Why Write Haiku?: and other Words on Words

by Tom East

This book is not just about the Haiku. Nor is it only about poetry. Other questions asked include WHERE IS GRUB STREET? and WHAT IS GOTHIC? The true subject of the book is words and the World about us.

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 22, 2021

About the author

Prior to INFIDEL in June 2025, Tom East's most recent full-length publication, in January, 2025 was TOMMY'S WAR: JULY 1914. This is nothing less than an account of an attempt to shorten WW1 in that summer month.

Other books still available include the controversial novel THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO St JUDAS, the unsparing non-fiction of LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE, about recovery from two brain haemorrhages (one kind of stroke), and the three volumes in the Eldritch Collections

Earlier, Tom was the writer of many works of fiction, commercial features, essays, reviews, 'other prose' and poetry. He was the author of six (print) books. 

He was born in London, although of a Welsh family and lived in Wales for many years.

See below, or Benybont.org for details of all fifteen books available as at June 2025. These are available in both paperback and eBook form (and in a few cases also as Audiobooks):

THE ANSWER IS AN EGG SANDWICH
THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT VERSE BRIGADE
THE EVE OF ST ELIGIUS
A FIFTIES’ CHILDHOOD
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JUDAS
THE GREENLAND PARTY
INFIDEL
THE KA OF STEPHEN CHARLES
LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE
THE LOWELL LETTERS
LYRICS, POLEMICS AND POETICS
SCENES FROM SEASONS
TOMMY’S WAR: JULY 1914
WHY WRITE HAIKU?
WISH MAN’S WOOD

Three of the four BENYBOOKS are for the moment still available. These are free or at a reduced price in eBook form only.