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My name is Carolyn Crossley and I run a poetry blog on WordPress The Vixen Of Verse which I started in April 2020. I am a published and performance poet. My first novel is awaiting editing and my second novel is half-written. I have also written plays and monologues which I have had performed at Oldham Coliseum Studio Theatre and am a member of the Somerseat Players ©The Vixen of Verse, 2020
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I have found the discipline of writing haiku daily has helped my mental well-being and has also helped my other writing by making every syllable in every word count. I have particularly enjoyed attending one of Amanda White’s wonderful haiku workshops on Zoom and Sébastien Revon’s fascinating series on TDH about famous haiku masters, not forgetting the great haiku film that was produced to mark 100 daily days of TDH
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Haiku was always my least favourite form but now I love it. I like to work to The Daily Haiku’s daily and weekly themes. I think about the theme and jot a few notes down, words, phrases, what the theme makes me think of. Then I write the haiku to the 5/7/5 syllable form; as the haiku goes not only on TDH’s site but my blog I will look for a free picture to go with it.
I love the TDH site, the members come from all around the world and are a warm, friendly, inspiring and often comedic group of people.
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This group have saved my sanity during the various lockdowns. It has given structure, fun, but also what I feel is a safe place to write about the more challenging themes we have had.
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Two of my favourite haiku:
The Daily Haiku – 48th Theme, Trees 3
The tree outside my
window; shows me the seasons
in its buds and leaves.
©The Vixen of Verse, 2020.
The Daily Haiku – 77th Theme, Threshold/Faces
Threshold
Not a day to cross
the threshold, thunder, hailstones.
Emulate the cats.
Links:
My blog http://Backfromdarknesstolight.com
Free photos:
Carolyn Crossley ©12VixenOfVerse
Celebrating 100 days of THE DAILY HAIKU Film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8jNHxobyig&t=12s
10 Comments on “Conversation 52: THE DAILY HAIKU INTERVIEWS: Carolyn Crossley”
Carolyn you have been and are such an important member of TDH, your support, encouragement and of course your haiku. I love that you now love haiku and are sharing your writing across so many platforms including your wonderful and inspirational blog. You perfectly express how writing and a writing community can help support our wellbeing. For me too this has been especially important during this difficult and challenging year. The connections that can be made from all over the world through the effective and focused use of social media have astounded me. Covid19 forced me to engage with something I had been reluctant to do before and now realise as long as I set the parameters it is a positive and wonderful adventure. Your haiku express a tender and empathetic approach to life that always warms me. Thank you.
Thank you Amanda. 🙂❤👩🦰🧡🦊💛
Lovely, Carolyn. Please consider adding a picture of your tree. It sounds like a tree with an old soul. Something in the simplicity of those seventeen syllables chimes like a heavy bell.
Thank you Eric.
There is a picture of my tree on The Daily Haiku but I can’t add it here, sorry. Carolyn ❤👩🦰💛
Carolyn I always enjoy your haiku and your encouragement to others here. You are definitely one of the people who make this such a warm and inclusive place for all.
With best wishes for your continued creativity …poetry, novels, plays….wherever the muse takes you. 🌻
Thank you Vivienn for your encouragement. 🙂❤👩🦰🧡🦊💛
Hi Carolyn, I always admire your positivity. Your haiku always look on the bright side even though life can be terrible. Resilience is a skill and I think your work embodies this spirit. Keep going!
Thank you, Sébastien, I think resilience has come out of this terrible 2020 Covid year. Now I have had my first dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine, I feel a new sense of hope and renewal. 🙂❤👩🦰🧡🦊💛
Lovely to read your thoughts, Carolyn. I was amazed to hear haiku used to be your least favourite verse form! So glad you now love it! Good luck with all your varied, writing projects.
Thank you Jenny, to be honest sometimes I take on too much, then I have to prioritise one project above the others but I love my daily practise of haiku. 🙂❤👩🦰🧡🦊💛