zimska šetnja
i ovaj cvrkut izgubljen
u šumi
winter walk
this chirp also lost
in the woods
28 February 2025
21 February 2025
Blithe Spirit 35.1 (Journal of the British Haiku Society) - Review by Maya Daneva (page 79-80), February 2025
Linije Života / Life Lines / 生命線
by Dejan Pavlinović, Udruga Tondak, 2024, paperback, 156 pages, ISBN:
9789334603116, €14+€3 p&p, available from dejan.pavlinovic@gmail.com
This trilingual book (Croatian, English, and
Japanese) is the second solo collection by internationally acclaimed haiku poet
Dejan Pavlinović. Elegantly crafted, the book features a textured cream-colored
cover and a sleek, minimalist design that radiates a sense of peacefulness and
draws the reader into a Zen atmosphere. Moreover, the addition of a bookmark in
the same design is a thoughtful touch.
The 156 pages of this collection contain 100
haiku, thematically organized into four sections: Life Lines, Breath
of Air, Coexistence, and Breaking Waves. In each section,
some poems filled me with Zen-like calm, others brought a smile to my face, and
still others provoked deeper reflection on the most important relationships in
our lives.
Many of the poems explore the complexities of
human emotions - love, joy, loss, and grief - reflecting not only our
relationships with others but also with ourselves, especially the child we once
were or still are. A few haiku and senryu contemplate the passage of time and
the remnants of things that were once so close to our hearts. I was deeply
moved by the following poems:
running / down the street / yesterday’s snowman
worn out cross / I spell my father’s name /
once more
church bells / her monologue / takes a break
As someone who has profoundly explored haiku as
a medium for expressing the complex emotional landscapes of death and grief – an
avenue that helped me process the loss of my mother - many of these poems
resonated with me on a deeply personal level. In particular, I identified with
the poet's sentiments in these senryu:
mother's death.../ a butterfly settles / on my
coffee cup
life lines / my aging hands / down father's
ribs
I highly recommend this book to lovers of haiku
and senryu. For anyone passionate about these forms, it offers excellent
examples of both. The book is both a source of inspiration and a gentle
reminder to slow down and reflect on some of the most important facets of life.
It is truly a delight to experience!
Maya Daneva
14 February 2025
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