Initial Response

InitialResponseAn A–Z of haiku moments

by

Maeve O’Sullivan

Alba Publishing

Published by Alba Publishing, P O Box 266, Uxbridge UB9 5NX, United Kingdom www.albapublishing.com

© 2011 Maeve O’SullivanAll rights reservedNo part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by anyform or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without theprior written permission of the copyright owners.

A catalogue record for this book is available fromthe British Library

ISBN-10: 0-9551254-3-XISBN-13: 978-0-9551254-3-0

Edited, designed and typeset by Kim RichardsonCover image and drawings by John ParsonsPrinted by Cahill Printers Ltd, Dublin, Ireland

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ContentsACKNOWLEDMENTS 8

A: AUTUMN 10

B: BIRDS & BLOSSOMS 12

C: CHILDREN 14

D: DEARLY DEPARTED 16

E: EATING 18

F: FATHER’S DEATH DAY 20

G: GRADUATIONS 22

H: HALF A YEAR OF MOONS 24

I: I LUV SPAIN 26

J: J’AIME PARIS 28

K: KERRY 30

L: LOOSE HAIKU 32

M: MUSIC 34

N: NURSING HOME 36

O: ON THE BEACH 38

P: POSTCARDS FROM HOLLYWOOD 40

Q: QUO VADIS? 42

R: RAIN 44

S: SPRING & SUMMER 46

T: TUNISIA 50

U: UNTIL DEATH DO US PART 52

V: VENICE, TRIESTE & ROME 54

W: WINTER 56

X: XMAS & NEW YEAR 58

Y: A YEW TREE AT BOUZINCOURT 60

Z: ZEN / MEDITATION 62

BIOGRAPHIES 64

In memory of my father,Maurice O’Sullivan, 1924-2010

8

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

AcknowledgementsGrateful acknowledgement is due to the editors andpublishers of the following journals in which most ofthe haiku in this book, or versions of them, firstappeared: Blithe Spirit, Journal of the British HaikuSociety (UK); Brittle Star (UK); InCognito, IrishLiterary Journal (Ireland); Haiku Ireland, Ireland’sInternational Journal of Haiku (Ireland); (Haiku)Presence (UK); The Stinging Fly (Ireland); The StonyThursday Book 2010 (Ireland).

Anthologies‘after meditation class’ was published in Path, the 2003

BHS Members’ Anthology.‘another cork pops’ was published in Light, the 2006

British Haiku Society Members’ Anthology.‘Basque flower market’ appears in seed packets: an

anthology of flower haiku (bottle rockets press, 2010,US).

‘emerging through’ was published in Earth, the 2009British Haiku Society Members’ Anthology.

‘her bony back’ is published in evolution: The RedMoon Anthology of English-Language Haiku 2010(Red Moon Press, 2011, US).

‘summer wedding’ was published in Celebration, the2010 British Haiku Society Members’ Anthology.

‘third journey’ was published as the opening verse(‘hokku’) of the renku*, The Labyrinth’s Core, in theVol. 5, No. 4 (December 2007) issue of the SimplyHaiku website, www.simplyhaiku.com.

9

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

‘whistling in the rain’ was published in Storm, the 2007British Haiku Society Members’ Anthology.

Some haiku in the ‘Xmas & New Year’ sequence appearin Census, the Second Seven Towers Anthology (SevenTowers Agency, 2009, Ireland).

*The renku (linked chain of verses) was composed inJuly 2007 as part of the summer workshop Writingfrom Within: Haiku and the Spiritual Path, led byMaeve O'Sullivan and Kim Richardson at the AnamCara Writers’ and Artists’ Retreat in Beara in WestCork, Ireland.

Awards‘around the corner’ was commended in the first

International Haiku Contest of the Bulgarian HaikuClub, Haiku and Music (2006).

‘her bony back’ won first place in the Haiku IrelandKukai No. 20 (online members’ competition) inSpring 2010.

‘I blow raspberries’ won the Haiku Museum ofLiterature Award for Vol. 20 No. 4 of Blithe Spirit(December 2010, UK).

Note: 50% of the profits from this book will go to thecharity Rokpa UK towards projects in Tibetan areas ofChina.

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AUTUMN

10

AUTUMN

riverside woodlandautumn leaves restingon a dry waterfall

childhood swinglong gone from here—wild mushrooms

leaving Bull Island...the plaintive cryof unseen sandpipers

September sunriseseagulls strollingacross the empty pitch

by the stone crucifixbursting with red berries—cotoneaster

nothing leftof yesterday’s blackberriesthis invisible thorn

1312

BIRDS & BLOSSOMS BIRDS & BLOSSOMS

snowdrop bulbsa seagull wheels overheadsends out a long cry

busy afternoona glance outsidemagnolia flowering

hard to tellthe blossom from the butterflythis May afternoon

prize-winning poem—wagtails move in low arcstowards the podium

waxing moon—flying across the waterfalllone magpie

cornflowersin this wild gardentwo city eyes

15

CHILDREN CHILDREN

14

six months pregnantshe sizes up the new pramswith disbelief

I blow raspberriesinto your tiny palm—sleepy nephew

twins’ birthday partytheir mother gives herhalf a hug

photo of his son—he brushes a speck of dustoff the left cheekbone

a young girlsmoothes her mother's hair backoutpatients

my friend’s eight-year-oldasks me quietlyif I have children

17

DEARLY DEPARTED DEARLY DEPARTED

16

old man coughingnewspaper open beside him—death notices

news of her death—stepping asideto let the buggy pass

applause for the deceasedlastingfrom the altar to the church door

thunderous applauseand a standing ovationfor the dead showman

suicide burialrobin song getting louderas he’s laid to rest

he poseson his burial plotchats about his ‘neighbour’

19

EATING EATING

18

at the salad barone man, one womanapple on the side, untouched

conversationinterrupted, a plate smashing—asparagus tips

one hundred degreesice-cold lemonadewarm banana bread

Pancake Tuesdaydrips of honeyon the restaurant review

silent meal...we drink our wineat the same rate

coffees after lunchhe picks outa heart-shaped chocolate

21

FATHER’S DEATH DAY

20

FATHER’S DEATH DAY

father's death dayafter hours of phone callssoft November rain

one sixth of his weightsnugon my left shoulder

a week since his deathshaking the heavy duvetinto its cover

graduation nightwiping the dirt from his graveoff my good black boots

after five weeksof condolences—first Christmas card

midnight arrives...ringing in the firstfatherless year

2322

GRADUATION

fully-fledged robinadmiring his reflection—graduation day

graduation night:short skirts, high heelsthe sound of sirens

visiting graduateshesitateto enter the staffroom

25

HALF A YEAR OF MOONS

24

HALF A YEAR OF MOONS

pink moon hiding—a police helicoptershines its searchlight

blossom moon...baking breadfor tomorrow’s goodbye

after the barbequestrawberry moonover Dublin Bay

Note: In North American Indian folklore, the full moon of eachmonth is given a name.

coastal road trip:heading southtowards the straw moon

last nightof our retreat...corn moon-viewing

harvest moon—finding the house keyI no longer use

27

I LUV SPAIN

26

I LUV SPAIN

cathedral marketsmells of incense and leather—I buy a choker

Basque flower marketan orange hibiscustrumpets its presence

waiting for the bus...several stemfulsof cherry heaven

on the back of this cointhe famous cathedralI visited today

full moon, fiestadancing on the beach—shadows of palm trees

back by the Liffeyshells from Chipiona strandjangle in my bag

29

J’AIME PARIS

28

J’AIME PARIS

plane to ParisI search for the seat belt,find a toy soldier

the water is stilla boy watches—did someone turn the fountain off?

October sunshinethe guitar player rests—Pont des Arts

gallery visitorsphotograph the paintingswithout looking

airport buildingbesieged by hailstones—Bastille Day

on my return homea sunflower:just like the one in the Metro

31

KERRY

30

KERRY

something movinguphill through the bluebells:cotton-tail

two thousand acresof Lough Currane—mosquitos on the windscreen

castle rampartsbird’s eye viewof swallows wind-reaping

over the nettlesthe white butterflyyour cat loves to punch

August sunshinewigwams of turf sods—final cut

sandpipers grazethen take off as one...South Kerry sunset

33

LOOSE HAIKU

32

LOOSE HAIKU

Sunday morningradio voices chatteringa tulip petal falls…

stained-glass ceilingwobblingin my coffee cup

following methe matchmaker’s eyesin the photograph

a giant beeflies by the old manembroidering…

wonderingwhat it was all week:hornbeam tree

at the pier’s endan upturned bellthe silent foghorn

35

MUSIC

34

MUSIC

solo banjosilencing the sessionwith a new tune

midway through the lamentopening my eyesto see hers closed

temporarilyoff-duty, the conductorswaying to a jig

youth orchestraringless fingersrendering Rossini

around the cornerfrom the Dvorak Museuma drummer practising

flute notes evokingI Am SleepingDo Not Wake Me

37

NURSING HOME

36

NURSING HOME

a single strand of tinselwrapped around her bedrail:Christmas Eve

slowly she peelsthe easy-peel orange—afternoon visit

her bony backagainst my palm—Mother’s Day

rain-filled Mondaynursing home residentssing Que Será, Será

once again coveringmy Mum’s hand with his—this stranger

a difficult visither wheelchair tyresdeflated

39

ON THE BEACH

38

ON THE BEACH

Barbie at the beachminiature ghetto-blastersilent beside her

a handsome couplejumping over the waves—their naked daughter

a rescue helicopterwhirring overhead—jellyfish on the sand

three horses sea-swimmingspotted just as the film runs out

Ballyheigue beacha small group circlesthe dead dolphin

sinking August sunon Inch Strandlast ice-cream

41

POSTCARDS FROM HOLLYWOOD

40

POSTCARDS FROM HOLLYWOOD

photograph"how did you meet your friend?"fingerprints

waftingthrough the kitchen screen door—smell of a skunk

drying the pinka small fan at my feet:nail station

Japanese Gardena strong sweet scent—we search for the flower

Cha Cha Loungeslumped over the counter—the bartender

open-air screeningwe pause the movie—coyotes howl

43

QUO VADIS

42

QUO VADIS?

rush hour traffica boy on the busreading On The Road

almost-collisionbus driver brakes just in time—passengers applaud

approaching the bus stopour hoods go uptheir umbrellas down

Good Fridaythe rustle of newspaperson the train journey south

platform—is that my manin the spring sun?

summer night breezeeven the trainshave gone to bed

4544

RAIN

between orange skyand diagonal rainmy friend the heron

whistling in the rainthe cyclist too iswhistling in the rain

her umbrella blowsinside out again—mother laughing

47

SPRING

46

SPRING

emerging througha gravelled gardendaffodil shoot

a twig skiddingacross the pond’s surface—February afternoon

gorse flowerscutting through their sweet smellbirdsong

behind the willow curtainthe pen builds her nesttwig by twig

birdsongpunctuated by dialogue—ewes and lambs

long ladder leaningagainst a fruitless tree—spring sunshine

49

SUMMER

48

SUMMER

first raina red blush appearson the strawberry

third journeyto the labyrinth’s core—the sun breaks through

dodging cloudsand Manhattan skyscrapers –June blue moon

late afternoon sunmy voice, my parents’ voicessinging Summertime

a pausein the discussion—soft summer rain

late summer sunshinefiltering throughthe heart-shaped bower

51

TUNISIA

50

TUNISIA

at the wadibridge half-built by Germansa toy car rolls down the bus

Sahara sunsetthe dromedaries’ shadows,legs even longer

fossils packed inso closely togetherwhere does shell end & rock start?

a tiny brown frogleaps from the spring poolback into camouflage

Holy City markethawkers ignorethe call to prayer

last leg of the journeya young camel waitsoutside the slaughterhouse

53

UNTIL DEATH US DO PART

52

UNTIL DEATH US DO PART

drying the champagne glassesI smile againat the good news

we place the golden beadscarefullyonto her sister’s wedding cake

another cork pops—between us and the townred-windowed river boats

summer weddingwomen in cowboy hatsline-dancing to a jig

Chinese restaurantthe bride throws her bouquetwe collect our order

playing guitarfirst time since the weddingfingernails grown already

55

VENICE, TRIESTE & ROME

54

VENICE, TRIESTE & ROME

I tell him I’m alone:the look of horroron the gondolier’s face

tall sea pine,please don’t dropyour cones on me!

summer afternoonsun on the Adriaticthis wartime bunker

piazza-hoppingchurch-crawlingI stumble into a Mass

a bin truckblocking my view of St. Peter’s—rosary beads up front

this morning’s raindrained offinside the Pantheon

57

WINTER

56

WINTER

November morningthe rainbow follows meall the way to work

slowly fillingblack pepper grinder...first snow

love alluntrammelled snowthese tennis courts

pedestrian lightsa girl in pink hat and shoesdances herself warm

frosted brancheswe zoom inon the singing robin

hoarfrost melting—dropletson the dead badger’s fur

59

XMAS & NEW YEAR

58

XMAS & NEW YEAR

filling the housewith Silent Night:uileann pipes

left inside the rooma party-goer's coat—this freezing night!

Christmas Eve nightan empty taxi rank—biting wind

New Year's Evehot wax from the old candlehardens in the bath water

just you & Iwind & bogthis New Year’s Eve

midnight passes...quietly, not embracingwe stand together

61

A YEW TREE IN BOUZINCOURT

60

A YEW TREE IN BOUZINCOURT

(‘REV D. V. O'SULLIVAN, CHAPLAIN TO THE FORCES',killed giving last rites, July 1916)

under the yew treeby the large crucifix:my great-uncle

on his graveroses in bloomlike in the old war song

just five daysafter his anniversarysoft rain falling

over the walla dozen rowsof soldiers’ graves

a white butterflyflits from stone to stonebirdsong

on the way homewe cross the wide Sommeslowly moving

63

ZEN / MEDITATION

62

ZEN / MEDITATION

yoga movementchimney pots coming into viewdisappearing…

after meditation classnot recognisingmy new black shoes

she stops readingthe question inside my headdisappears

trying to meditatea young man sits beside mecracks open a beer

the leaning treefalleninto its own reflection

after evening practicethe wishing mantraa thunderclap

64

MAEVE O’SULLIVAN

Maeve O’Sullivan works as a lecturer in Media in FurtherEducation in Dublin city. She haspublished her poems and haikuwidely since the mid-1990s, and isa former poetry winner at ListowelWriter’s Week.

Maeve has led workshops inhaiku poetry for adults and children since 2000. She is afounder of Haiku Ireland, and also a member of theBritish Haiku Society, the Poetry Divas and theHibernian Poetry Workshop.

Double Rainbow, a collection of haiku co-authoredwith Kim Richardson, was published in 2005 by AlbaPublishing. Initial Response is Maeve’s first individualcollection.

JOHN PARSONS

John Parsons studied painting and printmaking atHornsey School of Art 1959-62, taught printmaking atSt Martins School of Art and life drawing at other majorart schools. He has painted and sculpted all his life andexhibited widely.

John also writes haiku and related forms and has published these widely. He is also a member of theBritish Haiku Society.

BIOGRAPHIES