In each of these imagistic poems, peace and war in Israel are juxtaposed in ways that portray the heart-wrenching beauty and sorrow of daily life in this conflict-ridden land. 

A former reporter with The New York Times in Jerusalem, Black found it difficult to capture all of the contradictions that he encountered in Israel in his reportage: F-16s and great blue herons, talesim and army boots, olive trees and bombings.

Wrote Debra Rubin in the New Jersey Jewish News: Black found scenes "both touching and disturbing, a dichotomy of war and peace in a land of spirituality that was hard to put into the vernacular of the cold, hard facts required by a newspaper..."

With a unique dos-a-dos (back-to-back) binding, it's like having two books in one: peace poems on one side, war poems on the other, all interconnected by one binding. Being a miniature book, it also fits comfortably in your hand.

The book is a perfect gift for lovers of Israel, new visitors and longtime residents of the country.
3.5 inches x 4.5 inches.

"miniature but meaningful...a creatively designed book..." Shiri Kuperberg, Bureau Chief for Israel President Shimon Peres

"a deeply felt prayer..." Kwame Dawes, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting

"beautifully designed and produced...the images are universal." Johnye Strickland, Simply Haiku

Peace and War: A Collection of Haiku From Israel

Rick Black

Turtle Light Press

Nick Virgilio, who started writing in the 1960s and was a pioneer of American haiku poetry, penned some of this country’s most elegiac and memorable haiku.
 Born and bred in Camden, New Jersey, he was a legend to some, an inspiration to others. He spent countless hours in his cellar at his Remington typewriter, writing haiku about nature, the people of Camden and south Philadelphia, and his family. In particular, he detailed the deep sense of loss that affected him and his family when his youngest brother, Larry, was killed in Vietnam.
 Edited and introduced by Raffael de Gruttola, a haiku poet and former president of the Haiku Society of America, "Nick: A Life in Haiku" includes more than 100 newly discovered haiku as well as old favorites, essays on the craft of writing, excerpts of an interview with Nick on “Radio Times” in Philadelphia, a tribute by Michael Doyle of Sacred Heart Church, family photos and replicas of original manuscript pages from the Rutgers University archive in Camden, N.J., where Nick’s papers are kept. 
 It is a perfect companion for haiku lovers, urban poetry enthusiasts, combat veterans and their families as well as high school/college writing classes whose students will enjoy its easily accessible and deeply moving poetry, its glimpse inside the writing process and its encouragement of new authors. Readers will gain a strong sense of this great haiku poet and his life in Camden and an appreciation of the power of haiku as a form of poetry. An afterword by poet Kathleen O’toole spells out Nick’s legacy as one of the most beloved and influential haiku poets in America.
 ----------------------- “…Nick has mined beauty out of the gutters of Camden. ..” Michael Doyle, Sacred Heart Church, Camden, N.J.
 “…Virgilio was intensely American, with a generosity of heart and spirit that recall Walt Whitman,” said Rod Willmot, a Canadian haiku poet and former publisher of Burnt Lake Press, which issued Virgilio’s first book. “He was a people’s poet, touching readers through the universality of what moved him and the honesty and dedication with which he wrote.”
 “…called by many this country’s foremost haiku poet.” Marty Moss-Coane, host of “Radio Times,” WHYY, Philadelphia

Nick Virgilio:A Life in Haiku

Literature & Fiction

Virgilio, Nicholas A.

O'Toole, Kathleen

Poetry

Chad Lee Robinson’s The Deep End of the Sky, winner of the Turtle Light Press 2014 Haiku Chapbook Competition, takes us deep into the heartland of America—and of ourselves. "These small poems will take you on a journey through the vast expanses of the American prairie, where you will see, hear and feel the farm landscape and its connection to the cosmos." Penny Harter, Judge, 2014 TLP Haiku Chapbook Contest "Robinson has adapted the haiku form to an American Heartland and often rural setting. He is an alert and wise observer of such things as farm work, hunting and fishing. This is an outstanding collection of haiku by a young man who has mastered the form." David Allan Evans, Poet Laureate of South Dakota "Chad Lee Robinson uses words the way Frederic Remington used brush and bronze. He beckons the reader not only to the vast landscapes of North America’s prairies, but also to the intimate center of human experience." Billie Wilson, Associate Editor, The Heron’s Nest "A rising star out of the West, Chad Lee Robinson celebrates the Great Plains with a fresh, unique voice. His approach to life is strong and direct, capturing the countryside and its denizens in language that reflects a deep passion for the world he inhabits, immersing the reader in poetry that stimulates the imagination, emotions, and intellect. With powerful images, The Deep End of the Sky sets a high bar for traditional haiku poets, establishing the benchmark for those who wish to convey the essence of place with empathy and heart." Marian Olson, HSA Merit Book Award-winning author of Desert Hours "Reading The Deep End of the Sky is to experience a symphony. Robinson's symphony, however, is not achieved through any tumultuous coming together of violins, brass, and thunder. In four movements, this chapbook's 47 haiku achieve the effects of symphonic cohesion and completeness by other means--simplicity, elemental language, direct and vivid imagery. In the hands of a master, these qualities convey the small details of life, death, and the unceasing passage of time, with profound and quiet power. Robinson's poems remind us of what matters. And what matters is that we hear, see, touch and inhale the better part of our being in the company of their art." Michael McClintock, President, United Haiku and Tanka Society "Robinson’s book, The Deep End of the Sky, lets you breathe and see the prairie as a native. He captures that sense of unhurried time on the range—the far reach of sky between farms and grain elevator towns. His haiku invite the reader to pause, stay awhile, and consider what it means and feels like to live on the prairie, not merely drive across it on a highway." Randy Brooks, Professor of English, Millikin University

The Deep End of the Sky

Robinson, Chad Lee

Furrows of Snow

Biographies & Memoirs

Coats, Glenn G.

Community & Culture

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