David Ash started
writing haiku while onboard
a cross-country flight.
By the time the plane
landed, he had 100
of the small poems.
He showed them to friends,
got some laughs, and then put them
aside years ago.
The Mukilteo
resident now publishes
haiku collections.
So far, he’s put out
six books. Each collection has
100 poems.
True to the form, Ash
lets 17 syllables
capture a moment.
Each poem is a
short three lines, with syllables
placed in a pattern.
The first line has five
syllables, the second has
seven, the third, five.
He’s waxed poetic
on coffee, Catholics and
chocolate so far.
Most of his work is
observational and light.
Examples include:
“She likes her boyfriends
the way she likes her java:
Tall, dark and steamy.”
“Rapt parishioners
hang on Father’s every word …
one gasps, then: ‘Bingo!’”
“Because cacao grows
around the planet’s waistline,
it ends up on mine.”
Christmas and office
work will provide fodder for
more new books this year.
Formerly a choir
director, Ash wants writing
to be his sole job.
Ash, 49, put
out his first collection in
2007.
He publishes his
work through Basho Press, a new
company he launched.
The private press was
named for Japanese poet
Matsuo Basho.
The press’ odd name
could slip your mind, but Ash knows how to recall it.
“I just tell them to
remember ‘Ash’ surrounded
by B.O.,” he said.
Thoughts? Call 425-
339-3455
to reach A. Rathbun.
Or write him via
e-mail at arathbun@
heraldnet.com
Order a book
Visit www.bashopress.com for a full selection of Ash’s “Haiku for Life” series, including “Haiku for Baseball Lovers,” “Haiku for Poker Players,” and his new release, “Haiku for Dog Lovers”
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