Letters from:

Jim Babwe

Curtis Dunlap

Alegria Imperial

John Martone

MK

Geert Verbeke

anna rugis

Linda Papanicolaou

John Barlow

Dr Shaleen Kumar Singh,

James & Patricia Hackett

Leonard Oprea

an'ya at moonset

Simply Haiku

Three Lights Gallery

Jeanne Emrich

Ray Rasmussen

Linda Papanicolaou and the staff of Haigaonline: Mary, Hiromi, Shisen, Choshi and Jasminka

Carole MacRury

Christopher Harold

John Daleiden

Gino Peregrini

Saša Važić,

Wow! You knock me out!! In a really good way! A quote leaps into my ear and yells,”say me! say me!”; So I will. “Much madness is divine’s sense.” I like they way your poems start fast. Your tight phrasing and the juxtaposition of surprises is fun to read. I’ve just waded into reading your work and it’;s extremely encouraging to hear such a voice alive with the exciting and weird magic of language. I’ve always been amazed at the unique ways in which Joseph Conrad (not a native speaker of English) found ways to articulate. Based upon info I found in your bio, I’m assuming that English is not your first language, either. I would never have known (or guessed) that to be the case. You use the words as music, and it’s wonderful to read writing that’s connected in ways that beg for further discussion. I have an idea that I’m going to work on and before I’m completely finished, I’ll send you the results. Meanwhile, I can’t sign off without doing two more things . . . 1. Thank you both again for the positive feedback and encouragement. I gain strength from your listening. 2. Generally speaking, I am not one of those people who would say that they feel those kinds of intangible spiritual connections that come dangerously close to basic stupid belief without tangible evidence. I do have to say, though, based upon reading what you’ve shared with me so far, we seem to be mulling over some similar concepts and observations. Some of these similarities are uncanny. Jim Babwe

I have a very important mid-week post about our friend Bill Higginson.
http://tobaccoroadpoet.blogspot.com/2008/08/bill-and-penny-need-your-prayers.html
Please keep Bill and Penny in your thoughts and prayers. Curtis Dunlap

Thank you for such an uplifting reply! I keep using wings as metaphor because it's what I actually feel--a surge up in the air. I feel it in the heart as a skippped beat but it could all be in the mind that suddenly expands as if it has soared. Such feeling comes with reading words like yours.  I haven't as yet figured out how to organize projects like you – obviously you have reached the ideal of a disciplined artist. I suppose I haven't as yet shed off those years when I wrote as needed or required by my editor or my boss (when I returned to public relations). My writings then, too, were declarations of ideas and details to give these a semblance of reality. Imagine then how I struggled ten years ago when I turned around and plunged as in a free fall into writing fiction and poetry. I also did it in New York at workshops I attended at NYU among natives of the English language. Like you, I speak though hardly write in my native language, Filipino. But I studied, worked with, and wrote in no other language but English. Still, as I learned it in a formal way, I never realized I spoke and wrote in a stilted, archaic, and fifty-year old English – until those classes at NYU. But I was not ready to give up and so I worked hard at it; I tried to mimic the way Americans think and express in words. In the end, I had to stop imitating them because I realized I wasn't being true to myself. What had started to pour out was something that caught me by surprise: my classmates noted the lyricism in my language, something close to Latin American writers. I knew then that I had finally dug deep into the core of my culture – a mix of Malay and Spanish, with strands of Chinese and a modern American veneer. Yet I wish I could write in Filipino or my own dialect, Ilocano (we have 87 of these spoken in the archipelago). Maybe someday, I will. Thank you, too, for reassuring me that indeed, new poems are often but abandoned old lines that metamorphose into butterflies or transmogrify into frogs. I have a cache of 'songs' and 'lamentations', 'haiku trials' and 'big file poems', also maybe 15 unwritten chapters of a novel, and a novelette waiting to be re-done. The haiku sequence you accepted are rewrites from batches Dennis Garrison rejected. Another haiku sequence that The Cortland Review published in its May issue was one of those I salvaged from my 'trash bin'. My writing folders consist of 80 percent 'trash' from editors. I do pull them out again and again, healing each where I perceive them to be broken. Yes, I do let go, even if I know that by a submission I could be hurting an editor's sensibilities –though a few times, my submission does have an opposite effect like on you. I do better with my essays but I haven't had any success with my short fiction. By writing to me and deeply encouraging me, I could hold on to you forever! But then I know that would not help me 'grow up' as a poet, would it? Because you're willing to read more of what I've written, here's as varied as I have done. Alegria Imperial

Jane, Your complete Basho is such a feast! Wonderful translations, introductions, notes, appendices, art... I will be carrying it around with me forever. It is such an accomplishment – decades in the making, I should think. I don't know what reviews you've lined up, but I would certainly be glad to do something for the Asia Network's newsletter/journal and/or I could ask Teaching About Asia. Best regards, John Martone

Dear Jane, I respond to your kind offer of an email address on the AHA website. I am seeking opinion and guidance and hope that you can (and will) take a moment to respond: I write traditional (5-7-5) Japanese Haiku...and have for some time, as a journaling exercise. Of late, I am interested in offering some of my work for publication; however, most everything I see in print is American (3-5-3 or less) Haiku. I prefer the traditional style for so many reasons that I need two bottles of wine and a pound of cheese to explain. My concern (perhaps bashfulness...fear) is that if submitted, an editor would say (remark with disdain): amateur! pretender! or worse! I guess that I am asking you if there is a place (other than my journal) for traditional haiku. Can we find a skilled balance between the flow of words, the required brevity, and the punctuated imagery; or will I fail on form alone. I offer examples of my work below to help you formulate your answer.. (I don't trust the formatting on this email composer...so I hope they arrive 5-7-5.) I trust that I do not intrude...or perhaps answer the question by simply asking the question. I'd be pleased to hear your thoughts, no matter how brief or direct, with Kind regards, MK

Dear Friends, my haiku book Brother Buddha, just won the 'Naji Naaman's prize', in Libanon. I like to thank all my haiku friends for their warm support . Kind regards, Geert Verbeke 
WEBSITE: http://www.haikugeert.net

This is my CD release email -  TRAFFIC IN GOLD... This album is the sonic equivalent of filigree, with Anna's voice the silver solder that holds the curled, twisted and plaited gold of her songs. - poet David Howard I wanted to let you know about the new album and maybe you could pass the info to anyone you think might be interested in yet another collection of esoterica from moi. Took a while to sort out the distribution and the myspace page is operational too now and you can purchase the CD on line at www.marbecks.co.nz or www.sdlmusic.co.nz Ode Records has decided to make all THREE of my cds available - Someone mainstream is actually INTerested in my stuff!  And I'm not even dead yet.www.myspace.com/annarugis has some tracks you can listen to as well and which will perhaps encourage the bold move of an on-line purchase. Love anna rugis

Jeffrey Woodward has just emailed me that the special issue of Santa Fe that he's edited is online. http://www.sfpoetry.org/ In it are tanka prose contributions from Bob Lucky, Terra Martin, Gary LeBel, Patricia Prime, Jeffrey Woodward, Marjorie A. Buettner, and me. Also collages by Gary LeBel. Linda Papanicolaou


Dear All,
The launch of the long-anticipated Wing Beats will take place in Covent Garden, London at The Poetry Society’s Poetry Café (http://www.poetrysoc.com/content/cafe/) on Saturday 13th September (Doors 7.30 pm for 8 pm). RSVP is essential for this event, so if you would like an invitation please could you let me know as soon as possible. Wing Beats: British Birds in Haiku is a 320 page, hardback book. It has been described as: “full of acute observations, artistically moving, and intellectually stimulating – a very important book” (William J. Higginson); “a wonderful new book . . . a truly unique book for both nature and poetry lovers which explores both British avifauna and the history and intricacies of haiku poetry, considering the relationships between these in a global context. It is written and compiled by renowned Haiku poets John Barlow and Matthew Paul . . . and has gorgeous photographic watercolour illustrations by Sean Gray as well as a foreword by bird expert and BBC wildlife producer Stephen Moss” (The Book Monkey); “a triumph of seeing, expression and poetic control” (Mark Cocker); and “something truly unique: beautifully written yet easily accessible poetry that helps us reconnect with the natural world in a deeper, more intense way” (Stephen Moss). Copies of the first edition/first printing can be ordered in advance at http://www.wingbeats.co.uk/order.html. P&P is reduced for pre-publication orders. A launch evening will also take place at Mr B’s – the UK’s ‘Independent Bookshop of the Year 2008’ – in Bath on Saturday, October 4th. For further details please see http://www.mrbsemporium.com/Newsletter_August08.htm (and scroll down). This event, which like the launch in the Poetry Café is being held in association with With Words (www.withwords.org.uk), will feature readings by me, Matthew and Stephen Moss. There is no need to RSVP for this one – you can just turn up on the night – although it would be great to know in advance if you are planning to attend. Other readings, workshops and launch events are also being planned around the UK in association with poetry festivals and organisations such as the Wildlife Trusts. (e.g. http://www.thesouth.org.uk/MPJBHaiku.html) If you think a bookstore or venue (or nature or writing group) local to you might be interested in holding any such event (or in stocking the book) please do not hesitate to contact me. It would be great to have the opportunity to cross paths with some of you in the coming weeks and months! All the best, John Barlow, Editor, Snapshot Press

Dear All,  I am deeply thankful to all the contributors, editors, members of advisory board and patrons for contributing to Creativesaplings. Please Visit www.creativesaplings.com to check out the latest issue of the e-zine. I hope you will like it. Please do post your comments in the 'comments coffer' and encourage us. Dr Shaleen Kumar Singh, Chief Editor Creativesaplings, Budaun, INDIA

Aloha, Dear Readers, We are happy to announce that many new poems have been recorded and are now available for listening and viewing. See the Hacketthaiku.com "New Material" icon to locate the the list of poems. Cordially, James & Patricia Hackett

"Theophil Magus in Baton Rouge, to the best of my knowledge, is the first novel made up of haiku. In many respects it is reminiscent of the most amazing Central European stylistic virtuosi, and I am sure readers will be delighted to enter this universe of shining plasticity."

A Haiku Novel That You Won't Forget... Ever

THEOPHIL MAGUS IN BATON ROUGE - a haiku novel
by Leonard Oprea

Theophil Magus in Baton Rouge is a haiku novel featuring 101 haiku that readers will find easy to read yet challenging to understand fully. These writings reflect the life of the iconoclast East-European writer Leonard Oprea in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the thoughts he had and the emotions he felt back then. The book deals with many themes such as religion, art, culture, the laid-back atmosphere of Baton Rouge and notably it pictures a world that cannot be described in any other way. Through the author's views, readers will come to realize on how things are described in a tragic-comically absurd fashion and how imaginative people can really be when dealing with reality. Outstandingly, striking pictures of art and people have been included to complement this volume's rich writings.
In this haiku novel made up of 101 haiku the celebrated Romanian novelist Leonard Oprea presents his unique brand of fiction novel to a worldwide audience, serving up a true literary feast that will likely leave the readers craving for more.

Thanks again Jane and yes we do support online publishing. Although, that PDF is just of moonset's between-issues free e-supplement. The printed newspaper itself comes out again in October and then in April 2009. Here you can see a picture of our front page, http://moonsetnewspaper.blogspot.com love ya, an'ya

The results of The Haiku Calendar Competition 2008 have been announced and are available at http://www.snapshotpress.co.uk/haiku_competition_results.htm#calendar_comp. Congratulations to all the poets whose wonderful haiku will feature in The Haiku Calendar 2009, which is previewed at http://www.snapshotpress.co.uk/the_haiku_calendar/2009.htm. Congratulations also to Matt Morden and Roberta Beary, whose collections Stumbles in Clover and The Unworn Necklace feature in the Haiku Society of America’s Kanterman Merit Book Awards for 2008, with an ‘Honorable Mention’ and ‘Third Place’ respectively. Various recent reviews of Snapshot Press titles are also available on the internet. These include: Snow About To Fall in the Summer 2008 issue of Modern English Tanka:
http://www.shortverse.com/digital/2008b/233-WilkinsonReviewSnowAboutToFall.pdf  and  The Regulars and Waiting for the Seventh Wave in Modern Haiku:
http://www.modernhaiku.org/bookreviews/PaulAndBarlow2008.html All the above titles are available from the Snapshot Press site. And, finally, Matthew Paul and I will be holding haiku workshops and readings following the publication of Wing Beats in September, in association with poetry festivals and organisations such as the Wildlife Trust. There’ll be more news later on the Wing Beats site (see below) as details are confirmed, although anyone in the vicinity of Brighton might want to look away now:
http://www.thesouth.org.uk/workshops.html#aevent3 If anyone is interested in hosting such an event please don’t hesitate to contact me. All the best, John Barlow, Editor, Snapshot Press

A note from Amazon.com: We've noticed that you are one of the customers who have purchased or rated My Own Rhythm; An Approach to Haiku. by Ann Atwood. For this reason, you might like to know that Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry For Your...Brains will be released on July 14, 2008. You can pre-order yours by following the link below. Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry For Your...Brains by Ryan Mecum. $9.99.

Simply Haiku: Autumn Issue "The Showcase for Japanese Short Form poetry"
_http://www.simplyhaiku.com/_ (http://www.simplyhaiku.com/)

3LIGHTS Gallery of Haiku & Tanka welcomes M. Kei & Roberta Beary
www.threelightsgallery.com This summer, 3LIGHTS Gallery is delighted to present two solo exhibitions from two of the finest exponents of haiku and tanka: M. Kei and Roberta Beary. See below for press releases for both shows. www.threelightsgallery.com Her recent collection, The Unworn Necklace has earned Roberta Beary a place in haiku history, as it was short-listed for the Poetry Society of America’s William Carlos Williams Prize – an astounding recognition for a collection of haiku. And the honour was wholly justified. Roberta Beary writes exquisite haiku that resonates with anyone who encounters it. We’re extremely fortunate to welcome Roberta to 3LIGHTS this summer for an exhibition of her stunning work. 3LIGHTS is now accepting submissions of haiku, senryu and tanka for its Autumn 2008 exhibition, Way Back Home. For details of this exciting show, please visit: www.threelightsgallery.com/submissions.

Hi everyone:
Tanka Online at _http://tankaonline.com_ (http://tankaonline.com) has just been updated with the inspiring Carol Purington as our featured guest poet. Read her poems and read about her in the article "A Harvest of Words" by Margaret Chula. And again, you'll find plenty of poems, articles, and essays by
our resident poets as well.Visit soon! Jeanne Emrich

From: Ray Rasmussen <ray@raysweb.net>
Date: June 25, 2008 10:04:26 PM MDT
Subject: Contemporary Haibun Onlinehttp://contemporaryhaibunonline.com June Issue
The June Issue of Contemporary  Online is now out.

Dear Friends, Our "Wind Bell" issue, vol. 9-1 (spring summer 2008) is now on-line and we have a  wonderful variety of haiga, traditional, experimental and contemporary for you, plus some exciting
special features that we hope will inspire you to try new approaches and change the way you think about the art of haiga. Included in the issue are Our signature traditional haiga section, featuring haiku by Ella Wagemakers, M. Kei and Susan Constable, set by our resident staff, Mary Rodning, Hiromi Inoue, Shisen, Choshi and Jasminka.Portfolios of haiga by Gerd Börner, Mary Davila, Jodie Hawthorne, Alexis Rotella, and Claudette and Frank Russell. Two exercises by members of WHChaikumultimedia: a "haiga renga" and a collection of haiga in the form of Artist Trading Cards A collection of haiga on the issue's theme, "air", by Pris Campbell, Susan Constable, Norman Darlington, Billie Dee, Fred Flohr, Laryalee Fraser, Anne-Marie Glasheen, Ida Mahulja, Jacek Margolak, Allison Millcock, Shanna Baldwin Moore, Carol Raisfeld, Djurdja Vukelic-Rozic and Manoj Saranathan.An interview with Jeanne Emrich in which she discusses "white space and imagination". This is a don't-miss piece that's an important addition to the literature on haiga aesthetic.Please drop by to browse, stay a while and, while you're at it, bookmark us. You'll want to come back again and again.  http://www.haigaonline.com/ With our best wishes for the summer season, Linda Papanicolaou and the staff of Haigaonline: Mary, Hiromi, Shisen, Choshi and Jasminka

Dear Poets, I'd like to invite you to peruse the Tanka Society of America's Web Pages. http://www.tankasocietyofamerica.com/ Our website is updated on a regular basis to make available a number of past articles and interviews published by TSA. You will find a series of 'favorite tanka' with commentary by poets such as Amelia Fielden, Sanford Goldstein, H.F. Noyes, Michael Dylan Welch, and many more. You can also read award winning tanka from 2000 to 2007 with commentary that includes personal response and recognition of poetic technique by a variety of judges. Jeanne Emrich also has an interesting article titled "Elements of Tanka Narrative.” We have recently updated our site to include part 3 of "An Interview with Sanford Goldstein.” Parts one and two are also available. I invite you to consider becoming a member of TSA in order to receive our quarterly journal, Ribbons so that you can read current articles, essays and contemporary tanka. Sincerely, Carole MacRury, TSA Secretary

Dear Friends, Readers, and Heron's Nest contributors, The September issue of The Heron's Nest is now available for your reading pleasure at <http://www.theheronsnest.com/>.  As always, earlier issues are accessible as well; from the home page simply click on "Volume Contents" to read any of the thousands of haiku that have graced our pages over the past nine years. Christopher Herold

Hello Sketchbook reader, The August 31, 2008 Sketchbook is now on line. 
http://poetrywriting.org/Sketchbook3-8Aug08/Sketchbook_3-8_August_2008_Cover_Karina_Klesko_Bug.htm
John Daleiden

Dave Russo is our Haiku - Three Questions guest this week. Click on one of the links below to see Dave's response. http://tobaccoroadpoet.blogspot.com/
http://tobaccoroadpoet.blogspot.com/2008/08/dave-russo-three-questions.html Curtis Dunlap

Folks, I've just published the September Issue of The Ghazal Page. I hope you enjoy it. All the best,
Gino Peregrini, The Ghazal Page
http://www.ghazalpage.net
http://ghazalblog.typepad.com

Hi, Jane! Here is a link to the article as it appears on the book blog. Feel free to share it with others. 
 Below is the link to the blog zone article.
 http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/book-blog/book-blog/2008/07/what-is-a-haiku-and-what-isnt/

Izašao Je Novi Broj Haiku Stvarnosti The New Issue Of Haiku Reality Is Out http://www.geocities.com/ana_vazic/indexeng.htm  Saša Važić, editor (urednik)

Ludbreg 2009 International Haiku Contest, HAIKU CALENDAR LUDBREG 2009, Deadline

 September 17, 2008. Regulations: The contest is open to the public.  Entries (up to 3 haiku in english) must be original, unpublished and not currently submitted elsewhere. Send only one copy and print your name, age, occupation and address.  No entries will be returned, so keep a copy. No entry fee this year!

Submit entries to: Snail mail:Zdenko Oreč, Petra Zrinskoga 49, 42230 Ludbreg, Croatia, E-mail:

mirko.varga@vz.t-com.hr or boris.nazansky@zg.t-com.hr Notification:  Winners will be announced till the end of December 2008. All others wanting the results please send self addressed envelope (SAE) + two international reply coupons (IRC) Rights: Participation implies permission to print in Haiku Calendar Ludbreg 2009  after which rights revert to author. Awards: First Prize:  $ 100, Second Prize:  $ 50. Third Prize:  $ 20. Honorable Mention Awards (10): Haiku Calendar 2009 (free copy). Judges: Zdravko Kurnik, Duško Matas, Boris Nazansky, Zdenko Oreč and Mirko Varga, English sub-editing: Elizabeth Harrisson. Host organization, International Haiku Contest Executive Committee, Haiku Calendar Ludbreg 2009

Submit your works to Lynx

Who We Are

Deadline is January 1, 2009.