Sarah Davies is an ex web designer, now a lecturer and pastoral worker. Being born by the coast , she misses it living so far inland. She has been published in a range of poetry magazines and helps run a local poetry night, ‘Ouse Muse’.
Like many people, I found lockdown a novelty at first. Even though I was working from home, and trying to homeschool teenagers with all the difficulties that brings, I found it a great opportunity to write and did. April was Napowrimo month..writing a poem a day, which I enjoyed the discipline of. Halfway through the month, or thereabouts, I discovered the Daily Haiku – a chance to write each day that I could continue with. Writing short poems was the way I got back into poetry years ago, and I have always thought it an excellent way to spark and feed creativity.
I have written a haiku everyday since. I appreciate that the ‘rules’ here are not too prescriptive and the creative discipline of ‘having’ to write each day.
I don’t tend to work from an image, though I think this can be an amazing source of inspiration. I like ‘seeing’ in my mind’s eye. I am in awe of haikuists..is that a word? who can write a pure image and would love to do this more. At the moment, I know I’m ‘in’ my own work too much, which is something to work on.
I have to say that, apart from the opportunity to create, Amanda has also brought together a warm and appreciative community and contributes her own excellent work, making the Daily Haiku a unique place.
I find picking favourites difficult, but here goes..these two jump out at me today.
I was once God’s wife,
unspooled and skeined his rough lies,
sewed them into myth
On her birthday,
he spoke the names of wildflowers,
pollen on his tongue
It’s strange how both of these, though months apart, seem linked! That’s how the mind works, I guess.
4 Comments on “Conversation 41: THE DAILY HAIKU INTERVIEWS: Sarah Davies”
You are awesome! I look forward to reading yours every time they pop up! So many images fill my head. Thank you so much for sharing your art.
I love your haiku Sarah, they are always inventive, deeply original and arresting. You have a fantastic turn of phrase ‘pollen on his tongue’ is superb. There is a sense of Angela Carter about some of your work, a feeling that we have entered an imaginative universe of surprises and twists along the path. Your love of language leaps out from every haiku, you often create filmic sequences that burst with instantly iconic imagery expertly crafted within such a short form. I am a big fan and like Connie look forward to your work each day.
Hi Sarah, great interview. I love the way you write haiku and I am glad you appreciate pictures can inspire a haiku/haiga as I use them a lot. I too, did NaPoWriMo last April and found the TDH sometime near the end of April and now I write everyday too.
I think you have a very unique turn of phrase and look forward to reading your posts. I am a fan. 😊
Your work is remarkable Sarah. Not much else to say really! Sometimes your haiku takes my breath away for its sheer ingenuity and originality.
I will be looking out for your writing in journals and anthologies… and if you have not yet published a first collection…would urge you to do so. Or if you have then write another! Good luck! 🦋