| The magnificent words and symbolisms regarding the | | | | the years of suffering the Buddha endures. While |
| Bodhi Tree are the foundation for the theme of this | | | | meditating under the Bodhi tree, the forces of evil |
| wonderful book, New Utopia by Kumar, which is | | | | swarmed around and tried their best to disrupt his |
| consistent throughout its pages. The essence of the | | | | meditation. One could equate this to Christ being on the |
| theme starts with the Endless Helix lines by Ban'ya | | | | cross and the jeering he endured from the crowd |
| Natsuishi, to the concept of End of Summer by | | | | while He mediated on God. Therefore, in this book of |
| Sayumi Kamakura, and the illustrious words of Adam | | | | haiku poems, we find a blending of Buddhism and |
| Donaldson Powell articulated in the forward section. | | | | Christianity in the figurative language of poetry, and the |
| The complication of these three dynamic poetic giants | | | | literary sense by the author. |
| sets the stage for this excellent book of haiku. The | | | | Balancing the middle of this contemporary journey, we |
| reader has a lot to experience with the literary | | | | find another haiku to consider as follows: "buddha |
| movement on the pages consisting of contemporary | | | | [Buddha] suffers / christ [Christ] suffers / their life [lives] |
| haiku poetry. The interrelationship of the elements at | | | | full of crosses." Naturally, here we find a comparative |
| work, and the collective beauty of God's natural | | | | analysis of Christ and Buddha. Suffering is reflected in |
| creation, are exemplified in a grand manner between | | | | their lives, their earthly journey, and the tribulations they |
| the inspirational lines of haiku poems in this creative | | | | endured for humankind. The language of the haiku |
| book. One must read it to experience it! | | | | poems and theme in this book reflect upon religion in a |
| The essential spiritual theme of this book cuts across | | | | spiritual and sincere way, thus emulating the essence |
| the spectrum of religion. One is able to find a blending | | | | of Christ and Buddha in a contemporary manner. |
| of Christianity and Buddhism on its pages. Take this | | | | Finally, with the spirituality of haiku flowing from the |
| haiku for example: "dove in a garden enclosed / lives in | | | | Bodhi tree; linking with "imaginative bird noises within the |
| lord's temple [Lord's Temple]: / virgin mary [Virgin | | | | tree"; to "seeing an orphan child's cheek"; then |
| Mary]." (The haiku poem has historically been written in | | | | "understanding the quest of the butterfly for nectar," |
| lower case as the traditional style of haiku poetry | | | | really exemplify the essence of the haiku poems in this |
| writing.) Naturally, the dove as a symbol of peace is | | | | text as uplifting and inspiring to the soul. One must not |
| the descending of Christ, while John the Baptist stands | | | | forget the glossary for further understanding and to |
| in the River Jordon. The Virgin Mary is the mother of | | | | look up the definition of a word for clarification. This is |
| Christ in the Bible, and the essence of this haiku | | | | an excellent haiku book for everyone to read with joy, |
| speaks to the heart of Christians about Christ, John | | | | and to smile while reading and obtaining a spiritual and |
| the Baptist, and the Lord's Temple, which is the Church. | | | | educational journey in haiku poetry. |
| One the other hand, the Bodhi tree and Buddha reflect | | | | |