Fanning Plumes of Plums by Vladimir Suchan now on Amazon

Fanning Plumes of Plums is a symphonic anthem with the plum and to the symbolism of its beauty and resilience in adversity serving as the main clef. It is a lyrical collection of 118 Japanese-style tanka poems, an evocative overture poem, Poesy and Plum, and two epilogue tankas, crafted by Vladimir Suchan. Rooted in the 5-7-5-7-7 syllabic structure, these poems weave a tapestry of existential reflection, cultural interplay, and natural imagery, centered on the plum’s potent symbolism. Organized into six thematic sections—spanning spring’s blossoms, summer’s transience, autumn’s orations, and far-away shores—the collection explores love, loss, rebirth, and the soul’s journey through seasons and cultures.

The manuscript is enriched by a poignant preface, tracing Suchan’s poetic renewal following a cutting of plum trees, a pivotal act that mirrors the tanka’s transformative pivots. Nine public-domain illustrations from the Cleveland Museum of Art, featuring Japanese scrolls and prints by artists like Kitagawa Utamaro and Utagawa Hiroshige, complement the text, their captions tying visual art to poetic themes. An epilogue, Poetry and the Eye of the Law, inspired by a 17th-century scroll’s inscription, adds a meditative coda.

Blending Japanese poetic tradition with Platonist philosophy and Czech heritage, Fanning Plumes of Plums is a profound meditation on beauty, memory, and the eternal, offering readers a transcendent journey through verse and image.