triveni spotlight: 29th July 2023
triveni spotlight A FEATURE EVERY ALTERNATE DAY! hosts: Kala Ramesh and Vidya Shankar GUEST EDITOR: Nandita Jain Mahajan, July 2023
let this body be dew in a field of wildflowers. —Tembo (1740-1823), loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch http://www.thehypertexts.com/Haiku%20Best%20Masters%20Translation%20.htm
May breeze blowing this field of dandelions to one o’clock
Maeve O’Sullivan, from the Spring Haiku section in https://breathhaiku.wordpress.com/2015/10/. Originally published in A Train Hurtles West,
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to present my selection. Though the task of selecting haiku for Triveni Spotlight was very difficult, I found it very rewarding. I spent several hours going through poems available in the public domain and those from books in my personal collection. I read and re-read, shortlisted again and again paring down the list till I could do no more. It was a sheer joy to read such fantastic works - my heart is full ... so happy.
I tried to keep the poems different from what other guest editors had selected earlier. However, there is bound to be some repetition. I found myself leaning towards old Japanese masters like Basho, Issa, Shiki, and Ryokan but equally drawn to women poets like Chiyo-ni and Rengetsu. The simplicity, charm, and timeless quality is what pull me to their haiku. What a picture they paint! And, the space between what is said and what is unsaid. So many different interpretations which helped me connect to these poems.
Amongst the contemporary poets, I found myself opting for those that tugged at my heart. The poems span longing, sadness, hopelessness, hope, love, and gentleness. These are those that I could read over and over again, especially at dusk, when my mind is quiet and at peace. And then, something interesting happened. I realised that I could pair the masters with the contemporary - similar thoughts and subjects but different treatment. I hope you enjoy this selection. Nandita Jain Mahajan
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What a unique and refreshing way of handling this month's triveni spotlight selections! Watch out for this space, every alternate day, dear readers, you are in for a real treat! Thank you, Nandita. We are waiting to see the month unfold. _()_