Wordwaves: Poems with Haiku

By Elsa Colligan

In this collection, Colligan creatively pairs haiku and poems, strengthening the value, relationships, and sensibilities of both. Her formatting of the title after the poem creatively reinforces the haiku sense of the book while each leading haiku expertly sets the scene and tone for the next poem. The structure quickly captures you with wonder at what comes next. Make no mistake, this is a poetry book, but adeptly assembled to explore, mine, and extend the links between Western and Eastern forms. With her years of writing experience, Colligans use of imagery and expert word-smithing makes this connection enjoyable, memorable, and enriching. Her mature and finely developed poetic and haiku skills carry you far from the everyday, providing the perspective and nuance at the very heart of our existence.
Francis Masat, author of Threshing

Full of lyrical verse with fresh, strong imagery, Wordwaves shines a concentrated spotlight on the world around us; it explores the magic of nature, art, and life itself.

would-be samurai-
intense games
of haiku & football

I have trained a long time
for the Olympics of self
but still the gold eludes me.

I tell myself
that it is not about the winning
& almost believe it.

After a lifetime
of questionable choices,
one night, I wake up
& remember everything.

Finally I have something to say.
It is tearing me apart.
The party is over.
Carnival has begun.

THE GAMES

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Oct 12, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462039289

Elsa Colligan

After years of living in New York City, working, raising children, and writing, Elsa Colligan moved to Key West, Florida—a poet’s paradise. She lives there with her family and her cats, Jessie and Precious. Elsa is a certified poetry therapist, as certified by Dr. Jack Leedy, (the founder of Poetry Therapy).

Book preview

Copyright © 2011 by Elsa Colligan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-4620-3926-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-3928-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011914240

Printed in the United States of America

iUniverse rev. date: 10/4/2011

All photographs by Jill Benado

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ON THE KNEE OF THE CURVE

THE DANCE

WAVING

MONET IN NANTUCKET

THE BOOK, MY LIFE

ORDINARY

SMALL STUFF

THOUGHTS ARE THINGS

SOLO

Ms.

ACCELERATION

DREAM WALK

THE GAMES

MESSENGERS

LITERARY SEMINAR, KEY WEST, FL 2003

AT THE FLASHBACK CAFE

IN THIS LIGHT, KEY WEST, 2000

SIMMER, KEY WEST, FL, 2006

TREADMILL

BUTCHER PAPER

ANTI-POEM

FACE DOWN

STRIP

3 MILES FROM INDIAN POINT NUCLEAR PLANT

DOMINION

WATER

BOONDOCKS

DREAM TIGERS

NEXT LIFE

PRIORITIES

LAST SUMMER

THE BUDDHA SELF

THE BERING STRAITS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Some poems in WORDWAVES appeared in the following publications:

The Comstock Review, Fall 2000, POEMS, New Title,