Robert Epstein’s collection, The Helping Hand Haiku Anthology, was published earlier in 2020 by Middle Island Press. Robert has brought together an extensive collection of haiku, senryu, tanka and haiga on the theme of care, kindness and helping others.

As with most of Robert’s collections, the book commences with a thoughtful Preface. In this case, celebrating the human capacity to transcend our differences and help others. Help can, of course, take many forms: giving to those in need, working with others to achieve a goal, assisting someone with a day-to-day task or simply showing concern and sharing a kind word.

The poems in The Helping Hand Haiku Anthology describe our acts of kindness toward others, the kindness of others toward us, our care for animals and their care for us. Below are a few poems from the book. When reading each of these haiku, please take a little time to contemplate the circumstance, the love and the desire to help.

learning to walk
one mother
holds each hand

(Gregory Piko)

traffic light
the weeping girl’s burden
becomes mine

(Madhuri Pillai)

twilight
a sheepdog calls
his master home

(Christine Eales)

winter chill
carrying my old dog
up the steps

(Vanessa Proctor)

The Helping Hand Haiku Anthology offers poems about acts of giving and receiving, care and love, kindness and forgiveness. These are poems that lift the spirit, refresh the soul and renew our faith in humankind. You can purchase a copy of The Helping Hand Haiku Anthology direct from Middle Island Press, or from Amazon.