Out of winter
My inspiration is the wood behind my writing shed and the two fields beyond. During the darkest times of Covid, I walked through Knockwood every day with my dog, a notebook,
and a pencil. I followed the same three-mile circuit and as I walked I wrote haiku. Back home, I quickly illustrated one of them. It was a simple practice that became a great comfort.
For this 26 project, I’ve collected a series of 33 haiku that lead out of winter and into spring. The seasons change, my mood drifts, I try to get on with work. But to quote the poet Billy Collins, “Almost every haiku says the same thing: it’s amazing to be alive here.”
Neil Baker