Background on the Poet

John E. Carley, translator, polyglot, creator of the zip form of haiku, renku master, author of “The Little Book of Yotsomunos” and “The Book of Renku,” was born and raised in an Irish Catholic family in the north of England in 1955. He lived in the Pennine Hills of northern England. Discovering poetry helped John to overcome dyslexia in his early years. A former musician, John developed a particular interest in the phonic properties of poetry and has written, performed, and published a wide range of material in English, Italian, French, and Piedmontese as well as literary translations from Urdu, Bangla, and, more recently, Japanese. John was inspired by working with William J. Higginson, as he always paid a great attention to minor detail. But the figure that made the biggest impression was without a doubt Nobuyuki Yuasa with his 1966 translation of The Narrow Road by Basho. In John’s eyes, Yuasa held the keys to the spirit of haikai.

In recent years, John’s radical analogue to Japanese teikei (the patterns of rhythm and sound used in poetry), nicknamed the ‘zip’ style, has earned both dismay and support amongst those specializing in Japanese verse forms in the English language. His love of linked verse saw him invent the four-verse yotsumono, and he celebrated the form with a collection written with several authors, in The Little Book of Yotsumonos (Darlington Richards, 2012). The same publisher is bringing out the hard-copy edition of The Renku Reckoner, John’s life work and taken from his website of the same name.

From 2004 through 2006, John Carley served as renku editor for the haikai journal Simply Haiku and has appeared frequently as an essayist for the World Haiku Review, The Journal of Renga and Renku, as well as in A Hundred Gourds, and other journals. His Renku Reckoner was considered to be the most viewed source of renku diagram and aesthetics in the English speaking world.

John has acted as a poem leader (sabaki) for more than a hundred renku sequences, many composed in more than one language. Several have been published in international venues and won awards, including First place in the 2013 Einbond competition.  John’s emphasis lied in that kind of collaborative linked verse composed after the style or in the school of Matsuo Basho—Shomon haikai renga—a distinction he strives to make perfectly clear.

John E. Carley died on New Year’s Eve in 2013 after a four year battle with mesothelioma. He was a friend, a supporter, and a mentor to so many. The haiku community will be reaping the rewards of his kindness for a long time to come, and his support for renku made him a modern master of the form in English Language Haiku.

(From The Living Haiku Anthology, with a few edits)

Commentary

by the time I      reach the gate post

another leaf      has fallen

© John E. Carley (UK) (1955 – 2013)

This is a zip poem, which closely resembles haiku in form and content, though it is 15 syllables and contains one internal caesura represented by a double space. You can say the poem is divided into four parts. Let’s take a look at why the poet possibly divided the poem into these parts.

I think the first gap shows the time it took the poet to reach the gate—the elongation of time. The second gap demonstrates the moment of witnessing: him watching the leaf fall.

The meaning of the poem can be said to be many things. The poet, through his keen awareness, notices the decaying world around him, symbolized in the fallen leaf. It is not just decay, but the amount of it. The poem could be reminding readers that in each thing we do, there is loss, and that things around us are ceasing to exist. It is saying, in a sense, that we must weigh our construction in light of deconstruction.

The poem could also be about reaching one’s goals, and seeing loved ones pass away in the process.  Also, when he writes “another leaf,” we can start to think about the other leaves that fell. There could also be an implication that the poet is the other fallen leaf.

But I believe at the heart of the poem is an awareness of longing, and giving sacred time to view it—not ignoring it. 

The sound of the poem contributes to its reading. “by the time I      reach the gate” has a string of “eh” sounds, which bring out the starkness of the moment, and the “eh” sound continues with “another leaf      has fallen.” What’s also interesting is the pivot sound of “post” having a long “oo” sound, showing the length of time the leaf has fallen.

John E. Carley created haiku and poems that made us think of the greater potential of micropoetry. Through spacing, sound, and aesthetics that seemed new but linked with the past, he presented a fresh voice for the world.

– Nicholas Klacsanzky (Ukraine)

 

This is a review of Christina Sng’s book, “Catku,” from Allegra Press. To check out the book, and to purchase it, visit: http://www.allegrapress.net/

Though they say there are dog people and cat people, I believe that all of us see something special in cats: their individuality, their mysterious behavior, their love (given on their own accord), and much more.

Catku by Christina Sng is a celebration of and exposition into the lives we share with cats, and the inner lives of these felines through a mixture of light, meditative, and poignant haiku. There are standout haiku on every page, but the following are my favorite three from the book:

a world
of possibilities
kitten in a box

This points to several things: the possibilities of the power of innocence, the possibilities of the kitty tearing things up, and also imagining how the kitty will look in its future. Also, this haiku could be saying that our world is like a kitten in a box. It gives a lot for the reader to imagine and to ponder over. Notice also the great sense of sound with the use of “o” which gives the reader a strong sense of wonder.

meandering stream
our cat languorously
grooms herself

I love how the connection between the two parts of the haiku make one think if the stream is actually grooming its surroundings through its relaxed pace. People step on, spit on, and do whatever they like to Mother Earth, and the stream is in a sense cleaning and soothing the land. But on the other end, maybe it can be seen as the stream constantly purifying itself through its own movement. The sense of sound in this haiku is also intriguing, with a focus on “ea” in the first line, and “o” in the last two lines. The sound in the first line calls attention to the stream itself, and the sound in the last two lines lend to the slow pace of the stream.

white lilies
the empty pet bed
in the corner

Maybe the poet was sitting in her living room, and saw white lilies in her garden, and then turned to the white, empty pet bed in the room. White lilies commonly symbolize innocence and purity, and the empty pet bed gives a sharp contrast. This haiku implies that one of the poet’s pets died not long ago, and seeing the white lilies maybe brought back memories of her pet, in all its sweetness and emotional fullness. The haiku could also be a reflection of where the pet has gone in the afterlife, and that maybe there is a sense of hope in seeing the white lilies. Whatever the haiku brings to the mind of the reader, it has a clear mood that can be felt palpably.

My recommendation would be to read this book alone with your cat, sipping some tea. The haiku are quite striking, comedic, and at times rather emotional, so it is good to give yourself space to read it.

– Nicholas Klacsanzky (Ukraine)

the scent of acacia
carries it through the evening . . .
train whistle

© Margherita Petriccione (Italy)

The scent of acacia is sweet, and even candy-like. Acacia usually blossoms in early spring, and when one smells acacia, a sense of hope and renewal can be felt. Traditionally, this tree is found all over the world and especially in Australia. It has diverse mythological roots (playing an important role in both Egyptian and Judeo-Christian lore) and has been used as a source of medicine and incense. Acacia blossoms are also often associated with honor, resurrection, and immortality, and chaste or friendly affection.

The second line leaves a mystery for the reader—some suspense. The thought of the scent of acacia carrying something is intriguing in itself. The ellipsis is interesting in its use, as it shows the continuation of something being carried. The bright scent of acacia is contrasted by the evening and sets up the context for the third line.

The shrill sound of the train whistle is a sharp contrast with the scent of acacia. Train whistles can bring about many feelings: longing, nostalgia, a sense of distance, sadness, and more. With the mention of evening, I believe the train whistle represents more of a nostalgia or longing. What the nostalgia or longing is for is not presented in the haiku (which is good, as haiku writers like to leave mysteries for their readers), but one can guess that the poet misses someone deeply.

But by the scent of acacia carrying the train whistle (either physically through vibration, or metaphorically), there is a sense of renewal or even immortality of something or someone. This causes the haiku to be bittersweet in mood with the juxtaposition.

Looking at the haiku in terms of sound, the “s” sound runs through it strongly, which shows perhaps the wind and the scent of acacia passing because of it. Also, the “k” sound in “acacia” and “carries” brings more weight and starkness to the senses of the reader.

This haiku creates a poignant atmosphere that can be palpably felt. A sense of loss and renewal together, reading this haiku gives a real sense of life.

– Nicholas Klacsanzky (Ukraine)