Bookpleasures.com is delighted to host Charles D. Williams, a distinguished author and nationally-recognized Tree Farmer hailing from Kentucky. Williams, known for his acclaimed work “Echo Ridge,” has recently unveiled his latest masterpiece, “Visible Magic.” This captivating collection of haikus builds upon the success of his award-winning predecessor.

Educated at The Webb School, Duke University, and the University of Kentucky College of Law, Williams brings a wealth of knowledge to his literary pursuits. With a career in law spanning back to 1979, his diverse background adds a unique perspective to his writing. Join us in exploring the enchanting world of “Visible Magic” and the remarkable journey of this accomplished writer on Bookpleasures.com.

Norm: Good day Charles and thanks for taking part in our interview.

Can you share more about your inspiration for writing “Visible Magic” and how it differs from your previous haiku collections?

Charles: My inspirations have come from a farm where I’ve worked at manual labor since I was a child and where I have lived most of my adult life. One difference that “Visible Magic” presents is two haiku that deal with my viewing winged creatures mating in flight. I had never seen anything like that before. On August 16, 2021, I viewed dragonflies and their sexual acrobatics. I knew that was visible and magic. The other occurred ten months later on June 12, 2022, when I witnessed two hummingbirds mating in flight and heard their voices-first a whistle and then a low echo. That proved to be visible and auditory magic.

Norm: The haiku form is known for its brevity and depth. How do you approach crafting a haiku, and what challenges do you face in conveying rich imagery within the constraints of 17 syllables?

Charles: Each of my days on this land, Mother Nature presents her cornucopia of experiences for all five of our senses. I note many of those on calendar journals dating back to the 1980’s. Getting two or three senses to work together in one haiku is a challenge. Casey Stengel once commented that “Finding talented players is easy. Getting them to work together as a team is another story.”

Haiku is the same. When I am trying to evoke two or three sensations into one tiny haiku, constant revision is my only solution. The secretaries have frequently expressed exasperation with two dozen revisions for the same haiku. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. That’s why I’ve written about two thousand and only published a few hundred.

 Norm: Haiku often conveys a sense of mindfulness and reflection. How does the practice of writing haiku contribute to your own awareness of the present moment and your connection to the natural world?

Charles: The mindfulness required keeps me in the present moment.

Norm: In “Visible Magic,” you mention drawing from decades of farm journal entries. How did the process of revisiting and selecting entries from your journal contribute to the thematic richness of this collection?

 Charles: Keeping four decades of farm journals educated me about the events of each season. One of the themes of “Visible Magic” is “home”. When the hazelnut catkins bloom in February, I look for wild geese to be nesting. When redbuds bloom in early April, I know hummingbird scouts will appear and prepare for hummingbird nesting. When the wild pink roses bloom in the 2nd week of June, I listen for chimney swifts to start making their nests in the sandstone chimney. The cold nights of October bring many cave crickets into my home, their home for the winter.

Norm: The title “Visible Magic” suggests connection between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Can you elaborate on the significance of the title and how it encapsulates the essence of your haiku?

Charles: I see magic that is visible everywhere I look. In college I wrote an honors paper on Spinoza. My professor, then in his 60’s, told me that it was one of the three best undergraduate papers he had ever read. Spinoza argued that there is “only one substance in the universe. It is God, and everything else that is, is in God.” (Steven Nadler, “Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy”).

His beliefs resonated with a 21-year-old college student. They still do today. Spinoza articulated what I had only intuited as a young boy growing up with a field of young loblolly pines exactly my age. I was taller than they for a little while, and then they began to tower over me. Einstein is credited with saying that “There are two ways to live; you can live as if nothing is a miracle; or you can live as if everything is a miracle.” I’m with that second group. I want to convey the excitement of discovering miracles every day.

Norm: Could you share a specific haiku from “Visible Magic” that holds particular significance to you and explain the story or inspiration behind it?

Charles:

red bats live in trees

this one naps under oak leaves –

both of us jump back

3 March 2022

The pleasure of being startled.

Norm: You’ve been compared to Wendell Berry for your connection to language and nature. How has Berry’s work influenced your approach to writing haiku and your perception of the natural world?

Charles: Comparing my work to that of Wendell Berry is flattering to me, but not to Mr. Berry. His work is much broader, deeper, and more significant than mine. I am a dwarf. He is a giant.

In answer to your second question: Mr. Berry’s work has influenced all thinking Kentuckians. I’m just not sure how many of us are still around.

Norm: Your previous collection, “Echo Ridge,” received critical acclaim. How do you feel your writing has evolved or developed in “Visible Magic,” and what themes or explorations do you find yourself revisiting or expanding upon?

Charles: Home.

 Norm: Where can our readers learn more about you and “Visible Magic?”

 Charles: “Northern Kentucky Tribune”, Nov. 6th 2023.

Norm: As we rap up our interview, in addition to being an award-winning writer, you’ve also earned recognition as a tree farmer. How does your experience as a tree farmer intersect with your identity as a poet, and how do these two aspects of your life inform and enrich each other in your creative process?

 Charles: Tree farming is where the roots are. Haiku are the leaves and flowers that grow from the tree.

 Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your endeavors.

 Follow Here To Read Norm's Review of “Visible Magic.”