Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    A Thousand Miles: Collected Haiku
    A Thousand Miles: Collected Haiku
    A Thousand Miles: Collected Haiku
    Ebook135 pages1 hour

    A Thousand Miles: Collected Haiku

    By Steve K. Bertrand

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This collection of poetry entitled A Thousand Miles: Collected Haiku was inspired by the Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu (c 604 BCc 531 BC), founding father of Taoism, who coined the proverb A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. It was by taking a poetic step every day that I eventually arrived at this collection of one thousand poems.

    While on this journey, I sought to explore the internal and external world, specifically the world of human nature and physical nature. Most of the poems were inspired by experiences gathered within what I have dubbed the Bowl, the geographical region between Mount Baker and Mount Rainer, the Olympic Peninsula and Cascade Mountains.

    It is a world enriched by the treasures of forest, mountain, water, and sky. Here we find the unique flora and fauna that comprises the Pacific Northwest with its unique geography, geology, history, and mythology.

    This undertaking was a journey of mind, body, and spirit. Though my goal was to gather a collection of one thousand poems, I set out to simply write one poem each day. As has often been said, Great things start from humble beginnings.

    Here amon the world of Raven, Salmon, and Bear; beneath the limbs of cedar, hemlock, and Douglas fir; and along the edges of river, lake, and sea, I have found treasures only discovered when we are willing to use the photographers eye.

    These haiku moments are meant to preserve experience and make sense of our world. After a while, I discovered I am never at a loss for subject matter. Poetry surrounds us. These poems were carved from cedar, found beneath rocks upon beach, and observed circling winter sky.

    They were influenced by the teachings in Zen Buddhism, as well as Native American oral tradition. Along the way, I have found, if you are willing to look, poetry is everywhere.

    I have found poems while driving to work, hiking the forest, strolling by the neighborhood, and gazing out my kitchen window. As a result, I look forward to the treasures gifted me by each season.

    Lightly I have treaded while on my journey, ever conscious of being an unobtrusive observer. In the end, I have come to the conclusionhow wondrous our world is when we actually take the time to see what surrounds us.

    And so, for each mile of the journey, a haiku. Enjoy!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherXlibris US
    Release dateJan 19, 2017
    ISBN9781524575786
    A Thousand Miles: Collected Haiku
    Author

    Steve K. Bertrand

    For this pictorial history of Paine Field, Steve K. Bertrand has selected more than 200 images from the local community, historical societies, regional libraries, and state archives. He has traced the rich history of Paine Field from its earliest days to its present status as a bustling airport and commercial aviation center. These photographs provide a glimpse into the people and events that influenced this small community in the Pacific Northwest.

    Read more from Steve K. Bertrand

    Related to A Thousand Miles

    Related ebooks

    Poetry For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Five Poems

      Nov 1, 2022

      A prayer begins & endseach meeting, it starts with the word God& ends with the word difference. The difference, as far as I can tell,between what is offered & what is possible is a chasm. At times it seemswe simply run out of places to be, until we c

      3 min read

    • Article

      An Archaeological Inquest

      Sep 1, 2022

      An Archaeological Inquest
      7 min read

    • Article

      Sharon Olds, America’s Brave Poet of the Body

      Mar 8, 2017

      Sharon Olds can still remember how furious editors became when she started submitting her poems, 40 years ago. “They came back often with very angry notes,” the 74-year-old poet says, sitting in her small, light-filled apartment overlooking NYU’s cam

      16 min read

    • Article

      Three Poems

      Jul 1, 2020

      She was a security guard and even though her uniform was black I could seeIt was covered in blood, the marble floor was covered in blood, it wasSlowly pooling out from the space where HER HAND used to beOh my god, I said, then I started to say, YOUR

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Cave Of Adventure

      Jun 10, 2021

      You walk home from work through Citadel Park. This fine October afternoon is just warm enough that you are comfortable in the light cashmere cardigan and skirt you bought for exactly this kind of weather, an elegant dark green outfit that goes well w

      11 min read

    • Article

      A Small Flame in the Dark: On Jenny Erpenbeck’s ‘Go, Went, Gone’

      Feb 7, 2018

      “People have always moved. The story of humanity is essentially a story of movement.” —Patrick Kingsley, The New Odyssey Some of the romance of my life in Rome was the view out my apartment’s windows: two medieval churches, cobblest

      5 min read

    • Article

      Death to Character Descriptions

      Dec 27, 2018

      Here’s the secret to writing compelling character descriptions: Cut them out entirely. A writer’s most powerful tool is the reader’s imagination. Don’t waste it, especially when you’re introducing characters and the particulars of their appearance. T

      4 min read

    • Article

      What Is the Value of Being Haunted? The Millions Interviews Randon Billings Noble

      Aug 15, 2019

      Essays are more important than ever! I mean writing that slows down, deliberates, ruminates, and examines its own beliefs even as it states them. The post What Is the Value of Being Haunted? The Millions Interviews Randon Billings Noble appeared firs

      7 min read

    • Article

      Commonplace Book

      Dec 1, 2021

      The light from the full moon lent a silky, glacial sheen to the towering front of the cloud, which stretched off to the horizon in both directions. I stood transfixed as it made its way down the street toward me at a little over the town’s speed limi

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Ducks Of Home

      Sep 19, 2022

      The Ducks Of Home
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Drifter

      Apr 1, 2021

      The Drifter
      3 min read

    • Article

      Diamonds In The Rough

      May 20, 2019

      Diamonds In The Rough
      7 min read

    • Article

      My Happy Place

      May 14, 2020

      My Happy Place
      12 min read

    • Article

      Wanderlust In The Park

      Jan 26, 2024

      Wanderlust In The Park
      4 min read

    • Article

      Drifting Thoughts

      Nov 26, 2019

      Drifting Thoughts
      5 min read

    • Article

      My Patch

      Aug 11, 2018

      My Patch
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for A Thousand Miles

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      A Thousand Miles - Steve K. Bertrand

      Qabook_preview_excerpt.htmlWێ6K{<=v ̌ 3 [tSLR(O<,/SE/yˌ$Ū:NUo`uRz|A%z B]SHAJ]]}+bN^&׷<_^^̗']n;urlrZ%Y*P@B!)Q6QT5zPaW|ՕT)46&%Ƈ}~m;f,)xgJ^k5Xiʸjk| 2E<u2ީ|[Rj =h53՛T.Bcbp&UFܳb\֒o-ZSrL{6`*ڸ]^ցT+]Y3Q bFkD&]h}FտBhZ=[&bq dmmk5Tfx삜!3tRN[ ';:xMSH aC>60;.ZH"6.Qpot k4.n #|@؇kSN".G) p@6W"[9\9-F1U]Qdص-0% A%uw>{|@ 2{;;4\wX ?d#z`@HG$ riF@:LA^qRzR2;g>uxL/9"nQZ·T)Ҡ V@>)dT k鬏K3tj2ְ\&BUk:j4Mr`'͛i0 g"yNĘOԦU~R@nQw[\Ŏsَ t`"cפAe5M!УZMe_"=.o -rm =V,;el*ѲcDprjTԣ1vHc7Eڲ—:iYAr%3v.jw"; ۅIG6IY8#okX YGi+>*}n%9q Jbi >L<".2@#LbFa)L2=r Ƨ28g9v"Al+wJ Ϥ8$FBuf_+)}__U?ջ]}ܾ +ƅv0%u2JDjH Ze&}fCV!S6~E:F/E WO(pbo~PLoGfEҜ9SҊ6Q8ې_.ƺ5N;pjMEJt6* B`VIK:m$jp]ϔ >3YINFL):.ʎZh0nC(OM{
      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1