A review of an'ya's moon moths volume 1
moon moths, volume 1, is a collection of haiku and haiga from well-known haijin, an'ya, and it's an artful
collection in every sense of the word. moon moths consists of 25 booklets pouch-bound in a style known
as oriental fukuro-toji. Each booklet is composed of hand-made mulberry paper in various shades of
luxurious tissue-thin colour. Between those pages is hidden one of an'ya's haiga in her inimitable style.
Reading through this book is like walking through an art gallery searching for treasure. Each booklet is
representative of a different hallway or corner with an'ya's haiga appearing as art-words hanging on the walls.
Yet this is an art gallery experience like no other. Where else could one handle the art, inhale the art, take
time to carefully examine the artisanship of each placement of paper, each pressed-in mulberry flower, each
stroke of pen?
Most poetry books can be read in an evening's time, but not so with moon moths . This book invites the
reader to have an experience in sensory richness, with sights, smells, and textures that are unique.
An'ya's words bear their usual image-rich, nature-inspired trademark. Her images are well-crafted,
with no line wasted, and each placed with artful skill. Such quality work is worthy of the unusual
presentation that moon moths provides.
This is the perfect gift book, although you'll have a hard time parting with it, even as a loaner.
But should you find yourself persuaded to lend out your copy of moon moths, volume one, don't despair:
moon moths, volume 2 is already in the works.
an'ya
the natal*light press
POB 3627
La Pine, Oregon
97739 USA
$14.95 US + shipping
Aurora Antonovic is a Canadian freelance writer, visual artist, and the former co-editor and
columnist for the GT Times.
Her poetry has appeared in recent months over 200 times in publications such as Adagio Verse Quarterly,
Promise, Blind Man's Rainbow,
The Bohemian Rag, Regal Quill Quarterly, Black Mail Press, Makata, The Entouist, and Poetic Voices.
She currently resides in Ontario.
Email: Aurora Antonovic
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