Poetry. Fiction. Travel. WATER SHINING BEYOND THE FIELDS focuses on travel in Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Southern China, and Thailand, presented in the haibun form, celebrated by the Japanese poet Basho in the 17th century. John Brandi defines the form in his latest book: "Haibun might traditionally be regarded as a series of en situ prose descriptions concluded by a haiku. The job of the haiku is to reveal an unexpected flash, an essence not quite captured in the prose." He adds: "But I didn' t set out to follow any rules, my own or Basho's. I set out to set out.

" WATER SHINING BEYOND THE FIELDS is full of long walks, misty temples, wild bus rides, solitary river excursions, culinary escapades and off-the-wall humor. It is also a cultural and political journey, one that eventually throws light on our survival options in a troubled world.