
Chandigarh, India
The two-line phrase of L1 and L2 is a very powerful image of someone who is trapped by circumstance. A man is creating a large chalk street drawing, big enough for him to be resting not ‛beside’ but ‛inside’. We can speculate about what the drawing looks like, but we can’t know. It could be circular like a mandala, or rectangular. Whatever the drawing is, the reader immediately sees a disturbing picture of a refugee somehow enclosed by what he creates. While he may have fled from famine or to free himself from a repressive régime, he now tries to make a living from his street art. He may be constrained by poverty and his drawings are the only way he can provide for his family. Tired from drawing, he takes a break and rests inside his work to ensure no one walks on or defaces it. He will stay there until night comes and there are no more passersby with a few coins to give. It’s possible that another choice of juxtaposition could have created a different resonance, but the poet has allowed L1 and L2 to carry the poem.
below are the rest of the selections:
entrance path
through a maze of wild roses
lost in memoriesTsanka Shishkova
Bulgaria
lemon tree getting lost in her favorite song
Deborah Karl-Brandt
Bonn, Germany
cityscape
just off main street
birdsongStephen A. Peters
Bellingham, Wa. USA
echoes of giggles
in hidden corners . . .
kanyadaan(Kanyadaan: giving away the bride in marriage to the groom)
Lakshmi Iyer
India
unmapped road—
I wait for myself
on the other sideTeji Sethi
India
lost in a foreign city
we come across
a ghost signOlivier Schopfer
Switzerland
island alley
between the cobblestones
white sand liliesTsanka Shishkova
Bulgaria
precipitous steps
they take off
the blindfoldAlice Wanderer
Australia
off the map
the kindest strangers
living thereDana Rapisardi
United States
lover’s holiday
with any luck
getting a little lostBryan Rickert
Belleville, Illinois USA
how azure—
island sea
from the tea houseTeiichi Suzuki
Japan
star gazing
I find a cat family
on my roofRajeshwari Srinivasan
India
Naxos . . .
wherever you go
there you areMichael Henry Lee
Saint Augustine FL
imposter syndrome
she wanders the corridors
of her husband’s homeJohn Hawkhead
United Kingdom
emptied purse
searching for a long lost
earringPat Davis
Pembroke, NH USA
alleyways of Casbah—
behind each door
a historical story(The Casbah is the citadel of Algiers in Algeria and the traditional quarter clustered around it. In 1992, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed Kasbah of Algiers a World Cultural Heritage site. Casbah is well-known with its very narrow alleys.)
Hassane Zemmouri
Algiers, Algeria
back alleys . . .
I look for
my childhoodSurashree Joshi
Pune, India
liquor store—
a crooked Help Wanted sign
in the windowDan Campbell
Virginia
alley cat
the darkness
of the curving streetShalini Pattabiraman
United Kingdom
lost in paradise
every narrow street
widens my smileTracy Davidson
Warwickshire, UK
odyssey—
in no rush to leave
life’s labyrinthDorothy Burrows
United Kingdom
cats
the silence
of alleysDaniela Misso
Italy
totally lost
somewhere in Tokyo—
this strange freedomMark Meyer
Mercer Island, WA USA
island alley
each door the same
ocean’s blueAnn K. Schwader
Westminster, CO
the sound of dreams
in a long alleyway
cobblestonesKanjini Devi
empty landing
the steps on the staircase
worn smoothPippa Phillips
United States
that decision
not to take the other path
I lose myselfPeggy Hale Bilbro
Huntsville, Alabama
deserted alley
at almost every turn
a creep(er)Vandana Parashar
India
city of caves
finding myself
in a trip to jerusalemsimonj UK
tourist season
the cab driver takes us
for a rideMinal Sarosh
Ahmedabad, India
flower path—
hidden in my pocket
your love letterNicole Pottier
France
each pause
to catch my breath
a new landmarkAnjali Warhadpande
Pune, India
dead-ends—
from under every flowered vault
the open seaMirela Brăilean
Romania
pink petals
on the grave—
I remember her voiceMargaret Mahony
Australia
first labyrinth
the exciting twists and turns
of her daughter’s birthLaurie Greer
Washington, DC
Sicily
my garden of orange blossoms
so far awayNazarena Rampini
Italy
just married—
blossoming trees
celebratingAljoša Vuković
Hrvatska
street juggler—
applause
hangs in the airNick T
UK
back lane
not in my map
violin from the windowMeera Rehm
UK
out of sight—
at the end of the spiral steps
The Wall of I Love You(Butte Montmartre / Paris/France
‛I love you’ translated into all languages)Joubert-Gaillard Anne-Marie
France
abandoned pink beetle . . .
through the fenders
fireweedIngrid Baluchi
Ohrid, North Macedonia
a river curves . . .
red hibiscus
on a mud shrinePriti Aisola
Hyderabad, India
at the end
of a cobbled alley
mom’s callHifsa Ashraf
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
just there
beneath the overhang
a tiny toadEdna Beers
USA
rushing breathlessly
along the alleys
a tarantellaLuisa Santoro
Rome, Italy
bluer
through umbrella pines
the ocean breezeOrense Nicod
Paris, France
meeting
the
serpentine
pathway
leads
me
straight
to
youMarisa Fazio
Australia
Alzheimer’s. . .
I lead my neighbor
back to her homeCarole MacRury
Point Roberts, WA USA
losing my way . . .
down every path
a wilder bloomingMark Miller
Australia
retirement
all the roads
not taken beforeMadhuri Pillai
Australia
lost in memories . . .
bougainvillea flower
entangled in the curlsElisa Allo
Switzerland
unmapped alley
not taking it
too seriouslyTim Cremin
Massachusetts
dead end
of a city alleyway
a prostitute beckonsAdjei Agyei-Baah
Kumasi, Ghana
between the shoulders
of seaside cottages . . .
postcard view . . .Michele L. Harvey
Hamilton, NY USA
cooling the gap
between fences
rose thorn budRoberta Beary
County Mayo, Ireland
losing the tourist map
I discover
the townHelen Ogden
Pacific Grove, CA
cul-de-sac
back against the X-ray
we’ll find another waySandra St-Laurent
Whitehorse (Yukon) Canada
waiting for
the roadside assistance,
I listen to the windMaria Teresa Piras
Italy
hidden passageway
stopping for tea
flood of memoriesKathleen Mazurowski
Chicago, IL
long meander
on Canyon Road we wind up
in Shangri-laKath Abela Wilson
United States
through the gates
another family member
reading headstonesMargaret Walker
Lincoln, NE, USA
plantation
the path away
from the shacksLorraine Padden
San Diego, California
Oahu afternoon
we stroll down an empty beach
lost now foundPris Campbell
USA
aroma of ma’s baklava
from the alley
childhood treasureMelanie Vance
USA
the balance
of yin with yang
apple blossomsValentina Ranaldi-Adams
Fairlawn, Ohio USA
old cathedral
I lose myself
in the labyrinthMaya Daneva
Netherlands
last pigeon hole
on the right
our checkbookPaul Geiger
Sebastopol CA
in the woods
no bars
only the mossSusan Farner
United States
bougainvillea
I lose myself
in the wordBarrie Levine
Wenham MA
vine alley
entwining history and
a slant of sunCarole Harrison
Jamberoo, Australia
lost in the alley—
we chance upon
a wishing well!Sushama Kapur
India
we get lost looking
for the hole-in-the-wall
early budsJohn Green
Bellingham, WA
Grecian yearn—
never in
the pictureP. H. Fischer
Vancouver, Canada
a wrong turn
in the trail
hidden waterfallDeborah P Kolodji
Temple City, California
even though
I know I am lost
bougainvilleaSusan Rogers, Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles
Guest editor Marietta McGregor is a fourth-generation Tasmanian who has made her home between Australia’s national capital Canberra and the scenic south coast of New South Wales for over four decades. A lover of the natural world since childhood, she went on to study botany and zoology, and has worked as palynologist, garden designer, science journalist, editor, university tutor, education manager, and grants developer for the national wildlife collection. A photography and travel enthusiast since retiring, she enjoys capturing fine detail of fleeting moments. She came late to haiku, which appealed for its close observation and poetic expression of ephemeral experience. Her haiku, haibun and haiga have been widely published, have won awards and appear in anthologies.
Lori Zajkowski is the Post Manager for Haiku Dialogue. A novice haiku poet, she lives in New York City.
Managing Editor Katherine Munro lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and publishes under the name kjmunro. She is Membership Secretary for Haiku Canada, and her debut poetry collection is contractions (Red Moon Press, 2019). Find her at: kjmunro1560.wordpress.com.
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Please note that all poems & images appearing in Haiku Dialogue may not be used elsewhere without express permission – copyright is retained by the creators. Please see our Copyright Policies.
This Post Has 15 Comments
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Thank you very much Marietta for including my haiku. This has been a challenging week and I am just looking at the comments now. I am also very grateful for the encouraging words from Peggy and Dorothy, Simon and Pippa.
You have all given me a boost of bright energy!
I was also brightened by all of the haiku this week including
a wrong turn
in the trail
hidden waterfall
..Deborah P Kolodji
on the wrong alley
to the clinic
holly hocks
…Keiko Izawa
and
cats
the silence
of alleys
…Daniela Misso
All wonderful
Beautiful collection of intriguing poems! Kudos to Marietta for your choices, and kudos to all the poets for inspiring work.
Here are just a few of the many stellar poems that spoke directly to me:
even though
I know I am lost
bougainvillea
Susan Rogers, Los Angeles, CA
The poet readjusts her vision to find beauty along her unexpected route.
….
through the gates
another family member
reading headstones
Margaret Walker
Lincoln, NE, USA
How many times have I been in a cemetery reading names and dates on moss covered tombstones, wondering about the lives that led to that spot.
,,,
between the shoulders
of seaside cottages . . .
postcard view . . .
Michele L. Harvey
Hamilton, NY USA
I just love the image here, with the unexpected use of “shoulders” of the cottages!
…
Alzheimer’s. . .
I lead my neighbor
back to her home
Carole MacRury
Point Roberts, WA USA
So poignant! I’ve done this for my neighbor’s mother. We all watched out for her meanderings.
…
narrow alley—
a different smell
from the windows
Maria Teresa Sisti
Italy
And finally, this evocative poem that brings back memories of wandering through Mexican and Italian villages.
Congratulations to all the authors! A beautiful selection, with a beautiful image interpreted in different ways. Thanks to Marietta for the image and the comments and also to Kj and Lori for the administration of the column
Congratulations to all this week’s poets! Reading this week’s column was a joyful and sun-filled experience. Thank you to everyone and a special thanks to Marietta for yet another enjoyable challenge and also to Kj and Lori for the administration.
From such a wonderful selection, two I particularly enjoyed were…
bougainvillea
I lose myself
in the word
Barrie Levine
Wenham MA
Fabulous! Bougainvillea is such a wonderfully musical word to say out loud .
even though
I know I am lost
bougainvillea
Susan Rogers, Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles
The poem succinctly captures the beauty of the flower and also those unexpected moments that can suddenly light up a day. Wonderful!
I look forward to reading next week’s selection.
even though
I know I am lost
bougainvillea
Susan Rogers, Los Angeles, CA
A nice contrast between the frightening and comforting familarty.
Euphony and musical scansion complete the pleasantness.
What a lovely collection of haiku! I enjoyed them very much, and of course was inspired to write a few of my own…Thank you to all the poets!
retirement
all the roads
not taken before
.
Madhuri Pillai
Australia
.
Retirement is a time of reflection on the past and on the future. This haiku can be read in a positive way since now there is time to take those roads. It also can be read in a negative way since there is no time now to take those roads. The interpretation is up to the reader.
Beautiful selection, Marietta
And such an extraordinary list of poems showing us the myriad ways the image resonated with the poets. A lovely read.
Carole
This series of poems left me feeling uplifted — and that is a strange sensation after a dark winter. Thank you editors for devising the prompt and curating a brilliant selection.
a wrong turn
in the trail
hidden waterfall
.
Deborah P Kolodji
Temple City, California
.
I would like to make a wrong turn and find a waterfall – nicely written ku.
What a wonderful selection of haiku! Reading through them took me on the journey I am unable to take in person during these times. Having visited Naxos a few years ago, I was especially transported back by:
Naxos…
wherever you go
there you are
and
island alley
each door the same
ocean blue
Many thanks to Kj and Lori for the administration and to Marietta for a great prompt and for including one of my poems. Congratulations to all other haijins for amazing takes on the prompt. I look forward to each weekly session! 🙂
Thanks so much for selecting one of mine, Haiku Dialogue team!
Some that I love:
lemon tree getting lost in her favorite song
Deborah Karl-Brandt
Bonn, Germany
unmapped road—
I wait for myself
on the other side
Teji Sethi
India
back alleys . . .
I look for
my childhood
Surashree Joshi
Pune, India
bluer
through umbrella pines
the ocean breeze
Orense Nicod
Paris, France
old cathedral
I lose myself
in the labyrinth
Maya Daneva
Netherlands
even though
I know I am lost
bougainvillea
Lovely work, all…
Thank you Pippa
The bougainvillea one was mine!
So happy you enjoyed!
Marietta, thank-you for picking one of mine for publication. Thank-you also to Kathy, Lori, and all the others at the Haiku Foundation for their efforts. Congrats to all the poets.