Haiku

From ‘daffodils in the church garden’ to an ‘old oak crowned with fireflies’, a ‘flutter of bats’ to the ‘first sting of frost’, Reinbold’s haiku carry the reader on a journey through the seasons of the natural world and the seasons of our lives, effectively connecting past and future in those moments captured so delightfully in the present. A Slow Gathering of Light, as the title suggests, should be read unhurriedly. Sit with it and allow the moments of light to wash over you, captivate your senses and warm your spirit.

In its purest form, Haiku is a celebration of everything words can do. This is especially true in Joanne Reinbold’s enchanting collection, A Slow Gathering of Light – A Collection of Haiku. In this Japanese form, a single written character contains an entire concept, while our English versions require multiple words and syllables to build those same thoughts. No matter, because in Reinbold’s deft hands the form explodes from the page with apparent abandon, capturing in her spirited syllables the requisite beats of image, emotion, and always a surprise turn at the end – sometimes so exquisite that the reader wants to clap. Accompanied by equally thoughtful, sometimes playful, imagery by Justynn Tyme, this collection is a treat for the lover of words, the curious mind, and the delight of the eye.

Joanne Reinbold's poetry reflects her true nature in which she shares an insight of life through a collection of haiku reflecting life experiences in clear and well-chosen words which are excellent examples to the form and make this wonderful book worthy of adding to poets' haiku collection. Two of my favourites being 'in his eye' and 'a dozen bruises'.