The picture above is a form of Japanese art called haiga that combines images and poetry. I recently had it published on the Daily Haiga website.  

Haiga dates back to 16th-century Japan:

"[The] paintings were simple, elegant and comprised of few brush strokes that conveyed great depth and understanding of the subject being painted. Much like how the Haiku captures more from less, so did the accompanying painting." - Mohan Kumar, Haiga - Haiku with Imagery

Here is an example of a Japanese haiga by the late-19th century poet Masaoka Shiki. The words translate to "An old pond. Snow falling on birds. Evening falls."

It is recommended for composing haiga that you slow down and pay attention to the physical world around you. Experience your poetry first before by using the focused lens of your senses -- smell, touch, sound, etc.  

Margaret McGee, in her book Haiku - the Sacred Art, tells us that “Writing haiku offers the chance to honor, hold, and fully experience a fleeting moment that takes you out of yourself, a moment that hints at the deeper unity that lies beneath the surface of things.” 

I believe that exploring the world in an open listening manner can help open the door to the sacred all around us and, through it, we can more easily experience the presence of God. I would like to cultivate this ability better in myself. I would like to treat paying attention as a form of prayer. In this age of distraction, this can be hard to do but I intend to try. 

I find hope in 17th century Carmelite Brother Lawrence who wrote "My only prayer practice is paying attention. I carry on a habitual, silent, and secret conversation with God that fills me with overwhelming joy."