In Garden Haiku, the author successfully blends three elements: Asian philosophy, the haiku form, and parenting advice. “Moderation” is an example of one of the best pieces in the collection. As the subtitle of the book indicates, there is great wisdom to be found in these poems based on Asian philosophies. The author manages to convey this wisdom in haikus like the above, while also paying care to the demands of language. The repetition of similarly structured lines (line 2 and 3 above) is a wise strategy that works effectively in “moderation.” Within just three lines, an effective and engaging rhythm is established.

In the poem “Lion,” which is from a series of poems named after animals, a similar structure is employed: the first line introduces the poem’s main idea, and that is followed by two similarly structured lines that give the poem both momentum and rhythm and bring it to a satisfying conclusion:

10. Lion

Bring the best in children–

Tame not the lion that rules the king

Ground not the eagle that soars the sky

While the two poems above speak directly to parenting, there are other equally effective poems in the collection iwth advice that can be applied to all aspects of life. The poem “stone” is an example.

6.

Stone

Disappointment is a heavy stone–

When a mistake is made,

Correct it; do not carry it

While the author writes specifically to parents, even those without children can believe in this philosophy for living one’s life. In this way, the book can be a good read to anyone, not just parents.

One of my favorite haikus in the book is “Lighthouse,” which follows in its entirety:

22.

Lighthouse

A child is a lighthouse, full of love–

To get to it,

Paddle with patience

As with all the poems in the collection, the simple language speaks to everyone without excluding anyone; also there is nothing at all offensive in languages or content about these poems — they can be read by a general audience, by children as well as adult. The writing here is always competent, and the best poems are effective. The author has studied and reworked the haiku form, and she has an interesting voice. Garden Haiku is a uniquely entertaining and originally written book in a distinctive format.

Rating: 5 / 5