Reading “Bridges of Words” reminded me of sitting at my grandmother’s table as a child, listening to stories from places I could barely locate on a map. She used to say that every country has its own “breathing rhythm”—and Pretila’s haikus feel like those rhythms caught in tiny jars of language.

The book doesn’t try to overwhelm you with travelogue detail; instead, it offers gentle snapshots: a murmur of Canadian forests, the sway of Philippine palms, the pulse of Kenyan plains. Each haiku is like being handed a very small souvenir—one you don’t put on a shelf but in a pocket, where it warms slowly throughout the day.

What makes the collection memorable is the sincerity behind it. Pretila’s writing feels like it comes from someone who observes the world with curiosity rather than judgment. There’s tenderness toward every place she writes about, whether it’s shaped by mountains, temples, megacities, or tundra. Even the countries known for hardship receive a compassionate lens: not romanticized, not dramatized, but acknowledged for their depth and endurance.

One of the most charming aspects is how the book unintentionally becomes a conversation starter. I found myself reading certain haikus aloud to friends—almost like testing whether their imaginations went to the same places mine did. Sometimes they did; sometimes they wandered differently. That’s part of the fun. The poems don’t push you toward a single meaning; they simply open the door.

This is a wonderful read for anyone who enjoys reflective poetry or those who want to introduce younger readers to global diversity in a gentle way. It’s probably not for someone seeking a dense or highly philosophical poetry collection; this one leans on mood, not argument.

By the end, the book feels like a passport—not stamped with borders, but with moments.

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