Aug 27 2021
New Book: The Awakened One
I am so pleased to announce the latest publication from the Poetry Chaikhana:
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The Awakened One Buddha-Themed Haiku from Around the World Edited by Adjei Agyei-Baah and Gabriel Rosenstock $8.95 / £6.50 / €7.60 |
This new collection pairs contemporary haiku by poets from around the world with classical Japanese haiku.
heavenly mystery . . .
autumn leaves
descend on a stone buddha
– Imaizumi Sogetsu-ni (1750-1804)
sudden wind
the garden buddha’s head crowned
with cherry blossoms
rafale de vent
le bouddha du jardin couronne
de fleurs de cerisier
– Olivier Schopfer (Switzerland)
Modern haikuists from the UK, the US, Croatia, India, Nigeria and a dozen other countries converse via haiku with Japanese masters, like Basho, Issa and Buson, sharing moments of insight expressed in poetry of a single breath.
in a cloudy well
this one moon . . .
let us all adore it
– Tagami Kikusha-ni (1753–1826)
cherry blossoms
the morning moon mingles
with the petals
trešnja u cvatu
stopljen s laticama
jutarnji mjesec
– Tomislav Maretić (Croatia)
The Awakened One offers us a poetic dialog on the nature of awareness across culture and time.
many solemn nights
blond moon, we stand and marvel . . .
sleeping our noons away
– Matsunaga Teitoku (1571–1654)
hilltop buddha
moonlight in the emptiness
of his cupped hand
– Katherine Raine (New Zealand)
Poetry has helped me navigate through the past couple of years. Some poems bring me to silence, others give voice to my grief and anger. Some awaken pure delight, others remind me to flow with life. The Awakened One is a perfect collection for this time. Within these haiku we hear the voices of poets, men and women from all over the world contemplating a moment, a feeling, or the vast expanse, all within just a few lines. Reading them, there is a shared experience, a shared breath, a shared spark of awareness. Reading these haiku grounds us and reweaves us into the world community.
This is one to spend time with, keeping it nearby to read just a page or two at a time.
Your purchase of The Awakened One is an excellent way to support the Poetry Chaikhana. Remember to buy additional copies to send as gifts to friends and fellow poetry lovers. Copies can also be donated to schools, libraries and prisons – allowing haiku to work its healing alchemy in the world.
Have a beautiful, poetic day!
Ivan
PS – Although The Awakened One has just been published, it is already listed at #16 on Amazon’s best sellers in their Haiku & Japanese Poetry category! The longer that number remains high, the more awareness of the book will spread beyond the Poetry Chaikhana community.
Available through Amazon:
US – CAN – UK – FR – DE – IT – ES – AUS
Available soon through other online outlets, like Barnes & Noble, Wordery and The Book Depository.
Also available through your local bookstore by request.
Dear Ivan,
The Awakened One sounds like a great book. Thank you for the publication! I have a request to make. I am a visually impaired person. Could you also make the book available as an audio book on Audibles? Then I can listen to it just as those other readers who may savour the book page by page by reading it whenever they wish.
Hoping to hear from you,
Aravinda, from India
Dear Aravinda,
Creating audio versions of the Poetry Chaikhana publications is something I have considered. There is a lot I need investigate still. I don’t yet know if it is practical for a small publisher, but I would love to be able to share this poetry in an audio form. I will make a public announcement on the Poetry Chaikhana list if and when we have audio versions. Thank you for your suggestion!
Ivan
Hi Ivan,
I love your statement
“Poetry has helped me navigate through the past couple of years. Some poems bring me to silence, others give voice to my grief and anger. Some awaken pure delight, others remind me to flow with life.”
Yes, me too.
Buddha myth
‘awaken pure delight’
still keep smiling at us…
Have smiling haiku days with the travelling of the book!
Anna
Hello Ivan,
I am waiting to see our collection – so thrilled to be in it. If ever you decide for audio, I shll be standing first in line – as a poet, singer and performer I would be thrilled. Wishing everyone ‘pure delight’ with this anthology!
Ursula