First published in Sketchbook May/June 30, 2009, Vol 4, No. 3

Last in a series of collaborations between Mary Davila and Tracy Koretsky.

We wanted to celebrate our collaboration by concluding with something that would honor both of our holidays: Easter and Passover. When I looked at the image Mary offered me, I could practically hear it – as if the water and leaves were offering up prayers. From lower than the low, low bowed heads of the reeds, the prayers rise unbounded into the high, high cloudless sky. For such an ecumenical project, I consulted a saijiki for a kigo and did my best to construct a very traditional kireji. I did this out of respect for the intent of the piece, but also because I wanted to end our collaborative portfolio of six haiga with a strictly traditional haiku to balance the surreal haiku in our first effort.

Tracy Koretsky