Sometimes, you just need a minute
Sometimes all you need is a moment to connect. I was reading this poem: back at camp the mountain peak still in my legs It is by Yu Chang in Seeds / Red Moon Press. I love the third line…
William Blake — similar to haiku poets on simile?
Do you think in "Lives of the Poets" by Michael Schmidt, William Blake's ideas on simile are similar to what many haiku artists think of simile? “He distrusts similes because they single out qualities—moral or otherwise—from a subject and the…
Coleman Barks in an interview on spirituality, part 2: poetry in Afghanistan & America
Poet Coleman Barks' translations of Jalal al-Din Rumi—a 13th century Sufi poet–are the best selling poetry books in America. Here I continue to speak with Barks about poetry and spirituality, as well as some politics for good measure. Gene: Your…
Coleman Barks in an interview on spirituality
Coleman Barks is a poet whose translations of the 13th century Sufi mystic Jalal al-Din Rumi are the best-selling poetry books in America. When I asked him, “How important is spirituality in your everyday life?,” his answer illustrated how spirituality can…
More on Gary Hotham
When I met Don Wentworth of Modest Proposal Chapbooks and Lilliput Review at Haiku North America, it was a lucky day. Gary Hotham is one of my favorite poets. I always carry around his book, Breath Marks. Don was fortunate…
The poem I am living with today: Gary Hotham and timelessness
The last poem in the "Poem I Am Living with Today" feature was by Alan Pizzarelli. This time, it's Gary Hotham: a few feet from our feet the ocean bottom starts -Haiku by Gary Hotham
Thoughts on Alan Pizzarelli’s haiku
I first learned about Alan Pizzarelli from the Cor Van Den Heuvel anthology. His poems had spark; they felt modern. I could relate to them, but also they were respectful of the past. I can always tell when a novice…
Introducing The Poem I am Living with Today
Have you ever read "Kora in Hell" by William Carlos Williams? It was an experiment that stands out in his catalogue. On the top of the page is the poem; on the bottom of the page, his thoughts. I was…
Some examples of haiga done well
Thank you for the feedback. Here is a Garry Gay haiku that was turned into a haiga from a blog I haven't seen before called See Haiku Here. Here…
Photos and haiku: Who does this well?
In my Haiku Society of America column this month, I talk about my son's first poems -- poems that he "wrote" at 2 and 3 years old. One of them was inspired by Patricia Donegan's book, Haiku. The other…
How does one get to be a part of the dialogue?
Publishing. Could there be a more loaded word? It's loaded with hopes and dreams of getting vetted by selection. Vindication leading to canonization and being part of the conversation. For my day job, I am a journalist. Journalists talk a…
Do we need this haiku?
I heard something inspiring during yesterday's commute, Krista Tippett's radio show, On Being. This episode was about creativity. Her guest was Neuropsychologist Rex Jung. When asked to define creativity, he fleshed out three components. Ideally, in his opinion, a creative…
Is there quality Christian haiku out there?
I guess it seems obvious because of the origins of haiku, but I am surprised at how hard it has been for me to find good haiku written from a Christian perspective. I wanted to find something to share here…
Something fun for Saint Patrick's Day
Here is a Thomas Moore quote that has been in my mind. "The Irish are among a select few remaining on the earth in whom an alternative, soul-filled approach to ordinary living is still alive.” I am not sure about Irish…
Is there an aspect of your writing career that presents a hurdle for you?
So let's get back to the conversation that we started with the post "Is there a haiku that has shaped your life somehow?". David Lloyd was a professor at my college who wanted me to sit in on one of…
Is there a haiku that has shaped your life somehow?
When I was a budding poet I kept notebooks of poems that impressed me. I figured the best way to learn what the poets were doing would be to copy the poems by hand into notebooks. I carried the notebooks…
Rick Springfield, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Keller Williams give haiku a whirl
Most people who come to the Foundation's blog are probably accustomed to well-crafted haiku. But for my last post in honor of National Haiku Writing Month, I’d like to take a different approach. While I love reading poems by skilled…
What if you miss a couple of days this NaHaiWriMo?
I have missed a couple of days this NaHaiWriMo. Does that disqualify someone or can they get back on the horse? "If you miss a couple of days of NaHaiWriMo, you can always do your best to catch up, whether…
How does one celebrate NaHaiWriMo – as its fans refer to it?
The second National Haiku Writing Month is underway. How does one celebrate NaHaiWriMo? Simply write one haiku a day. Too much of a commitment? What about trying a couple? If you’re an English teacher or creative writing teacher, why not encourage…
A National Haiku Writing Month challenge
Last February was the first National Haiku Writing Month (Twitter tag #NaHaiWriMo). The premise was simple—write a new haiku each day of the month. Organizer Michael Dylan Welch offered a variety of web resources, a homepage, a Facebook page, background…