HCSHR 2:9: Rebecca Lilly, Evergreen Moon
Rebecca Lilly Evergreen Moon. Winchester VA: Redmoon
Press, 2018. ISBN: 978-1-947271-20-3. 126 pages. 20$US redmoonpress.com
Review
by Maxianne Berger
The haiku in
Rebecca Lilly’s sixth haiku collection stand alone with the strength of
quality, visiting a variety of observations juxtaposed to both the natural and
the personal. One need simply consider these two from facing pages.
My memory searched
for a forgotten name —
frozen grass blades
for a forgotten name —
frozen grass blades
Tracings of snow
on the forest boughs —
a horned owl’s face
on the forest boughs —
a horned owl’s face
There is a nice
variety of lengths, although some haiku are so wordy they might be
overfreighted with detail.
Telling about his life —
my thoughts wander
as I watch the field’s butterflies
my thoughts wander
as I watch the field’s butterflies
What distinguishes this collection from others,
however, is what accompanies each haiku on its page, something I would describe
as a block of scattered words.
the body’s a suspense
when it’s gone runaway
hours of petals
when it’s gone runaway
hours of petals
Broken
blossoms
in the pressed flower book —
my nostalgia
in the pressed flower book —
my nostalgia
The above example doesn’t do full justice because
there is even more white space between the two poems on the page. Using this
poetic technique, Lilly has produced a different kind of linked form. Her
pairings engage intriguing tensions as haiku and block text inform each other.
Certainly, experiencing this effect, page by page, is itself worth the price of
admission.
Review
by Maxianne Berger