triveni spotlight A FEATURE EVERY ALTERNATE DAY! hosts: Teji Sethi and Kala Ramesh GUEST EDITOR: Nandita Jain Mahajan, July 2023
it looks as if
iris flowers had bloomed
on my feet -
sandals laced in blue
Matsuo Basho The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches
lilacs —
the season
grandmother waited for
Robert Speiss
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. _()_
Your pairing is brilliant!
your note about your selection process is also wonderful to read and this experience of your will cover triveni spotlight which is going to give a treasure read!
What striking are the perfect emotional feeling in lines, 'it looks as if' from the first poem and 'grandmother waited for' from the second that covers up the experience. That longing and craving for a particular thing and its sudden appearance is so beautifully presented. Thanks to the poets and to you Nandita.
So lovely!
A pleasant duo!
Beautiful pairing again, Nandita. Masterful.