There are already as many as six million people actively composing haiku in Japan, and this form of poetry is becoming more popular in America. This is just the right book for those who want to take up this art. The author, who was recently an editor for "Tricycle: The Buddhist Review," has written and taught haiku for 20 years.

This 17-syllable poem, according to Strand, makes nature a spiritual path. It places images before ideas and emphasizes the uniqueness of each moment. Strand talks about keeping a haiku diary, taking walks to find images, and forming a group to share haiku. This lyrical book, filled with poems by Strand and many of his students, will enable you to appreciate the connection between haiku and the spiritual practices of attention, being present, openness, faith, and silence.