• Rachel's Haiku •

spring wind moves everything— even me Lidia Rozmus, Twenty Views from Mole Hill (Pg. 9) old Doll on her open eyes dust Lidia Rozmus, My Journey (Pg. 9) Movement, freshness, and change characterize the first haiku; being still, stagnant and unmoving reflect the second. Both are excellent examples of the variety and depth of Lidia Rozmus. Her haiku have a feeling of wistfulness and remembrance. Many haiku authors explore their memories in their work. Lidia’s haiku are unique because she approaches her life and memories as a journey, and fully explores their intricacies in a narrative type of haiku called haibun. Basing haibun off of actual events and reminiscences of specific places and events is essential for creating powerful narratives. one breath one brushstroke one Lidia Rozmus, Twenty Views from Mole Hill (Pg. 2) Lidia is also an artist. She studied at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and does sumi-e paintings that accompany her haiku. In the book Twenty Views from Mole Hill Lidia explains that “Sumi-e is the Japanese art of of black painting, Haibun is a narrative with haibun included, I put sumi-e and on one page and call it haibun-ga”. Lidia’s creation, haibun-ga is an exciting combination of a storyline, haiku and paintings. Twenty Views from Mole Hill is a haibun-ga is based around a place called “Mole Hill”. It is close to Lidia’s home and she can view it from her windows. Lidia goes to Mole hill to write and paint. She finds Mole Hill to be a special place, a place that memories and nature collide. Lidia’s paintings are very organic and natural. The lines she makes with her brush are gestural and loose. The paintings reflect the same pastoral feeling that her haibun do. Her references to nature are echoed in her sumi-e paintings. They help the reader to have a deeper understanding of her haiku. The paintings do not directly represent anything, but they suggest natural forms. Lidia’s lines feel alive and energized, each stroke is thoughtful. There is also softness to her paintings, a softness that is shared by the haiku she writes. first snow I turn the lights off— to see Lidia Rozmus, Twenty Views From Mole Hill (Pg. 4) This haiku possesses a quietness and reflective-ness. Lidia is examining the first snow, she turns off the lights to improve the view, but we are unsure what she is looking for. This searching quality makes the haiku intriguing. The Sumi-e painting that goes with this haiku is sparse. There are two major forms and then small spots around them. The painting is silent and direct. Some paintings that go with haiku can be a distraction, robbing the haiku from its purity and simplicity. Lidia’s paintings are the opposite. They empower the haiku, make them stronger and add more life to the work. Many haiku authors use memories as a springboard for their haiku. One author that reminds me of Lidia Rozmus is Peggy Lyles. I paired one of Peggy’s haiku with Lidia’s, which I thought was a nice match. a strong draft as you enter embers glow Peggy Lyles, To Hear the Rain (Pg. 116) nothing else matters just this wind touching my skin Lidia Rozmus, My Journey (Pg. 13) These haiku seem to respond to each other, the second haiku explaining more of the scene created by the first. Peggy’s haiku describes a place, a moment, and the feeling of a draft. Lidia’s haiku goes further, the statement of “nothing else matters” provides a serious tone for the rest of the haiku, and the wind touching her skin is chilling and poignant. Lidia not only takes us to a moment, but also adds meaning and significance to it. Lidia Rozmus’s book My Journey is the story of her journeys and life thus far. She uses the idea of journeying and travel as a vehicle for writing haiku about memories, nature, family, and loneliness. passing train reflection of a woman— maybe me Lidia Rozmus, My Journey (Pg. 41) When reading this haiku I wonder where Lidia is. Is she on a train? Is she in transit? Where is she going, whom did she just see? Or is the train simply a metaphor, for change. The reflection she sees could be herself. Perhaps it is her future self or who she was in the past. The double meaning of the word reflection is exciting in this haiku. Is there a literal physical reflection in a window? Or is it the act of reflecting upon someone. Reflection is an issue that Lidia deals with in her haiku. Reflection is a quiet activity that can take on a meditative, ritualistic condition. immigration office seeing my finger prints for the first time Lidia Rozmus, My Journey (Pg. 23) I love the moment of realization in this haiku. She has seen her fingerprints for the first time and she duly makes a note of it. She uses this haiku as a record of an event. Perhaps this event at the immigration office is one that will change her life forever. This haiku serves as a snapshot from a moment in her life. I truly enjoy Lidia’s haibun-ga, as a painter I find the combination of haiku and painting inspiring. I feel that many people, not just painters and poets, can enjoy Lidia’s work. Her haiku are easy to relate to, her references to nature and memories add depth and dimension to her work. Lidia Rozmus is highly talented, her haiku are well worth the read and her paintings are marvelous to view.