A writer has travelled the length of the island from top to bottom to write his latest collection of poetry.

Paul Quayle made the journey from the Point of Ayre to the Chasms throughout the past year to create ’The Narrow Road to the Deep South’, a collection of 23 haiku poems, which he released in October.

Inspired by the historic Japanese poet Basho, who created the art form of haiku in his book ’The Narrow Road to the Deep North’, Paul turned the journey on its head and travelled from the north to a place of emotional significance, visiting many of the island’s historic sites along the way and committing fleeting moments to poetry.

The poems are presented, along with pieces detailing the history and significance of each place he visited.

’I undertook the journey in memory of a mate of mine, Roger Leece, who died at the Chasms a couple of years ago.

’After I realised a big part of my focus to write my next book was to visit the Chasms, I turned their title around on its head, making the trip to the south, as a sort of parody of Basho’s book,’ said Paul.

’The cover picture, by Janice Moss, turned the Isle of Man upside down and has me walking south.

’That idea came from my old archaeology teacher, Dr Peter Davey, who always turned the map of the island upside down, as he said that’s how he saw it. As the Vikings arrived, from the Hebrides or wherever, that’s how they would see the island, landing in the north and venturing south.’

Starting at the island’s most northern tip, where he evocatively pairs together the mechanical lights of the lighthouse with a chance glimpse of a shooting star, Paul visited many sites, ending with a reflection at the stone circle at Spanish Head and the Chasms.

Paul said that he didn’t specifically write with his friend in mind, but he can see where he reflected on his grief after writing his poems.

’Grief is a strange thing, I suppose,’ he said.

’This journey was my way of dealing with it, but grief does crop up in unexpected ways.

’Sometimes it would be there when I was out and about visiting places, but more often I would be at home reflecting on what I’d seen.’

’The idea about my poetry is to really capture something, a timeless moment in three lines.

’I think of them as two images and it is the space between the two when your attention switches from one thing to another.

’They are about the awareness of having something occur in front of you and having the stillness of mind to notice it.

’That is when it becomes more obvious and it becomes poetic.

’Our minds are often too busy to notice things and I think this is my way of trying to quieten down my mind.’

l The Narrow Road to the Deep South is available from all local bookshops.

by Mike Wade

Twitter:@iomnewspapers