REVIEW OF RED PLANET DUST, By Deborah Kolodji

RED PLANET DUST
Speculative Haiku
by Deborah P. Kolodji
with sumi-e illustrations by Malcolm Deeley
ISBN 0-9776665-9-X
A Gromagon Press Book
P.O. Box 1717
Clearwater, Florida 33757

This collection of speculative haiku is like a fine diamond dust, highlighted by an occasional sumi-e gem. The first section of "Red Planet Dust" starts out in a delightful and intriguing tour of far distant time and space, then brings us home -- or is it home?

spent lilacs
the time warp
in her garden

Debbie's fine haiku sensibility is evident throughout, as in this one below, my favorite in the collection. It has a wonderful sumi-e illustration, too.

first blooms
being pregnant under
the twin moons

Later, we find ourselves chuckling at an alien with a very human failing -- or is it even a failing in her species?

improving the odds
she tilts her antennae
at the roulette wheel

The collection ends with a delightful poem that had a different intriguing implication each time I read it:

a good night's sleep
the monster in my closet
changes his image

And I look forward to Debbie's imagination, keen observation, and haiku writing skills surprising us with more new and delightful images in future books.

P.S. As I wrote in a previous review of a small press book, not only will buying this book nurture and stimulate your imagination, but it will support one of the small presses where stretching the boundaries of the poetic imagination is welcomed.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep dreaming,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blog: ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL.

ON BEING NEEDY/NEEDED (A Dream Poem)

[Ace of Cups in the Rider/Waite/Smith Tarot Deck]


ON BEING NEEDY/NEEDED
(dreamed, and subsequently written in February 2002)

She is merry as she offers me
a serving of her strawberry shortcake.
"I can give you the simple recipe
if you'd like," she adds.

Afraid I've taken too much from her
already, I walk with her to the door.

She is now only a head speaking
from the golden brown wooden floor.

I lean down but can barely
hear what she softly asserts:

"God told me to give as much
to others as they need."


* * * *

Thinking about this dream -- of which this poem is almost an exact transcript -- pulls me into an intense inner eddy. I wind around and around, exploring the issues of being needy, being needed, and then just where are the limits of helping another person. By the way, the "other" woman in this dream is an actual Minister I knew at the time of the dream.

Resource: Composing Poetry in Lucid Dreams, i.e, composing poetry within a dream one is aware of dreaming.

‘til next time, keep dreaming,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blog: ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL.

ON THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11 WORLD TRADE CENTER ATTACK

[Kuan Yin, Bodhisattva of Compassion,
prints available from KuanYin.net]

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD AND THE LIVING
In Memoriam September 11, 2001

By Elizabeth Cunningham
[used by permission]

Whenever we are brave
whenever we are kind
whenever we face ourselves
whenever we forgive
        the dead shall live
        the dead shall live

Whenever we join hands
whenever we pray
whenever we mourn
whenever our roots reach down
    to drink the living waters
        the dead shall live
        the dead shall live

Whenever we think clearly
whenever we act justly
whenever we sing
    though our hearts are breaking
whenever we make beauty
        the dead shall live
        the dead shall live

Then they will know
        the gift of their death is received
Then they will know
        the seed of their death bears good fruit
Then they will know
        they are not lost
Then they will know
        we are not lost.

And the dead shall live
        in us.
And the dead shall live
        in peace.

* * * *

You might also want to read the beautiful and touching poem in the first comment below to this post.

‘til next time, keep dreaming in peace,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blog: ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL.