NEW HOPE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW

The sheer extent of the recognition afforded to Gilles Fabre's work is impressive, even as evidenced by the selection of remarks appended to this new collection of his haiku. Praise from many of the world's top haiku poets and leaders of haiku organizations is adequate testimony of Fabre's achievement. While Fabre himself is an editor and publisher of haiku, it must be gratifying for him to receive notices praising his work from critics as far afield as Europe, America and Asia.

Certainly BECAUSE OF A SEAGULL is emblematic of Fabre's low-key manner. It is stylishly made, and includes over fifty of his poems, all printed with only one or two per page, separated at intervals by a slightly ironical monochrome sketch of a seagull. And it is this lightness of touch, this whimsical, yet fastidious orderliness which defines the poet's style. He is deep, as can be seen in the minute preface to the poems, where he says writing haiku

brings awareness and respect for the fragile and transient world we live in and may also bring enlightenment and fulfillment to others.

	Searching for change
	this old man
	his shirt inside out

		In the sun
		the fishmonger helps to push
		the butcher's van

	After mass
	the priest kneels again
	to lock the church door

		End of the day —
		old barber, shaving
		an old man

	Just when I thought
	today would be forgotten
	ladybird on my guitar

		Mountain sunset —
		among pines
		one red-leafed tree

This is a limited edition publication, but if you are fortunate enough to find one, make it your own through reading, and make it doubly yours by sharing it with others.