Peter Strider is a medical doctor who lives and works in Sydney Australia. He has been exploring and writing about haiku as a hobby under this nom de plume on his blog www.haikuapprentice.com, and has become an avid commentator of haiku. He would love other haiku commentators to join his haiku commentary group on facebook.
He has previously won prizes for non-haiku poetry while a student at the University of NSW in Sydney.
View all posts by Peter Strider
Beautiful response Brandon! And a poem delving into philosophy – one of my favourite topics but one rarely able to be turned into poetry without cloying or kitsch. But you have done it magnificently. So many questions and discussions could arise in response to your poem! Thank you for such a thoughtful poem!
Thank you Polona for the kind comment, and for keeping our magpie exchange going with yet another verse of your own. As you well know, my poem would have remained at best an egg in a nest without your inspiring guidance.
Thank you Claudette. Though to be honest, I much prefer to read other people's poems than my own (since it then allows me more opportunity to spout ;-)
Thanks Peter! I really like the double meaning in the first line of your response.
And you are quite right, to this magpie, even the slightest glitter is golden!
I was excited to see your name pop in my inbox this morning. A nice poem that speaks of the reality of sharing poems over the internet these days and how we exchange our views with each other. This medium has certainly brought many who are so far from each other, together, and share our experiences and common interests. Seems just as natural as one magpie answering the call of another. That is how I see it anyway.
Thank you so much, Jayashree! I really like the natural way you craft your comments – here and elsewhere – and weave them through with a connection to everyday life. You have a genuine poetic temperament and your insights are rich, so you certainly don't need to apologize for your interpretation. I look forward to reading more comments by you on Tinywords in future!
Thank you to all the kind subscribers on Tinywords who by sharing their poetry and commentary over the past few months (and years) have inspired and continue to inspire my love of modern English-language haiku and short-form poetry. It is such a wonderful community and a daily delight. Thank you especially to the editors who make the site possible. It is one of the loveliest and brightest places I know on the internet.
That is wonderful. Thanks Alan, I look forward to it. I know it will be thoughtful and instructive!
Ironically, I posted a response to yesterday's poem and included a YouTube link of David Attenborough and a Lyrebird, and only after pressing submit and nothing happened did I realize there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the comments page that links will be moderated!
Oh well! I look forward to hearing your magpie recording! As Polona intimated in her haiku response, there is a big difference in the songs of Northern and Southern hemisphere magpies. I believe in Europe they are quite screechy, whereas in Australia they are actually very lyrical and a beautiful accompaniment to the neighbourhood soundscape.
Catching up on the archives a little! Whether or not this will go through and you see it, I don't know. Nevertheless…
That must be a very lovely email correspondent that you have, Strider.
I love our magpies. There is no bird I've heard that compares with their songs. Especially the solos I hear in winter (even where I am,now, close to the the city) Are you familiar (I somehow think you may be) with John Shaw Neilson's 'Magpie in the Moonlight'?
British Library archive: magpie calls: http://sounds.bl.uk/Environment/British-wildlife-…
magpie calls
the verses we exchange
by email
—Peter Strider
We are all magpies as in collectors of things we deem necessary for our survival, and for us much needed poetry can be a boon.
My webmail is often filled with verse alongside the more pressing concerns of global injustices. I need my balances and checks.
Even in silence there is noise:
Early morning rain
the sound between
the sound
Alan Summers
Asahi Shimbun (Japan 2013)
belying feathers
of black and white–the magpie's
gray morality
Beautiful response Brandon! And a poem delving into philosophy – one of my favourite topics but one rarely able to be turned into poetry without cloying or kitsch. But you have done it magnificently. So many questions and discussions could arise in response to your poem! Thank you for such a thoughtful poem!
screeching magpie
down under its namesake
replies with a song
nice to see an outstanding commentator among contributing authors as well
Thank you Polona for the kind comment, and for keeping our magpie exchange going with yet another verse of your own. As you well know, my poem would have remained at best an egg in a nest without your inspiring guidance.
Peter
Congratulations on your first published haiku:) I hope there are many more
to come.
Thank you Claudette. Though to be honest, I much prefer to read other people's poems than my own (since it then allows me more opportunity to spout ;-)
to the magpie
all that glitters
is gold
Thanks Peter! I really like the double meaning in the first line of your response.
And you are quite right, to this magpie, even the slightest glitter is golden!
Congratulations Peter Strider!!!
I was excited to see your name pop in my inbox this morning. A nice poem that speaks of the reality of sharing poems over the internet these days and how we exchange our views with each other. This medium has certainly brought many who are so far from each other, together, and share our experiences and common interests. Seems just as natural as one magpie answering the call of another. That is how I see it anyway.
Thank you so much, Jayashree! I really like the natural way you craft your comments – here and elsewhere – and weave them through with a connection to everyday life. You have a genuine poetic temperament and your insights are rich, so you certainly don't need to apologize for your interpretation. I look forward to reading more comments by you on Tinywords in future!
Thank you to all the kind subscribers on Tinywords who by sharing their poetry and commentary over the past few months (and years) have inspired and continue to inspire my love of modern English-language haiku and short-form poetry. It is such a wonderful community and a daily delight. Thank you especially to the editors who make the site possible. It is one of the loveliest and brightest places I know on the internet.
Strider
I was actually the first to comment but as I had a British Library weblink to a magpie call it might not go up alas. Enjoyed the haiku very much.
Alan
That is wonderful. Thanks Alan, I look forward to it. I know it will be thoughtful and instructive!
Ironically, I posted a response to yesterday's poem and included a YouTube link of David Attenborough and a Lyrebird, and only after pressing submit and nothing happened did I realize there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the comments page that links will be moderated!
Oh well! I look forward to hearing your magpie recording! As Polona intimated in her haiku response, there is a big difference in the songs of Northern and Southern hemisphere magpies. I believe in Europe they are quite screechy, whereas in Australia they are actually very lyrical and a beautiful accompaniment to the neighbourhood soundscape.
Congrats, Strider…enjoyed it!
Had been waiting to hear this magpie call…
Sanjuktaa, thank you for your kind comment!
Hopefully we will get to taste some wild berries of your own some time soon
Nice to hear your poetic voice. I love this haiku.
Many thanks indeed, Dawn. Though I think perhaps my poetic voice is better directed toward other people's poetry, through commentary.
I've just realised who you are, Peter (I'm a bit slow on the uptake tonight after a week-long residential writing course!)
I really like the ku :)
marion
Catching up on the archives a little! Whether or not this will go through and you see it, I don't know. Nevertheless…
That must be a very lovely email correspondent that you have, Strider.
I love our magpies. There is no bird I've heard that compares with their songs. Especially the solos I hear in winter (even where I am,now, close to the the city) Are you familiar (I somehow think you may be) with John Shaw Neilson's 'Magpie in the Moonlight'?
– Lorin