Ever since Bowen Island poet Jude Neale arrived at Historic Joy Kogawa House on Monday, June 1, she has been writing haiku-like short poems like mad each day. Her project while in residence these first two weeks of June is to go from room to room of the historic house and write haiku-like short poems on what she sees.
These are some of Judy Neale’s haiku-like short poems so far:
Feathered snowy bed
Feathered snowy bed
Wafts of porcelain white light
Bring back older dreams
Simple rocking chair
Simple rocking chair
Waiting in the bedroom nook
Sun burnishes wood
Pink rhododendron
Pink rhododendron
Blossoms sprinkled on the path
Leading to the door
Eyelet lace curtains
Eyelet lace curtains
Frames the abundant garden
I will sleep at peace
Ghosts of small children
Ghosts of small children
Saying night prayers with mother
Bless this little home
Vancouver special
Vancouver special
A place to grow outwards
Held tightly by love
Cherry blossoms wait
Cherry blossoms wait
For someone new to exclaim
The pink spring glory
The picture of the girl
The picture of the girl
Reminder of softer days
Trapped sepia smile
Joy and Tim live here
Joy and Tim live here
Balancing bowls of sticky rice
Carved chopsticks and fish
Your name flows smoothly
Your name flows smoothly
With the calligraphy brush
Tucked in the steel case
Jude Neale’s haiku-like short poems tell intimate stories of Joy Kogawa’s life and house. She will be examining everything in Historic Joy Kogawa House and writing haiku-like short poems about them. After research into Joy Kogawa’s early life, Jude will make it her mission to act as archivist for the family home and with permission for Joy Kogawa herself.
The resulting collection of haiku-like short poems will be organized into sections according to rooms in the house. Front, back, and laneway gardens on the modest Marpole property will also be considered. Photographs will illustrate each poem.
By the end of her two-week residency, Jude Neale expects to have 100 poems, enough for a book to be titled Inside the Pearl.
Please stay tuned for more haiku-like short poems as the residency progresses.
About Jude Neale
Jude Neale is a Canadian poet, vocalist, spoken word performer, and mentor. She publishes frequently in journals, anthologies, and e-zines. She was shortlisted, highly commended and finalist for many international competitions. Jude has written eight books. Her book, A Quiet Coming of Light, A Poetic Memoir (Leaf Press) was a finalist for the Pat Lowther Memorial Award, which is in recognition of Canadian female poets.
One of Jude’s poems from her book, Splendid in its Silence, was chosen by Britain’s Poet Laureate to ride with other winners around the Channel Islands on public transit for a year. Jude was a featured reader at the Guernsey International Literary festival.This book was recently a SPM Prize winner and was published in the UK. Some of these poems can be heard on Jude’s collaborative (viola/spoken word) EP, Places Beyond.
Jude and Bonnie Nish started an online collaboration which lead them to write,Cantata in Two Voices (Ekstasis Editions), in fifty challenging days. She has two new books, A Blooming (Ekstasis Editions) and We Sing Ourselves Back which was also published in 2019.
Her eighth book, Impromptu, was launched in the Spring. Jude has just returned from a successful collaboration with the renowned composer and viola player, Thomas Beckman, for the world premiere of The St. Roch Suite, with the Prince George Symphony Orchestra.
Jude Neale is visiting Historic Joy Kogawa House from her home on Bowen Island, BC.
Inspirational! What a deep and meaningful tribute to beautiful Joy Kogawa!