Five Seven Five: Science fictional examinations of the elusive haiku (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781946176448)

When Ron proposed this book of science fictional haiku, I was amused but skeptical. Haiku? Does he know what a haiku is? Can he even write poetry?

Turns out he does know what a haiku is and he can write poetry. As I read along I was increasingly fascinated and delighted. The pairing of haiku and AI artwork is ingenious, truly more than the sum of its parts. And that's before you read Ron's short comments describing each pairing, adding extra depth, often with poignancy and humor.

I found myself studying each piece of art to see if I could guess the subject of the haiku before reading it. And then returning to the artwork with the haiku now in mind before reading Ron's comments. You will not be surprised to find yourself sometimes disagreeing with Ron's interpretation or assessment of the resulting artwork. That's okay. Art, like beauty, is all in the eye of the beholder.

I was even inspired to write my own haiku and generate an AI pairing, above. The wild-eyed look of Ron the science fiction author writing haiku is perfect!

So, enjoy the book you have in your hands. Savor it. Let the combined beauty of the haiku and AI artwork do its magic.

Lisa Collins, editor