The Dollhouse Mirror

Magic, fantasy, and love-linger in the moments with this collection of haiku-like poetic vignettes.

In this beautifully crafted collection of poetry, you are invited to stop and wander over each poem, to let yourself linger in that moment between dream and reality. Within that world, you may find that many of the things you thought were only fantasy are more real than you imagined.

From the burning carnality of love, to the mystical attraction of nature, these haiku-like poems leave a lasting impression and that will catch you at the most unexpected moments.

Watson traces key thematic influences in his work to favorite poets and other works of fiction. In T.S. Eliot, the author admires his use of symbolism and the multi-lingual, multi-cultural sources he drew on from classical literature. In E. E. Cummings, Watson admires the fluidity and spontaneity of his work, the willingness to break form and play with new form, the passion, and the stark imagery. In Pablo Neruda, the intense use of imagery from nature and the way he tied it to romantic longing. Finally, in terms of non-poetic genres, work that explores the depths of the human subconscious, as expressed in fantasy, horror, and drama, including such works as the Twilight Zone and the movies of Alfred Hitchcock and Akira Kurosawa.

In terms of aesthetic, Watson has been heavily influenced by the haiku and tanka (waka) of Japanese poetry and the quatrains of Chinese poetry. This influence has been particularly pronounced in his reading and translation of poets such as Basho, the Hyakunin Isshu poets he translated in his book, One Hundred Leaves, and the works of Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, and Bai Juyi. Central to this aesthetic are the following: 1) a concise form with a focus on maximum impact, often containing a similar amount of substantive words as in a haiku or a tanka, 2) a focus on concrete images or ideas, 3) poems containing two elements, with the second element serving as a progression or "twist" on the first element, and 4) a goal of suggesting implicitly rather than saying explicitly, leaving room for subtext and imagination.

Hear what readers have to say about The Dollhouse Mirror:

"Sometimes, we feel as if watching Akira Kurosawa's movie, Sunshine Through The Rains, which is a fusion of reality and fantasy. He portrays intense love as well as mystic experience in the pages."

-Fabiyas M V, Goodreads

"Five stars for creativity I related to all of them and don't know if this book will pass on to others. Sorry-it's a keeper."

-Michelle, Goodreads

"Blend in tarot and emotional connection and you have a vivid stream of thought that is reflective and engrossing "

-Diane, Goodreads

"This collection of poetry indeed takes me into a different style as well as taking my imagination outside the box of realism to make believe."

-Kim Justice, Goodreads

"This book was HAUNTING. There is no other word for it. Fantasy, romance, contemporary, mystery, and historical all rolled into one; each poem brought all of my emotions bubbling to the surface. It's not something I will soon forget."

-Shawna Brooks, Goodreads

"This was the best poetry book I read this year"

-Graham, Goodreads

"Makes you pause for a moment and appreciate living and loving"

-Louise, Goodreads

"This was a very pleasant read of short poems. Each poem communicates a lovely image in a simple way, that you really can wander over as the description says. And what I love most about short poems is that they really allow you to meditate on the beauty of language itself."

-Lon, Goodreads