In this subject, I hope to offer for those interested, my experience with the Tokyo haiku circle, Kusanohana (translation: "grass flowers"), between 2002 through 2004. By showing this experience as a sort of haibun/journal/tour, I hope we can discuss and explore your questions and thoughts.
To gauge interest from the members interested, before I begin, please show such interest by just leaving reply to this message.
Thank you for your kindnesses.
Ciao... Chibi
My introduction to haiku starts on the internet ... (to be continued)
Hi Dennis,
"reply to this message"
Feels a bit odd doing just that, so want to say, this sounds absolutely fascinating. I saw some photos years ago, but love to know more. Thank you.
Alan
hi dennis, this sounds interesting, I would like to know more too
Good idea to start this, Chibi san.
Just yesterday I found some old photos of you and Etsuko in our GokuRakuAn,
I could offer them as a by-product of the joys of having haiku friends in Japan. ;D
(that was way back in 2004 ! )
I was a member of a haiku circle in Kamakura for many years, before moving off to the woods of Okayama.
I cherish the notes I have from this time as my greatest haiku treasures.
I also watch TV which features a kind of "haiku circle" on NHK, every week, it feels like "family", and read I read their publications (and sometimes add some of the wisdom I find there to the entries in the WKD).
http://haikutopics.blogspot.com/2006/10/nhk-haiku.html
Gabi
Hello, Chibi,
I can't tell from your post exactly what it is you're going to be doing, or how it's going to help my haiku practice, but I'll come back and have a look-see anyway.
cat
Arthur... do you have your towel? (Ford Prefect to Arthur Dent)
My introduction to haiku starts on the Internet at night on the amateurastronomy Yahoo group in 1998. My reply on the group is a short poem about being at the eyepiece of my Doby Odyssey II I had christened, "Mini-Hubble" in 1991 while I was working on Space Station Freedom in Huntsville, Alabama. A member replies that I wrote a "haiku". What is "haiku"? I reply. The same member replies that it's a short poem genre from Japan that usually has 5-7-5 syllables in pattern of three lines. OK LOL I reply.
at the eyepiece
looking out at someone
looking in
At work, a co-worker stops by my cube. What's haiku? I ask. He says, "Google it and see." First hit, a book, Chiyo-ni, A Woman Haiku Master by Patricia Donegan and Yoshie Ishibashi. There is a display on Amazon and I instantly order the book as if compelled to do so.
hair comb --
her kimono coming off
or going on?
In two days, the book arrives. I read the introduction and as if the same dream that Patricia Donegan relates to, I have! A new muse introduces herself. I fall in love with Chiyo-ni. The book’s representation of the poetry introduces me to romaji, hiragana, katakana, kanji, sumi-e, haiga, and a glossary of Japanese terms. I note this treatment is ideal. A desperate yearning to go to Japan possesses me. A plan/dream forms and I do a Yahoo search for anyone interested in learning English in exchange for teaching Japanese. I try to contact Patricia Donegan and send email to her contacts in academia. Months pass.
long poems
strangle the author ...
summer heat
Email comes from a Japanese native interested in learning English. Her Yahoo profile says she knows a little English. She is shy, married with two young daughters and lives near Tokyo. She is interested in Japanese art, but, hasn't written a haiku since grade-school. Her uncle is a member of the Tokyo Haiku Circle, Kusanohana. She had told him about my interest. He offers that it would be helpful for her to join Kusanohana of which he has been a member for ten years.
a morning crow
circles over the skyscrapers ...
Wild Tokyo
I scour the internet for anything "haiku". The World Haiku Club link appears interesting. Also, "Pinecone" Northeast Georgia Haiku Circle is in Georgia. The founder of the World Haiku Club is Susumu Takagushi who along with Debi Bender helped develop the seasonal publication, World Haiku Review. Peggy Lyles is the leader of Pinecone. Of course, I Google search any leads. A blurb on the 2002 World Haiku Festival in Yuwa Town, Akita Japan. Also, there is an international haiku competition. With the help of my new muse, the shy housewife, and her uncle I attempt an entry. The Pinecone website is inactive, but, has further sources of contact.
a mocking bird
heralds early morning ...
jazz scat
Excited about the festival and competition, I discuss my idea to go to Japan to meet a haijin sensei, become a student of haiku, exchange English lessons for Japanese lessons as preparation, meet members of the World Haiku Club on their sponsored tour, and ... my dream to become over time a sensei. Something niggles repeatedly in my dream that Chiyo-ni's spirit and my new muse are somehow connected. That also, feminine energy pervades my pursuits.
a saijiki:
contains not a bird
that mocks
Meeting the shy housewife who volunteered to help me negotiate Narita International Airport, I christen her, my "guidian angel”. We shared a passion for haiku that kept us energetic through my jet lag. As if in a sequence of dreams we travel to Yuba Town; meet Debi and Susumu and other members of The World Haiku Club; attend a banquet held by the mayor. who presented our group with the traditional gift of reed woven sandals; moonviewing; award ceremonies; tours of Bashou sites and places on his "oku hosomichi"; and many other memorable events.
golden rice field:
the lone tree shades
a Bashou stone
I select a Japanese Inn in Hanno City on my return from Akita but am too shy for using the hotel onsen. My guidian angel tells me her uncle would like to take us to the Kusanohana meeting. I try to make sense out of the trains, but, to no avail. I am so very very fortunate to have an angel for a guide.
open Akita's
box lunch on the train -
golden rice field
The Kusanohana Haiku Circle has reserved at a business building a small room containing a long table with room to seat about 20 people, a whiteboard and erasable markers. It is a bit crowded but cozy. We had arrived a little late, offering an apology to the sensei and attending members. The sensei, and my guidian angel's uncle beckon us over to take a little time before starting the session to ask me a few questions about my interest in haiku. I am normally nervous with first time meetings, but, happily I am very calm and feel as if I am among friends, almost family!
how old
is the sensei?
late autumn
The sensei, Akegarasu, was introduced to me by uncle (it's not that I've forgotten his name, but, I've lost touch with him and his niece, my guidian angel; therefore, I feel awkward using their names without permission. I will use "uncle" and "guidian angel" throughout the recount). Akegarasu sensei asks politely but pointedly in English, "You like haiku?" This question rivets me reverberating oddly. I pause, muse mouths my words, "No," I answer. Then another few heartbeats pass as the expressions around me change on uncle, niece, and sensei. I don't believe that was me that said that! Then, as if a timelessness froze this moment I hear myself saying, "I love haiku." Akegarasu sensei smiles offers his hand to shake and says, "Please, be my student."
green tea
with a few snacks ...
autumn lessons
The moment sinks into me like chi, stunning me as if some shift in time plucks me to dream. Sensei introduces me formally to the group as the newest member. I manage an awkward bow and attempt the Japanese word for "thank you" but it sounds more like "alligator". This causes a giddiness that I fight desperately to control, but, there is no need as sensei starts the lesson by writing in English (for my convenience) and Japanese two words of which the group will compose 5 poems for each.
the smell
of an erasable marker ...
keyword-"open"
As strips of paper, (ten strips for each member) pass around (15 members including sensei), my guidian angel sits next to me to help with translating my English to Japanese. This is double duty for her; but helps hone her English skills as part of our English for Japanese bargain. As soon as members receive the strips, they begin composing 5 sets of haiku for each word sensei had put on the whiteboard. Only one poem is required on one strip in two groups of five, one group of five for each word. Kigo is required for each poem. These poems are from memories of actual event-moments; although, these events can be from event-moments in dreams. This is the basis for the sensei's lesson for this session.
cold seat:
a metal folding-chair helps
the tail-end of jet lag
As each member (haiku no deshi, student of haiku) completes writing their haiku (there are no plurals in the Japanese language, haiku can represent one or many haiku) on their strips of paper, they pass them to the sensei. The sensei or the sensei assistant (in this case, uncle) numbers each strip. making 150 numbered strips (15 members x 10 paper strips). After all the members are finished and the strips numbered, the strips are passed back to the members in 15 sets of ten. The members then pass the sets around the table so all members get a chance to vote for their top three for each key word the sensei wrote on the whiteboard. (As I remember now, one word was a theme, the other word was to be used verbatim, so, this being the difference in the treatment for each word). The voting was the hardest and usually the longest process.
the hostess
offers wasabi beans ...
last vote
The members' choices are tallied by the sensei; he picks one poem for "special attention". The niece explains and translates the process to me. The sensei recites twice the poem for each member's choice they ranked for sensei's two words. He calls out the member's name, reads twice this chosen poem, the member who had written the poem says "hai" (Japanese for "yes" and acknowledges the voter with "arigatou gozaimasu" (Japanese for "thank you" which has a humble undertone encompassing an apology for effort of acknowledgement from the acknowledger). Collectively the rest of the members nod with approval and acknowledgement. This is repeated around the table for poems chosen by each member while the sensei's assistant tallies and ranks the top voted poems, ranking by vote, first, second, and third place.
guidian angel
taps my note pad ...
your poem!!
I try to take a few notes as the kukai (gathering of haiku poets) nears its end. I've forgotten most of the translations for my poems. My guidian angel is near exhaustion from nudging me or tapping my note pad as many of my poems are chosen. I fight giddiness in my dream that's not a dream. A dark thought occurs to me briefly that my poems are so obvious that all these votes are "Japanese politeness"! But then, my muse gives to me one word, "baka"! My muse speaks Japanese now? Hmmm... "baka", (馬鹿) means, "idiot"!
twelve hours
into Georgia's yesterday --
stomach grumbles
The vote tally indicates the top three poems. Each poem in order of their rank is discussed by Akegarasu sensei. As the top ranking poem is announced, the author is honored by the sensei then by the group with nods and polite applause. The sensei asks questions to the author about the poem. The sensei may give guidance, suggestion, and possible revision to the poem. This is recorded by the assistant and will later be published in the monthly magazine associated with Kusanohana. This sequence is repeated for the second place and third place poems. All voted for poems will be published in the Kusanohana monthly magazine. The sensei may present more analysis later in the magazine.
a pun edges
the first place pick ...
Buson's rose
Akegarasu sensei rises and approaches the whiteboard to write his choice of haiku for "special attention". The members around the table draw their attention to the whiteboard as the sensei begins to write. The erasable marker has seemed to have dried out as Akegarasu sensei attempts the first stroke of the Japanese kanji. Akegarasu sensei is a bit startled and laughs looking at his assistant who immediately begins to look about for another marker. The hostess, rises from the table and the "marker search" begins communally; although, she eventually finds another in a counter drawer near the entrance of the room and passes it up to the assistant who gives it to the sensei. The assistant politely suggests to Akegarasu sensei to cap the marker after use or this last one will dry-out, too. Everyone laughs in relief at this. I laugh quietly again as the niece translates the discussion between Akegarasu sensei and her uncle, the assistant.
the two hour
room rent donations:
one moon-cake left
Akegarasu sensei finishes the "special attention" poem he's written in Japanese and starts the English translation. My "guidian angle" secretly nudges me saying, "This yours!" in English. She translates the English in a whisper as Akegarasu sensei struggles a bit with his English translation. It is my poem about my recent visit to Akita.
駅弁を解いて秋田の稲穂波
a box lunch
opens on Akita's train:
golden rice fields
Akegarasu sensei has a little difficulty with the proper English phrase order and requests assistance from the niece who then engages me in the conversation. The Japanese poem written for me from my English had a different arrangement of phrase: (if memory serves) [Akita train's / box lunch opening on-with-in field's ripe rice], as the niece tried to adhere to the traditional 5-7-5 (go shichi go) Japanese letter-word-phrase grouping in one vertical line on the paper strip. My original English was: opening the lunch box / on the train to Akita: / rice fields. The theme "open" was used with the kigo (I thought) "rice fields", which it turned out needing to be, "ripe rice fields"; and, "opening" changed to a verb expressing present action, "open".
a morning crow
alights in the furrows --
late harvest
If I may offer a more accurately "Japanese" interpretation, please feel free to explore the following link:
http://www.geocities.jp/neusitoratatu/fhaiku.htm
This particular website may not be maintained much longer as I do not know the longevity of "geocities" maintenance.
Akegarasu sensei talks a little in English, a lot of Japanese, when explaining his thoughts and critique of my poem. He is happy I was somewhat familiar with the concept of kigo as he felt this an important feature of haiku. He mentions that Akita is famous for their sake and cherry bark covered ceramic sake cups. He adjourns the meeting and the members start putting the rented room in order as is required by the rent agreement. As uncle, niece, and I help with the clean-up, I am informed by the niece, that, Akegarasu sensei wants to take me out to have a after-the-kukai traditional bar-hop. Of course, I am obliged to go, but, uncle, lives far-away and the hour is late, so, he will leave me with his niece who has happily (I feel) volunteered to escort me and take responsibility for getting me back to my room at the Japanese inn.
a giant spider crab
animates the store front ...
sensei's smile
This ends my haibun account of the first haikai with Kusanohana. I attended a Kusanohana meeting every year I visited Japan for the next 5 years, until, dear sensei's passing in late 2004. I contributed haiku monthly by email to the magazine from 2002 to the end of 2004. My poems are published in Kusanohana 2002-2004. I attened the 10th Anniversary of Kusanohana on November 27, 2003. The last time I saw Mr. Fujita Akegarasu was at the Mainichi International Haiku Competition award ceremony in Tokyo, July 5th, 2004 where he and the Kusanohana group attended the ceremony as my guests. I had won First Place in the competition. I acknowledged him as my sensei. He passed away in November, 2004.
As a continuation of, How it's done in Japan (one man's adventure) "Haiku Circles", I may later relate activities with Kusanohana, the "kukai", haiku circle meetings, as well as the ginko, (nature walks). I would like to keep the haibun approach in honor of Mastuo Bashou, who, made this literary approach popular.
Thank you.
Ciao... chibi
Thank you Dennis, great account. We missed each other by a day or two. I travelled back from Yuwa Town to get back to Kobe, and then home.
I'm glad you met Debi Bender as she is extraordinary, not only as an artist and writer, but she looked after the entire group. Susumu cajoled me into using onsen which cured by badly swollen and sprained ankle (fell off a roundabout in Bristol, a mini-forest roundabout, now gone due to property development).
onsen: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2292.html (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2292.html)
What a huge shame we missed each by such a short amount of time.
I'm really excited to hear more about your adventures. ;-)
Alan
p.s. I'm not a World Haiku Club member, but knew Susumu when I was General Secretary of the British Haiku Society, and he was Vice-President. We had more in common with each other than with the others. ;-)
The BHS is great, but I think both of us wanted to experiment with unusual, as well as big, events on a regular basis.
Eventually Susumu formed the World Haiku Club, and I formed Naked Haijin Productions, and we regularly did events together.
By going to Japan I met up again with NHP colleague Maki Nishida who had to back to Japan, and later at Kamakura met up with Deborah Russell who I got on like a house on fire. She's great company, and then meeting Visjna McMaster we had even more fun, and I still remember the night of the street rock band. ;-)
Also I met Carmen Sterba in Kamakura, and then we left to stay with Kris Kondo for a day before Carmen and myself went onto to hot sweltry Tokyo. Carmen was my haijinx co-editor, so it was a real buzz to see some of the names of haiku in person.
Over to you Dennis! ;-)
Alan
The story continues in the original post. I edit as I go to keep it all together for continuity and as an aid to my memory.
If there is a better technique to accomplish this on this forum, please, help.
Ciao... chibi
Dennis, I've enjoyed reading your account of your haiku odyssey to date. This particular sentence adds something I can identify with, and has me smiling:
"I manage an awkward bow and attempt the Japanese word for "thank you" but it sounds more like, "alligator". "
I also like the part about there not being a word for mockingbird in the saijiki. These touches show a little about the narrator (you) and help ground the narrative in the 'two worlds'.
- Lorin
Third installment complete... I swear I made grammar and spelling corrections for the first two installments, yet, even now I see I need proof reader HELP!! Late now... my eyes protest. Tomorrow is just a day away... thank you Annie.
Great to read your report, Chibi san!
brings back memories too ... ...
Greetings from your beloved Japan
Gabi (and Haiku Kun, the literate tomcat)
http://haikuandhappiness.blogspot.com/
.
Thank you for sharing this Dennis,
I want to acknowledge an act of kindness from cat. She went through my story and did a spell check, and, gave me notice also on some of the odd sentence structures.
Thank you, cat. I find this very touching, truly. I need all the help in writing long I can get. Maybe that's why I love the short in short poetry? ;D
Thanks again, cat.
Ciao... chibi
I would be grateful to those who have read my account in haibun form to give critique, of course; but, most of all it is my sincere wish that you enjoyed the haibun.
Thank you very much.
Yours in poetry.
Ciao... chibi
dear Chibi,
thank you for sharing this haibun; your gentle spirit shines through
Your "sincere wish" has been fulfilled. This is a very enjoyable read. You paced it well ... the haiku are wonderful ... and the stories are clearly memorable for you - for the rest of your life. More than a haibun, this is your life ... and clearly a very precious aspect of it to celebrate. Your experience is envious.
all the best,
Don
I have spell checked and did a grammar rule check (there are still some grammar green underlines that I just can't figure why their flagged by Microsoft grammar check). But the spelling of "guidian" angel is a play on "guardian" angel.
So the last edit is pretty close to final, unless another set of eyes find some corrective edits they care to share.
As part of my first trip to Japan to attend the convention in Yuba Town, after the first kukai with Akegarasu sensei and Kusanohana, I was invited by the niece's husband to tour parts of Chichibu (a mountainous region near Tokyo), and try (with his assurance against my shyness) an old onsen in the region. I may continue further haibun if I can recall enough from my memories.
There were three more meetings with Kusanohana, several ginko walks, making a ceramic plaque, Chichibu summer festival and river boat tour, Nikko tour, Kamakura visit and special lunch, Tokyo formal Tea Ceremony, Chichibu winter festival, the visit to Gokurakuan, Harry Potter Bertie Botts Beans Surprize, 8th Mainichi International Haiku Competition, Akegarasu sensei's gift books, the 10th Kusanohana Anniversary, Smoky Mountain caven tours during Hurricane Fred (niece and her daughter visit to USA),Tea Bowls and Dragon Plates, and Kendo at Hanno City dojo.
All these "adventures" are in large part activities around the Kusanohana haiku circle meetings. It would be a secret pleasure to put this all in installments to eventually be a complete haibun, perhaps, "chibi hosomichi"? Although, I wonder if THF is the place to develop such?
Ciao... chibi
My greatest concern, chibi, is that this forum is an open forum - to the public. This is not a private forum and therefore, all of your work could be considered (by some publishers) as published. Also, some folks are offering slight edit suggestions... possibly you would want to move this to the Share Poetry or Mentoring section which are private forums ... and folks would be even more comfortable in offering edits and suggestions - the very essence of those particular forums.
You have some fine haiku here (and a haibun worth publishing, one day) that might be excluded from a publishing opportunity because of being posted on a public, open forum.
It's possible, the Mentoring or Share Haiku forums might be the better choices for you to continue with this adventure.
just pondering out loud here, chibi,
best,
Don
Don has a very good point, Dennis. By posting your 'haiku memoirs' here, you are publishing it. You might want to publish it in print or on a website later, or even submit it in installments to a journal, and to complete it here would be to put your prospects of having it published elsewhere under threat.
There is quite a long tradition of publishing in installments. Dickens did that, for most if not all of his novels.
(My father-in-law did too...a work titled, 'How To Rob A Bank With A Ballpoint Pen', back in the late 60's ::) but that's another story entirely. )
- Lorin
Don and Lorin,
Thank you both for your thoughtful reply.
I see the point, but, I am undecided as to which direction, if any, I should go.
I enjoy relating the memories. If, or when, I go further, perhaps I will consider the traditional "publishing" path. I would also try to pick a publisher that would not be too concerned about material exposed "online". I am most happy to think that accessability the key focus of anything I write.
I am truly touched and grateful for your replies.
Yours in poetry.
PS... I hope Don, doesn't mind my plagerism of my reply to his private message. Ain't the "copy-paste" function, great! Sorry, Don... I wrestle with my technical laziness, daily. :-\