My vote is for the haiku by Mr. Senegal. Having been at the Hot Springs session, I have had ample time to mull over the haiku by Mr. Senegal. Actually, I had heard it many months before and from that moment, it has never been far from my thoughts. I know that seems like an overstatement, but it is true. What I love about this haiku is the evocation of both sight and sound, a haiku tradition dating back to at least Basho and his old pond, if not further. And like old pond, the sound seems to be distant from the image. In many ways, this poem reminds me of the film "Wavelength" by Michael Snow, which consists of a slowly zooming image on a picture while the sounds off camera hint at something else. Since the Hot Springs conference, I've realized that this could be a film, something like a moving haiga. Also, the mystery regarding the sobbing needs no explanation, just our acceptance of the moment.
If a Norwegian elk hound and an Andalusian dog procreated, the haiku by Fay Aoyagi would be the result.
If a Norwegian elk hound and an Andalusian dog procreated, the haiku by Fay Aoyagi would be the result.