Title: A Ray of Light in the Lion’s Eye
Author: Kent Neal
Language: French
Publisher: French Haiku Association, Solstice Collection
Publication date: January 2021
Price: EUR 8 or CAD 12
No. of pages: 58
Format: paperback
Dimensions: 11 × 13 cm
ISBN: 979-10-93318-15-8
A little book in French of little moments in the city of lions.
“You’ve never been to Lyon before? Let Kent be your guide! More Lyonnais than a Lyonnais, he tells the story of the capital of Gaul with his heart, and everything is there. In each of his haiku, he observes, wonders, and moves forward with the courage of a lion. There’s no need need for explanations to recognize places. The important thing is his unique journey. With his poet’s sensibility up until the final picture, he knows how to describe the colors, sounds, lights, smells, and parties of all that makes up daily life in Lyon with delicate and subtle details from his inner self.”
By savoring each haiku in this little book, you will (re)discover fleeting moments in the city of lions: between the Rhone and Saone Rivers, and between the hill that works and the hill that prays.
Title: Where Saltwater Mixes With Freshwater
Author: Kent Neal
Languages: English and French
Publisher: Red Moon Press
Publication Date: May 1, 2017
Price: USD 20.00
No. of pages: 82
Format: paperback
Dimensions: 4.25″ x 6.5″
ISBN: 978-1-936848-73-7
A bilingual haiku collection in French and English of memories growing up on the Oregon coast.
“The haiku of ‘Where Saltwater Mixes with Freshwater’ highlight often overlooked details that force the reader to take note of the quiet beauty in observation. It takes me back to younger days on the Oregon Coast.”
I wanted to write about where I grew up in French, so that French readers could discover the Oregon coast: its beauty, plants, wildlife, weather, and history.
So that my friends and family back home could read them too.
I’ve been living in France since 2003 and each time I visit my hometown, I’m always struck by its character and surrounding landscapes. I wanted to share this with readers.
In a town near the mouth of the Columbia River called Astoria, Oregon (USA).
The Columbia River’s water is made up of melted snow from mountains in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon as well as rain. This freshwater flows into the saltwater of the Pacific Ocean. Astoria is located along the Columbia River Estuary where these two kinds of water mix together.
As anyone who lives on the Oregon coast knows, it rains a lot there and this rain comes in many different forms. Astoria is one of the most humid cities in the United States. It is surrounded by several bodies of water: the Columbia River, Youngs Bay, the Lewis and Clark River, and of course the Pacific Ocean.
I’ve always lived near water and been fascinated by it. Water is life; water is flow; water is movement; water is change. It symbolizes so many things.
Title: The Compass, The Labyrinth, and the Hour Glass
Author: Kent Neal
Language: French
Publisher: ÉrosOnyx Éditions
Publication Date: May 2015
Price: EUR 19.00
No. of pages: 88
Format: paperback
Dimensions: 19 X 24 cm
ISBN: 978-2-918444-24-4
This gay poetry book was Kent’s first collection. The artist Dorian Jude drew the illustrations. The artist François Mary handwrote all of the poems in the book.
In the labyrinth of online dating, internet users sometimes feel like they are going around in circles, going backwards, or getting lost. They are aware of the passage of time. This time is symbolized by grains of sand falling inside the hour glass. For everyone who wanders along the paths of the Net in search of a dialogue, an exchange, or pleasure, this book does not claim to be a compass showing them the path to take, but rather a reflection on this new way to find friendship, sex, or even love.
The book is also available on E.Leclerc, Chez Mon Libraire, and other online bookstores.