Poetry. Fiction. Travel. WATER SHINING BEYOND THE FIELDS focuses on travel in Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Southern China, and Thailand, presented in the haibun form, celebrated by the Japanese poet Basho in the 17th century. John Brandi defines the form in his latest book: "Haibun might traditionally be regarded as a series of en situ prose descriptions concluded by a haiku. The job of the haiku is to reveal an unexpected flash, an essence not quite captured in the prose." He adds: "But I didn' t set out to follow any rules, my own or Basho's. I set out to set out." WATER SHINING BEYOND THE FIELDS is full of long walks, misty temples, wild bus rides, solitary river excursions, culinary escapades and off-the-wall humor. It is also a cultural and political journey, one that eventually throws light on our survival options in a troubled world.

About the author: John Brandi is a poet, writer, and artist. He is the author of thirty eight books of poetry and nonfiction. His work includes In What Disappears and Heartbeat Geography. He continues to teach, as he always has, apart from the academy, as an itinerant scholar and lecturer.