ESTES PARK, Colo. /Publishers Newswire/ — Today, many people don’t have the time for long reading, but still want meaning in their life. Rocky Mountain Blue Collar Haiku (ISBN 9781449918378), by Greg Paullus, fills this need while targeting a more extensive audience than conventional books of haiku poetry. A haiku is about half the length of a tweet, the ideal small message server for a poetic verse.
Containing literary quality poems, poet Greg Paullus follows the spirit of Kobayashi ISSA (1763-1828), one of the four great Japanese masters, but the first who was also a common man. Generally regarded as the most-loved Japanese master, the haiku of ISSA spoke from the heart, rather than from the head. According to Paullus, “haiku are a measure of your humanity, not your status. Haiku poems should reach out to everyone, even children, not just the scholarly few.” Rocky Mountain Blue Collar Haiku expands the haiku genre and initiates new readers with a quick, poignant form.
Haiku are short, typically three-line poems of 17 syllables or less (5-7-5). A haiku reports the essence of a moment as experienced just beyond usual cognizance. But, it does not contain the usual poetic devices such as simile or metaphor. Haiku are divided into two parts, by a technique called “cutting”, which is a surprise twist. A book of haiku is a perfect companion while traveling as are available on a moment’s notice for very short or longer reading and contemplation.
As the title suggests, many poems are specifically mountain-inspired, reflecting “aha” moments relating to the majesty of the Rockies and the people and wildlife inhabiting this breathtaking mountain environment. The subjects of life, including love, death, romance, laughter and tears are commonly found in haiku.
The author has written haiku since grade school. He holds a degree in English, served with honor during the Vietnam era and has earned his living as a creative writer for over four decades. Over the years, the passion for reading and writing haiku never diminished, although most of the haiku in Rocky Mountain Blue Collar Haiku are recent expressions.
Newly released, the book is available on Amazon.com and signed books are available on www.bluecollarhaiku.com. For more information, go to bluecollarhaiku.com or contact the author directly by email at greg@bluecollarhaiku.com.
