The collection presents traditional Zen Buddhist koans in a modern context, tailored for contemporary readers. Language and cultural nuances are simplified to enhance understanding while preserving the essence and significance of the original teachings. This accessible approach offers a fresh perspective on these profound stories, making them relevant and enlightening for today's audience.
Focusing on the author's personal journey, this expanded edition offers a candid exploration of artistic identity intertwined with confessions of international mischief. It includes early blog entries reflecting on poets and poetry, set against the backdrop of peace, human rights, and ecology movements. The narrative serves as a poignant reminder of the significance of art in activism, resonating deeply in today's context of ongoing conflict. The book is a compelling blend of personal reflection and social commentary.
This chapbook of minimalist poetry shines a spotlight on the reality of modern interpersonal communication. A delicacy and subtlety unknown to Richard Brautigan permeates this work; a clean starkness visited only by Mishima; a clarity possessed only by the great haiku poets ~ this is conversations. The first In his latest literary effort, conversations, Roy Anthony Shabla becomes the proverbial "fly on the wall". From this vantage point, he observes and light-heartedly describes the awkward social interactions inherent in the potential and ongoing relationships of others as well as his own. His inimitable poetic banter is both entertaining and biting and can even be, at times, poignant. A highly readable chapbook, conversations is a welcome addition to Shabla's growing ouvre.