| Oregon Haiku & Tanka Society |
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| Ann Newell, Mount Gassan's Slope: Haiku, Senryu, and Sumi-e Reviewed by David Grayson Mount Gassan�s Slope: Haiku, Senryu and Sumi-e, by Ann Newell. Translated into Japanese by Kenichi Sato (Winchester, Va.: Red Moon Press, 2002). 84 pages, 41 poems; 8" x 8"; lacquered color cover. ISBN: 1-893959-29-5. $14.95 from the publisher. Ann Newell�s new collection, Mount Gassan�s Slope, is named for the mountain Bash� visited on his famous journey through the north of Japan. Newell takes readers on a journey of her own, through daily living, the turn of seasons, the experience of aging, and more. The book is grouped into six chapters, starting with New Year: under the moon my little white pony crying out the new year Chapters for each other season follow, offering haiku with striking imagery: on the desert dried skull splits the moon ice in his water dish the dog gnaws on winter bones Alongside seasonal haiku, senryu offer both witty observations and circumspect wisdom: in the temple prone before Buddha my nose too long losing things day after day my journey gets lighter Some of the poems, though enjoyable, are more predictable. For instance: �fencing off his yard / my neighbor�s plum tree / blossoms on my side.� There have been many variations on this theme before, including Robert Frost�s famous �Mending Wall.� Other poems use conventional devices in a conventional fashion, such as metaphor: �outside the missile range / an old tree dropping walnuts / on a tin roof.� Despite the mixed effect of some individual poems, Mount Gassan�s Slope is satisfying as a whole. Overall, the collection is fresh and rewarding. The book�s elegant design is a bonus, and each chapter is introduced by a sumi-e drawing. Each poem is translated into Japanese, adding a nice visual touch. |