In the hands of a skilled writer, you don’t need a lot of words to say a great deal.

That is certainly true of local poet Paul Quayle, who published his first collection of haiku poetry.

’Blackbirds in a Tree’ contains 32 short, expressive poems, crafted by Paul over many years.

Taking inspiration from the local countryside, and walking through some of the island’s ancient monuments, Paul has captured fleeting moments of small, and seemingly insignificant natural happenings, and presented them as poetic snapshots.

Haiku poetry is a traditional Japanese art form, and typically consists of three sentences, containing five, seven and five syllables, which can often be lightly descriptive of a fleeting moment, yet are loaded with meaning and resonance.

Paul began writing haiku 20 years ago, and quickly found unexpected success, when he won a competition based in Japan, with a poem he wrote while working in Ramsey coal yard.

’It was the first competition I had ever entered,’ said Paul.

’It was run by a Japanese green tea company, and they published the winning poem on their cans. I didn’t know I’d won at first, but then a slab of 24 cans of green tea arrived in the post, followed by a framed copy of the poem and finally a letter telling me I’d won. It was really surprising.

’The poem was "Barbed wire above the coal yard wall. Blackbirds ina tree".

’The last line became the title for this book.

’I realised it was 20 years since I won that competition in Japan and I thought it was time to put together a collection of my work.’

Paul has exhibited poems recently, with his poems being part of the ’Saltmother’ exhibition, alongside Carola Colley, last year, and also the Archibald Knox display at the Manx Museum.

’I have always thought that it would be good to have a published collection to go along with the exhibition,’ he said.

’It gave me the chance to get some of my favourite poems printed, especially ones that I have from wandering around at home, looking at the night sky and many other moments that have stuck with me.’

Paul said that the key to writing good haiku poetry is to be aware of the environment you are in.

’Haiku poems are really writing about being absorbed in something, some activity, and something grabs you, and suddenly you are aware of the slightest movement or occurrence.

’Your attention is switched to something unexpected, and it is almost like a timelessness.

’In the book, I have included a small explanation that goes along with the poem.

’I take notes when I go out on walks or whatever, and I use them to create my poems.’

’Blackbirds in a Tree’ is available from Shakti Mann in Ramsey.

by Mike Wade

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