Callander Haiku

20160310_135036Sally Evans, poet and editor at diehard, has produced a great collection of haiku whose inspiration comes from Callander and the Callander Poetry Weekend that she and husband Ian run annually. Callander Haiku is tightly packed with work from a wide range of poets from all over Scotland and beyond.

I am very pleased to say that there is a small batch from Charlie Gracie. Katrina Shepherd, one of Scotland’s best and most prolific haiku poets, features among the 39 poets, as do Elizabeth Rimmer, Colin Will and Finola Scott.

Here is one of my poems that are included. Hens feature very strongly in the Callander Poetry Weekends.

clack clack of hens

breeze through the garden

a poet speaks

The form is played around with by some of the poets and this adds to the joy of this book. Sally has a knack for picking out ideas like this and making them happen. This is a lovely production and one that I will leaf through often.

Poem of the month for January 2013

Haiku for Andy Murray

The start of a new year and hopefully more joy for our country. Katrina Shepherd’s haiku series was first published in Poetry Scotland: Luckie Mucklebackit (Winter 2012/2013). She celebrates the success of Andy Murray and his visit back home to Dunblane.

With a love of the living beauty of the natural world, Katrina is often inspired by people and nature.  Her haiku are published in Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.  Some have been given awards.

Katrina’s poem In the stillness is now a Christmas carol with music composed by Sally Beamish.