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At the Opened Door, Frank Dullaghan, Hub Haiku Series, obtainable from the author, 16x11 cm ISBN 1-903746-10-8,   £5

Over a hundred poems (including 8 tanka) in a range of formats from 1 line to 4. The title is apt and the cover design (from a painting by FD’s son Aidan) has both vibrancy and a nice ambiguity giving a subtle hint of what lies within. Subject matter ranges from the expected observations of the natural world, through many close observations of human responses to both nature and technology, to snapshots of uncertain affiliation. Frank Dullaghan’s work will be familiar to BHS members though from more ‘bite sized chunks’ in  the Journal, Anthologies over some 10 years and the Iron Book. This is a first opportunity to consider his work on a larger scale, it being his first chapbook.

     I have not tried to be overly objective but simply to engage with this larger body of work and group the resultant experience under ‘first impressions’ and ‘second thoughts.’

     First impressions crystallised what, from scattered encounters had been hints and conjectures. In many examples, the emotions behind the haiku are brought closer than usual to the reader, but still require the reader to participate to identify it (often without realising that he/she has done so!); treading a razor edge but for me it works: late night walk / singing to you / in my head and after the slow dance / her breast’s impression / on my mind. Before reading the book, my exposure to occasional poems had often left me curious of his age, some suggested youth others maturity. The book has resolved the conundrum. Although mature, Frank manages to inject a sense of youthful innocence into many of the poems to an extent that is enviable. Sometimes it stems from the way of writing and the choice of words whereas, in others it seems to be his way of looking at the world: a shell on my desk / the sea roars / in the city and trying to decide / I flip the coin / and lose it. Second thoughts centred on two observations. Firstly, a significant number (about 20%) of the poems are in 2 lines. Not a format I personally favour and therefore looked at these again. Some work remarkably well, their sparseness adding to the experience: on the teacher’s apple / small teeth marks and in the quiet house / the fridge. Others left me feeling that they were the larger halves of very promising 3-liners or that dividing the lines differently would be more satisfying: making love - the cold draught through the window  and  dancing through summer grass - the shadow of leaves. Secondly, one of the tanka was remembered form an earlier encounter (BS 2/2, 1992) but felt ‘different.’ On checking it is clear that some revisions have taken place in the intervening years, and beneficial to their transmission. So even if you think you are familiar with the author there may be some additional surprises in store. If you need any further recommendation to buy, it I will confess that between the first and final draft, all the examples have changed!