The Japanese poetry form of haiku (three line poetry with 5 syllables on the first line, 7 syllables on the second line, and 5 syllables again on the third line) has taken me over this year!

Since I randomly decided to start writing these poems this January (after my dear and beautiful sister Iris suggested I try creating different art when the energy to work on my novel edits was not coming to me — Thank you patient, kind, and lovely editor Jordan! I promise to get you those pages some day hahaha!).

That day, I bought a new notebook and went to sit on the rocks near Sinagoga beach (an area I call Pebble Beach haha). As I looked out on the ocean, I thought of the cover of my first book, “Meditative Questions,” and the quote by the famous Japanese haiku master Bashō, whose words I selected to begin and end the content of that book.

Writing haiku at Pebble Beach in Sinagoga

In that next instant, I wrote the first haiku I’d written since grade school and more haiku just started flowing after that. Haiku is magical in that way :)

20 Jan 2020 haiku written in Sinagoga

All of that haiku writing led to my first book, “HAIKU to be free.” You can get this book *for free* by simply subscribing at zentaobooks.com! I did it this way so a coupon code and directions will be emailed to you after subscribing :)

I sat underneath a big tree in front of our town church, as it rained, to write some haiku. Half an hour later, I shared seven or eight haiku to use for school notebooks!

Underneath a tree in Ponta do Sol during the rain, dreaming up haiku :)

The beautiful design and colors, from a local artist, couldn’t be more perfect! And I hope the words will be a source of inspiration to all who read them.

Namasté.

love,