Novel - 17th May 2026 - John Monaghan

Distant Shores

I am not a poet

and I know it

I want to add

and in addition

I want to open the door

to repetition

Build new worlds

and fill them with characters

that charter a voyage

to adventurous shenanigans

I’m 20,000 leagues in

so check back later

when I might be complete

and in need of an editor

Thoughts

Today’s word of wisdom in my Hobonichi Techo is a quote from Shuntaro Tanikawa. I shall paraphrase: Since writing poems I have been asked to write a novel but I can’t write long stories. It’s too much trouble.

I recognised early into these poems that I wasn’t a poet but I enjoyed doing them. They are also a great daily discipline so I continue. But in the background there lurks a secret: A novel is on the way. We shall see how it goes.