Last year I posted a request in a Face Book haiku/tanka writing group asking if anyone had a photo of Lily of the Valley that they were willing to share and allow me to use for a piece of tankart I was working on. A very quick response from the poet/photographer Maya Lyubenova gave me the perfect picture. I never really knew Maya. We’d never met, and we chatted only a few times on FaceBook in poetry groups and on Face Book Messenger. I was certainly a real fan of hers. Bulgarian by birth, Maya could compose gorgeous haiku in English. She could also pair her poems with her equally exquisite photographs to create haiga — visual poetry of the highest quality. I was touched by her generosity in allowing me to use the photo she had sent.
Only recently did I learn that Maya Lyubenova had passed away on December 30, 2016. Like so many, I mourn her loss as a person and as a poet and artist. I wish I had known her better, but I cannot change that. Her work still remains for us to look at, to study, to learn from and to be dazzled by … that will not end.
I’d like to dedicate my piece of tankart to Maya Lyubenova — our single connected piece of art. Thank you, Maya, for bringing so much beauty into this world. May you rest in peace.
Maya Lyubenova’s website:
http://mayalyubenova.wixsite.com/maya-lyubenova
The link to her amazing haiga:
http://mayalyubenova.wixsite.com/maya-lyubenova/haiga
A Poet in Time 
A beautiful tribute to Maya, Mary. She was so talented.
marion
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Thanks, Marion. Yes, she certainly was. She will be greatly missed.
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This was a lovely tribute to Maya, Mary. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you, Suzanne.
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So lovely, the photo, the haiku and the touching tribute. Had I seen your request, I could have provided a number of pictures of that flower. Here in France, they are Muget and a part of the first of May celebrations. A few years ago I did a blog post about it. https://wordpress.com/post/foundinfrance.wordpress.com/735
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Thank you, Léa. I do recall that in 2013, my husband and I arrived in Paris on May 1st. Most everything was closed that day, but we did see people selling Muguet des Bois and others carrying small bouquets of it. Such a pretty flower and exquisite fragrance. Thank you for sharing the link to your blog.
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Thank you Mary. I just think it is such a lovely custom and do my best to share it when I can. On 1 May I am armed with Muget. Your post reminded me of that one I did years ago and reblogged not that long ago. That blog is one of three as a new one was launched Wednesday but I am merely the typist for the feline residents on that one… 🙂 Thank you for sharing your beautiful tribute.
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The use of term “peal” makes the entire Tanka absolutely interesting. All of sudden, out of nowhere, the eyes get to see something different from normal routine. It gives pleasure to mind. What follows next are the above lines.
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How nice of you to comment on this piece. Synesthesia–combining senses–can be used well in haiku and tanka, and sometimes it just happens. I appreciate your taking time to comment.
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A beautiful tribute, Mary. I loved Maya’s art as well. A truly sad loss.
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Thank you, Marietta.
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