A Pontrhydygroes poet and artist has turned her hand to the Japanese haiku.

Karen Robbie, who has lived in Pontrhydygroes with her husband for 20 years, published ‘home’ through Alba Publishing in October 2025. It was subsequently shortlisted for an award.

“‘home’ is my first collection of haiku, senryu and haibun,” Karen explained.

“It was shortlisted for The Haiku Foundation Touchstone Distinguished Book Award 2025.

“I stopped painting and started writing haiku in 2018.

“The pieces for the book were chosen in order of publication in haiku journals, anthologies and online. My haiku is inspired by 30 years of Zen meditation practice, my love of nature, walking on the moor and hills close to my home and the everyday.

“I feel lucky to live near the moor and Hafod Estate. Walking in open and wild places, surrounded by nature, creates the space for me to write.

“When I first started I didn’t realise how many people were writing English language haiku and other Japanese forms. The world of traditional and contemporary haiku is international.

“Having the opportunity to be part of this world has been a privilege and reading the work of other haiku writers has been a great motivation.

“Even though haiku has only three lines, I find they can be very difficult to write. Sometimes I spend weeks and months working on one. Sometimes some just happen.

“The process is like meditation, it’s a practice and ongoing. They are a challenge and this is why I love writing them.

“A few examples of my haiku:

oak bowl

tracing my fingers

around its life

summer dusk

a hare fading

into the field

Born in Dundee, Scotland in 1965, Karen holds a BA (First Class) and MA in Fine Art (Drawing and Painting).

Get ‘home’ from Karen - [email protected] - at local bookshops, the National Library and Aberystwyth Arts Centre.