New book review of Does Fish-God Know haiku collection by Alan Summers

composite image by Dawn Gorman: http://www.dawngorman.co.uk/WordsEarsPage.html

 

 

Review by Paul David Mena

I've been meaning to write to tell you how much I've enjoyed "Does Fish-God Know", but I keep reading it over and over again and getting a slightly different impression each time.

I already knew how talented a poet you were, but you've elevated the art to a whole new level.

Granted, I have a bias toward urban and non-nature themes, but your ability to use language to create abstract imagery is downright enviable.

I keep coming up with different "favorites", but this one is poignant in a "classic" sort of way:

unlacing the shoe
on his sole
mud from the gravesite

and I love the irresistible menace of this one:

morning moon
I think I met the man
who kills you

and this one is surreal, but we've all thought it:

don't trust the cat
her eyes green the earth
with anti-matter

Never mind that you've used "green" as a verb in a way that seems at once fresh and natural.

I could go on, but instead I'll read it again...

Thank you for writing such a vital work.

Paul David Mena, Boston USA

Does Fish-God Know
by Alan Summers

Available through Amazon at these weblinks:
http://area17.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/does-fish-god-know-haiku-collection-by.html

Reviewer: 
Paul David Mena

Paul David Mena's blog:
http://www.extraspecialbitter.com/

a member of the Metro West Renku Association:
http://www.haikupoet.com/mwra/




tenement landscapes: English language haiku by an American poet 

This is a collection of haiku written by American poet Paul David Mena, with the Japanese translation; a bilingual book.

"tenement landscapes" is Paul's first book in which he cut out and described the landscapes of New York and people's daily life seen through tenement houses, lightly and sometimes cynically.

The first edition of this book was published in September, 2001,  just after September 11.

The author says, "I was raw with emotion and frankly had a tough time writing about it."

But he was able to look at the event objectively and could finally write about it, New York, again.



We added a haiku which he wrote after the event, in December 2010, in this book. 
(Web Press Happa-no-Kofu, non-profit translation project and literary and art publisher since 2000, based in Japan.)
  
tenement landscapes: Links
http://www.amazon.com/tenement-landscapes-English-language-American/dp/1475298358

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/1475298358/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0&isremote=0

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"A must-have book for any haiku fan": Amazon review of Does Fish-God Know, gendai haiku and experimental short verse collection by Alan Summers, published by Yet To Be Named Free Press

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 Gratifying to see a review of my latest poetry collection (gendai haiku and experimental short verse) Does Fish-God Know at Amazon (UK).

Extract: 

" Beautiful and sometimes startling imagery is wrought throughout these thought-provoking pieces. Anti-pigeon spikes on cemetery gates and dirty moons inhabit the dark side of the soul, while tipsy/philosophical frames of mind are vividly conjured in haiku such as "vodka chilli cocktail" and "Sunday drunk".

So, Does Fish-God Know? Whether he/she does or doesn't, the quest to find out leads you on a compelling journey. A must-have book for any haiku fan."

weblink:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357334929&sr=8-1




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Does Fish-God Know haiku collection by Alan Summers

Special Price offer on Amazon!


Does Fish-God Know [Paperback]

Alan Summers (Author)

Publisher: Yet To Be Named Free Press (October 15, 2012)
158 Pages
ISBN-10: 1479211044
ISBN-13: 978-1479211043

Amazon.co.uk review extracts:

This tantalizing collection, from leading light of haiku Alan Summers, is stuffed full of unique and evocative gems. Straddling the heady border between reality and surreality are pieces such as "Toy Suns" and "Ghost Knifefish", while "Curse Her" and "Cherry Moon" throw the battle of the sexes into abrupt relief.  A must-have book for any haiku fan.

Reviewer:
Chicago-born musician, and novelist, Tracey Kelly composes music for film and media.

Susan Beth Furst:

October 24, 2020

Verified Purchase

Does Fish-God Know is a beautiful book...and then the haiku poems. One per page, white space, nothing to clutter the mind. Just the words, carefully chosen, Alan's words, his story, or ours...Alan's keen observations are expressed through rich imagery...

Ordinary moments become extraordinary, and no one does it better... The words draw you in, but you don't quite understand what they mean. These mystery haiku are some of the most enjoyable because they invite the reader to solve the mystery in her own way. 

Jacob Salzer:
Does Fish-God Know is a remarkable collection. I highly recommend this book for all readers and writers of poetry, haiku, and related literature.

Steven Rich
Alan Summers is this century's Basho. Highly recommended.

J. Grisetti
One of the first books I have read in the modern haiku style, having isolated myself for years. Alan has introduced both the one and two line haiku and I intend to imitate him in a sincere flattery.

Edwin Lomere
In addition to being a wonderful collection of Mr. Summers' unique haiku, this book serves as a study in how to write in the genre. The scope of moods and insights is brilliant. The use and command of the poetic line is remarkable. 

Paul David Mena
Thank you for writing such a vital work.
http://area17.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-book-review-of-does-fish-god-know.html

Available at Amazon USA; UK; and Europe:

USA: 
http://www.amazon.com/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359118146&sr=8-1&keywords=does+fish-god+know

U.K.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359120118&sr=8-1

Canada:
http://www.amazon.ca/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400336849&sr=1-1&keywords=Does+Fish-God+Know

Germany:
http://www.amazon.de/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359120302&sr=8-1

Spain:
http://www.amazon.es/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359120433&sr=8-1

Italy:
http://www.amazon.it/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359120478&sr=8-1

France:
http://www.amazon.fr/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359120510&sr=8-1

 

This book is dedicated to Karen, my wife, muse, and keeper of my heart.

My many thanks also to the good people of haiku, Colin Blundell, Editor of Blithe Spirit, the journal of the British Haiku Society, who published my Does Fish-God Know title poem, which also won the ekphrastic haiku award for that issue, and to my translator Hidenori Hiruta (Akita, Japan) for breathing warmth and fire into his fine translations of my work; and to Emily Dickinson, and The Emperor Of Ice-Cream, Wallace Stevens.

[T]his book contains some of the strongest haiku written by Alan Summers, carefully chosen for their cerebral attack, backbone, humour and adaptive modelling. If you're familiar with Alan's work you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

If you're not familiar with his work then you'll be rushing out to buy other titles by him.

Alan Summers is one of Britain's top haiku writers.

Brendan Slater, 2012

Ah, out of the old pond and into the city!

Does the Fish-God know? And if, what is it he knows? He knows of life with its hard sides and gloomy shades as it is for the many people really subjected to reality. He knows that life is not all flowers and wonderful sunsets. He knows of sides never – or rarely - shown in what at present is (mis)named as "modern haiku".

But he's a god with compassion. Even through rough sceneries The Emperor of Ice-Cream strolls. These haiku have been sorely missed. 

These are NEW haiku as they live and breathe on the back of tradition but are present in the world of the 21st century. 

Alan Summers makes use of the Western mind  and a Japanese tradition to show that haiku has a place in the modern world, and will still have one if we are ready to keep our minds open to every experience and influence that befalls a human.

A manifestation of gendai haiku that shows it's not a dream ...

Johannes S. H. Bjerg

International writer and artist writing in Danish & English. 

Managing Editor, Bones Journal

Author of  "Penguins/Pingviner" 2011

Modern western haiku written by a Japan Times award winning author. Poems that will bend your mind and tempt you to re-evaluate your sense of reality. A must for lovers of experimental short-verse poetry.

Brendan Slater, YTBN Free Press

The book contains a wide range of experimental haiku, regular haiku, plus short verse, as well as one line haiku.

Does Fish-God Know [Paperback]
ISBN-10: 1479211044
ISBN-13: 978-1479211043

Pub. Yet To Be Named Free Press

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Call for poetry for a new short verse, haiku, tanka, short haibun anthology entitled C.2.2. : Poets may submit up to 5 haiku, tanka, short haibun, free-verse along with a pen name. The anthology will be subtitled short-verse, and we are looking for poems between 1 to 8 lines in length.

“Between loss of identity and loss of name, it's surprising, how when you are referred to by a number, you hurt.” Prisoner KM5451

Yet To Be Named Free Press  

is putting together an anthology entitled C.2.2. on the following themes:

•       loss of identity and/or name
•       mental health issues
•       social issues
•       physical health issues
•       unsentimental love

C.2.2. Editors: 

Brendan Slater and Alan Summers

Please scroll down and the rest of the post before submitting your work.

Submissions Email Address:Please submit your work to: subs@yettobenamedfreepress.org 

http://www.yettobenamedfreepress.org/

Poets may submit up to 5 haiku, tanka, short haibun, free-verse along with a pen name.* 

The anthology will be subtitled under short-verse, and we are looking for poems between 1 to 8 lines in length.

Deadline:  30th November 2012.

Send us your darkest and/or most honest work to be considered for the anthology, alongside a pen name (pseudonym)   

We are looking for modern experimental short-verse only.

Submissions Email:
Please submit your work to: subs@yettobenamedfreepress.org

The anthology will contain around 200 poems and will be published in early 2013.

Yet each man kills the thing he loves
By each let this be heard.
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word.
The coward does it with a kiss

From the Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde published under the pen name/pseudonym of c.3.3. (1898).  It was only until the 7th printing that Wilde’s name was actually revealed.

There is a nod to Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, where Bassanio asks: "Do all men kill the things they do not love?"

And this appears on Oscar Wilde's tomb;

And alien tears will fill for him,
… [a]nd outcasts always mourn.

*Only pen names will be included in the anthology but individual poems may be posted on personal blogs or other social media with the poet's real name.

http://www.yettobenamedfreepress.org/

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