I Hear Your Voice

Minimalist, imagistic poems merge with dreamy black and white line drawings for a visually stimulating reading experience. Borrowing elements from the modern haiku tradition, poet Andrew Hubbard explores his surroundings in alluring detail. The visual artist, Adi Dabush from Brooklyn invokes her dreams to simply represent the work's imagery.

This collection of poems and drawings contrasts the styles of two artists, both working in minimalist styles.

The poet, Andrew Hubbard, employs timeless, imagistic language in the style of haiku. His interpretation of the Japanese form illustrates a strong connection and deep understanding of nature, intimacy, and suffering.

Adi Dabush, aka Adi Dorel, a Brooklyn-based artist and the book's illustrator, works primarily in black and white ink. The urban landscape and fast-pace of New York City influences her desire to distill images to their most basic forms. 

Bringing these artists together to make a cohesive art and poetry book has been a great study in finding continuity across generations, locales, and styles.

The Manyoshu is a work of over 4,000 poems collected in eighth century Japan. Recently, I read a collection of love poems excerpted from this work.

Their dominant themes are longing, rather than fulfillment; and separation, rather than togetherness. 

I like them particularly for their restraint and understatement; two qualities which I admire, and which are notably lacking from modern American poetry.

I wrote a few poems in a similar style, and showed them, a bit diffidently, to my test readers. Rather to my surprise, they not only liked them, but asked for more. So I wrote some more. Again, they asked for more.

Before I knew it, this book had been completed. I hope you will enjoy it.