Life In Haiku


Poetry - General
48 Pages
Reviewed on 06/18/2018
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

Life in Haiku by SL Spahr is a collection of poems that mimic the different seasons and stages of life while using the poetic style of the haiku, written in the traditional 5-7-5 syllables in each stanza. In most cases each stanza stands alone, carrying a thought of its own or communicating a unique emotion. In this collection the poet passes from general observations of life, to the intimate experiences of love and loss, to personal insights on life and lessons readers can ponder on.

The formatting is unique and each word begins with a capital letter. The punctuation only exists within the lines, which gives the entire work the feel of an uninterrupted stream of ideas and consciousness. Instead of titles, the author has employed chapters for each section. It is also curious that the last lines of most of these haikus seem to stand alone, suggesting an exclamation, a point of conclusion.

SL Spahr’s book is very easy to read; it’s slim, and the diction is very familiar. The themes of love, marriage, friendship, and loss are recurrent in the work and the author succeeds in making each stanza reflect a distinct idea, an emotion, or a moment in life. I enjoyed the light tone, the clear imagery and the wisdom buried in some of the stanzas. Without doubt readers will find in this collection a thought to relate to, a moment to savor, and an emotion that resonates in their hearts. Life in Haiku is a gentle, simple, and unassuming offering for fans of haiku poems.