The very first catchy line of Olivier’s book, “He is happiest; be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home” by Goethe is so perfect and true.

The very first catchy line of Olivier’s book, “He is happiest; be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home” by Goethe is so perfect and true.

The very first catchy line of Olivier’s book, “He is happiest; be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home” by Goethe is so perfect and true.

Some of his collection has appeared in many publications and he has to his credit many Awards which is worth mention here. Congratulations Olivier and we look forward to many more.

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Home After a Long Absence: Haiku, Senryu and Tanka by Olivier Schopfer

The very first catchy line of Olivier’s book, “He is happiest; be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home” by Goethe is so perfect and true.  Home is the only place to be peaceful and I truly agree with these words.  This line will stay with me and I pick up some of the beautiful lines each Poet/Writer writes which I treasure.

Some of his collection has appeared in many publications and he has to his credit many Awards which is worth mention here.  Congratulations Olivier and we look forward to many more.

Readers, the best aspect of this book is to read Olivier’s experience and his masterful words on coming back home after a long time.  You will feel all the lines so relatable and profound.  Each one of us must have experienced the same at some point of time.  I marvel at his simplicity and well-crafted words to pen down the newness he feels as he returns home and that too in such few words.  He knows his trade so well!  Just few poems but they say it all just like any picture/photograph without words say it all.

 

As I read his book, I felt each and every word of his deeply and at times, I even felt and found myself there at the same places as he was.  This is something very unique about reading his book.  His love for home where he finds peace is so much evident as you read the following lines-

“Home after a long absence lilacs in bloom”

“Walking down a different street to get home my whole day changed”

“Bitter dispute the washer goes into its spin-dry cycle, patching things up cherry blossoms scattered over our doorstep”

“Spring cleaning the cassette player that chewed up tapes, treasures and trash parts of me”

“Still life a housefly lands on the sliced apple”

“Stretching out on the living room floor the cat and a sunbeam”

“Breakfast alighting on the window sill a sparrow with a twig in its beak”

“Family cookbook stained and filled with penciled notes autumn dusk”

“Frost on the kitchen window smell of freshly brewed coffee, morning drizzle bacon strips sizzling in the frying pan”

“On my welcome doormat an unwelcome salesman, phoning my aged mother the time it takes her to answer”

Readers, do you observe on how he has given so much importance to even mundane tasks?  That is a Poet who can put his minutest observations to words!  Mind blowing indeed.

 

Almost all the Poets and Writers love nature.  Olivier has masterfully woven his words around nature combining them with everyday life in his village and that was something very awesome-

“Mountaintop at dusk one after another in the valley the village houses light up”

“Sudden wind the garden Buddha’s head crowned with cherry blossoms”

“Wildflower meadow the invisible life of soil organisms”

“After the storm the gurgle of rain in the drainpipe”

“Sunrise the fruit bowl full of oranges, twilight from the window box the scent of lavender”

“In from the garden an ant makes its way through the labyrinth of my forearm hair, too many paths we stray off the way home”

“First cold day hard to the touch the avocado skin, hot topic the cheese soufflé deflates”

“All my dreams not come true winter stars, waking up the world so quiet fresh snow”.

I could much relate to his pangs of pain as I read the below lines-

“In the dark of the kitchen with the fridge door open winter solstice, watching the neighbors having fun, New Year’s Eve”.

“The outdated comfort of a hot-water bottle alone tonight, hail knocking on the glass roof my loneliness”

 

“Television crime drama I double lock my door, today’s news turning on the television with the sound off”

Writing a review of this book was the easiest for me because of the simplicity Olivier used in his lines.

I will urge the Readers to purchase this book, and I must say, his book is worth a treasure unfolding bit by bit of his memories on home coming.  All the best to you Olivier, and I pray that your book crosses all the marks beyond your imagination.

Regards,

Shubhaangi Kundalkar

Author, Justaju-in search of life

Insta handle: window-to-my-heart