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