Roddy's thoughts and pictures at the close of the day
I found this lovely haiku by Ingrid Baluchi when I was recently browsing through back issues of The Mamba Journal - it's the Africa Haiku Network's online publication that comes out twice a year. Right away I knew I would like to put it to imagery and - fortunately - we had already booked a... Continue Reading →
Just before lockdown I shared a quiet couple of beers with Harry Owen and we talked about trying something new for the Virtual National Arts Festival. Seeing as we had lots of poetry and imagery between us why not collaborate? Here's a taste of what we have been working on. Aorta - Harry's unpublished poem... Continue Reading →
One of the most memorable and heart felt poems in Harry Owen's anthology For Rhino in a Shrinking World was written by 10 year old Hannah Armour. So it was an easy choice to be one of our In Tandem series of video clips for this year's Virtual National Arts Festival. It's read here by... Continue Reading →
There's a zen to nature photography and haiku that I've wanted to work with for quite a while. So here's something from me which is rather new. Three snow scenes intended as small dialogues between classic winter haiku and my own photographs. The pictures were taken during last week's snowy weather and they are of... Continue Reading →
We will be missing two Poetry at Reddits occasions whilst we are away in Sweden: my contributions are here though. There are two of WS Merwin’s poems and one of my pictures of Hogback’s trees. All inspired by Beth Moon’s special book Ancient Trees: Portraits of Time - thank you Kate for the wonderful gift.... Continue Reading →
I've been working on some cover concepts for Harry Owen's upcoming collection 'The Cull: new and resurrected poems'. It's taken a while to get to the finished product but now both Harry and Amitabh Mitra, who's publishing it through the Poets Printery, are very enthusiastic about this one. The basis for the cover is a picture... Continue Reading →
The first of these haiku was written at home in the early morning. The second could have been anywhere. I guess they should be called Hadedas and Catching Flies? Hunched like nuns in the coral tree They cackle at dawn Hadedas ........... Basking like a seal on warm black rocks Mouth open, mind free Catching... Continue Reading →
It's been one of the warmest, sunniest winter Julys that I can remember in the Eastern Cape. Which perhaps inspired these two haiku: Hail stones on a hot zinc roof The young lovers kiss Summer storm ........... On the bay window of old mens' smiles A woodpecker taps Winter sun Maybe one day I'll come... Continue Reading →
Those of you who have been following the release of For Rhino in a Shrinking World will have already seen Sally Scott's front cover picture - a powerful pastel drawing of a rhino regarding you through the bush. I thought that it would make a special addition to our home so I bought it from... Continue Reading →
In this video Tomas Tranströmer reads several of his most evocative poems (in Swedish, with subtitles in English) against translucent backdrops of the Swedish countryside that so inspires him. The video also tells of the 2011 Nobel prize and highlights his piano playing, which echoes through the whole piece. I was pleasantly surprised to find... Continue Reading →
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