Poetry
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Walking and Drawing, Cairngorms, Scotland, Part 2
snow flakes dancing around in the sunlight finished no more haiku just footstep after footstep
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Dogen’s Waka: 2 Poems, 2 Commentaries
First poem and commentary by John Fraser: My free translation of Master Dogen’s poem Shobogenzo: 波も引き風もつながぬ捨小舟 月こそ夜半のさかひ成けり In the heart of the dark The moonlight holding A small boat drifting Unmoved by the wind Unthrown by the waves Dogen’s poetry – because it is imagistic – makes it easier to express apparent paradox than prose. We
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Walking and Drawing, Cairngorms, Scotland, Part 1
fractured not disassociated edges of chaos Heading up through Glen Tilt we found piles of old logs and bare wood, massive tyre tracked and gouged layers of mud. A brief glimpse of a spotted woodpecker? Gradually heading uphill over mossy ground with open aspects over the winding river below and to the snow covered tops
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Dogen’s white heron poem: a Zen commentary by John Fraser
I have been thinking quite a bit recently about the mindset and visuals of Japanese Waka/Tanka and (the shorter, short song) of Haiku which came later. By good fortune at Zazen recently, during his Kusen my friend John Fraser recited and talked about this poem by Soto Zen Master Dogen Zenji (1200-1253), which takes the
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Tracks, trails, omens
Has been a long winter in Scotland and have been out through various trails. Wandering through these half forgotten, foggy forestry roads in the hills. Spider webs and open voids, condensed silence shattered by heavy wingbeats. Have been thinking more about Matsuo Basho, and Ryokan’s roaming too and mountain living. dreams lost in the grasses,
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Snow-Moor-Machines-Words-Wind
squealing blades cracked sun smoking snow trailing ice-grooves stone by stone shirking booming gusts
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Two years on from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
11th March 2011 Two years have now passed, and we wish to send our warmest wishes from Scotland, UK, to all those affected in Tohoku and around Japan. roaming sea-roads to far away coves lines fragmented, pens in motion on the Pacific edge 遠くの入り江まで海のそばをぶらつく とぎれとぎれの線, ペンが動く 太平洋の端っこで
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Season’s Greetings 2012
Have a great 2013 and all the very best wishes! Image: “Wandering Shibuya” 14 x 12 cm, mixed media on Japanese shikishi board sunlight drifts through autumn rain I try to write a line or two but end up dreaming of Tokyo
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Artist Book – ‘Grey Torn Alloy and Other Exerpts’
Have been pretty busy with exhibition prep not to mention an artist book I started to develop a wee while ago and had to get really stuck in to get it finished. This is the first time to self publish and has opened up plenty of new creative possibilities and the process of investigating bindings