home is not a place

but feeling in our souls

that we belong here

this collection of haikus was written over the last few years and mostly posted on instagram with accompanying images taken by michelle. having written poetry for the last thirty+ years, michelle has found the haiku to be her favourite poetry format, because of the precise nature of the three-lines, made up of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables. this format forces her to be succinct, direct, and choosy with words, which is a contrast to the rambling free verses she wrote in her youth.

this book arrived as a very clear mission, and came with a strong vision of the cover, the title and the subtitles inside. michelle was thrilled that a fellow student on her MA course, artist caroline oleron, agreed for her artwork to be used on the cover to make michelle's vision come true.

the haikus in this collection cover a wide range of themes, and michelle's hope is that you might keep it in your pocket, by your bed, or even in your car, within easy reach for moments when you are in need of comfort or inspiration.

if you enjoy this, please do check out the other titles published by turquoise quill press, including waves of stardust, rain and leaves, ghosts of the water, hope dealer and love dealer.