Launching the 2018 International Women’s Haiku Festival are two gorgeous haiku by Canadian poet Debbie Strange.
Taken together, these two poems convey volumes about women’s experience. In “sisterless . . .” the special relationship that only sisters can share is viewed from the vantage point of its utter lack, and illustrated with the heartrending image of a star falling into permanent darkness in a lake.
“African violets” is a compassionate take on the parts of our lives that we may prefer to leave in the relative safety and comfort of the vagueness of the past. Likening the “fuzzy details” of the past to bold and beautiful (and, yes, fuzzy) African violets acknowledges that even the shadows of one’s past are still, in their own unique ways, beautiful and brilliant.
sisterless . . .
another star falls
into the lake
***
African violets
the fuzzy details
of my past
Debbie Strange (Canada) is an internationally published short form poet, haiga artist and photographer whose creative passions bring her closer to the world and to herself. She is the author of Warp and Weft: Tanka Threads (Keibooks 2015) and the haiku chapbook A Year Unfolding (Folded Word 2017). You are invited to visit her publication archive at http://debbiemstrange.blogspot.ca/.
jenniferhambrick.com 
Great! I will enjoy this once I’ve got through the snow blizzard outside the cafe where I’ve been working on a very special piece. 😉
warm and snowy regards,
Alan
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Thanks so much, Alan. I hope you enjoy!
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Got back, on foot, through a thoroughly enjoyable blizzard, to catch Debbie Strange’s two haiku. Ah, sisterless, that must be awful. I had one sister, and then discovered not so long ago I had a second one! Very cool!
Alan
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Nice start to the month, Jennifer. I love the fuzzy violet one especially. ~nan
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Thanks, Nancy. I hope you’ll keep following the festival.
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I love these. ‘sisterless’ is especially poignant.
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Thank you all for your kind comments, and special gratiude to you, Jennifer, for your sensitive interpretations of my work. I’m honoured to be included in this lovely festival of words!
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Thank you so much for your kind words, Debbie, and for submitting such lovely poems.
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oops – that should have been “gratitude” – more than the details of my past are fuzzy these days!
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