Koen De Smet, born in Ghent on 2 oktober 1955, so far the facts.
A youth with piles of books and in the background music. Later on music became more important with Beethoven and Rachmaninov expressing enough rebellion to calm a restless mind.
As time went on, I discovered that I could move the harts of others, with tender words where needed or silly one-liners for those who want to travel light at hart. And so I tried to catch these words in text sometimes, but a pen dries easily lacking recognition.
Then I met her. An unexpected encounter. God does not gamble but somewhere in the universe all dices showed sixes. I could share with her my undiscovered thoughts and I listened countless hours overwhelmed by her sincerity.
Serendipity for life arises when one does not seek, but finds everything including himself. Never expressing a wish, but still that wish comes true.
At first she just wrote down what I said. Concepts and ideas, simple phrase. She preserved them. And later, reading them for me, she encouraged me to elaborate them until a text emerged.
From admiration grew confidence, and so I started writing again, until I found the sentences that really mattered.
Living my life, and looking for a deeper understanding of the concept of mutual influence, I discovered Buddhism. First the tradition of Tibet, later Japan and the austere style of zen, then finding haiku in its trace.
It’s a style that inspires me. Three simple lines of text, expressing the essence of a thought, leaving the reader with an image, an idea to elaborate. I was heavily influenced by the old masters of haiku. Basho and his severe elegance and Issa, a gentle brush leaving a tender thought for all of us, wandering, wondering.
This is the first time that I publish my poems and I wish to thank Sietske inviting me to her world of inspiring images.
