Judith E. P Johnson

Judith E. P. Johnson has that crucial characteristic for haiku poets, an ability to notice the minor miracles of ordinary existence, a blackbird bathing in a dog's bowl, daisies ankle-deep on a lawn, the reflection of a jasmine flower in a rain puddle, these are acute observations that transform everyday life into fine haiku. When she writes, 'running along the beach the wind and I', she invites us on a poetic journey where we can share her experience...

'Judith E.P. Johnson's haiku have a down-to-earth flavour reminiscent of Issa, one of Japan's four great haiku masters. Her haiku are like little sake cups of imagery. Read at a gulp, or sipped and savoured, they capture moments and movement, a connection to a natural object, or a wry social observation. Above all, these tiny polished gems reveal a keen sense of wonder. They capture the essence of haiku in a way very few English language versions...

'One feels accompanied by the poet in these pages; through gardens, along country roads and city streets, along windswept coastlines and out on the water. You will encounter many invitations to pause, to share an observation of something tiny close-up or to admire some distant expanse. We also ponder occasional memories and wonderings about times long ago. There is karumi here, that delicate quality of lightness and simplicity where things are presented...