The Haiku Foundation Forums

It is a shame that NFTG and its subsequent publications have vanished.

I was one of the four founding editors of NFTG and haiku editor for nine quarterly issues. I was disappointed that most of those issues, which were archived on the old site, vanished from the new website and were not retrieved, but I thought that they would be accessible, if needed, through a British library, the name of which I've forgotten.

I was under the impression that Notes From the Gean and all related publications were being archived with this British library. CSJ advertised that that was happening, in any case, and in glowing terms.

If you, Alan, know which library and can supply the information then requests can be made for access for study and scholarly purposes by anyone ... that is if British archiving libraries operate as their Australian counterparts do. What's needed is the name and address of the library and the relevant ISSN ( for NFTG) and IBSNs (for the e-books)

- Lorin

Dear All,

I am delighted to announce the publication of Where the River Goes: The Nature Tradition in English-Language Haiku.

This anthology, which has been five years in the making, is a landmark work in English-language haiku, with unprecedented scope and focus. Edited by Allan Burns, Where the River Goes details and celebrates the evolution of the nature tradition of haiku over an active period of fifty years. Featuring more than nine hundred haiku, the anthology highlights and explores the work of forty essential "voices," from pioneers such as James W. Hackett, Robert Spiess, and John Wills to major contemporary haiku poets who regularly write in a naturalistic mode.

The book is available now in a beautiful, 479 pp., hardback first edition.

Advance praise would suggest that the anthology will have very considerable appeal both within and beyond the haiku community. Tom Lynch hails it as an "outstanding volume", and Jeremy Mynott, the former head of Cambridge University Press, describes it as both "richly varied" and "ground-breaking". As well as being essential reading for anyone seriously interested in English-language haiku of any persuasion, the anthology makes an ideal seasonal gift for any haiku, poetry, or nature lover. As Ted Floyd, editor of Birding Magazine, has noted, "Anybody interested in nature and in nature writing will delight in this anthology."

Further details, including ordering options, are available on the website at http://www.snapshotpress.co.uk/books/where_the_river_goes.htm

* * *
The Haiku Calendar 2014, the fifteenth annual edition of this "attractive and useful" calendar, is also now available to order. Please see http://www.snapshotpress.co.uk/calendars/the_haiku_calendar/2014.htm for further details.
The last ordering dates for delivery before Christmas are December 12 (overseas, for single orders), December 17 (for overseas orders of 3 or more items, which can be sent by courier), and December 20 (UK).

Postage on all our books is now free in the UK and S&H on books is discounted by 50% for overseas orders.

Submissions are also open for the forthcoming one-line haiku anthology and the 2015 calendar – I will send a mailing list announcement shortly detailing these.

With all best wishes,

John

John Barlow
Publisher, Snapshot Press
www.snapshotpress.co.uk 

A Hundred Gourds 3:1 is now online

The ninth issue of A Hundred Gourds, a quarterly journal of haiku, haibun, haiga, tanka and renku poetry is now released. The issue marks the beginning of our third year of publishing.  Many thanks to our readers and contributors for making AHG the success that it continues to be. 

We wish you all the Joy of the Season and a Happy and Fruitful New Year.

http://ahundredgourds.com/ahg31/index31.html


Along with our regular Haiku, Tanka, Renku, Haiga, Haibun and Expositions sections, AHG 3.1 offers two Features:

In Memoriam – Laryalee Fraser, 1940 - 2013

It was with great sadness that we received the news that Lary passed away in October. A patient and encouraging mentor for many, Lary was modest about proclaiming her own achievements.  Susan Constable has compiled a collection of Lary's fine haiku and haiga in tribute to the unstinting service Lary gave to the online haiku community for many years.

Le Groupe Haïku de Montréal

In the heart of Montreal, Canada, Le Groupe Haïku de Montréal meets to support its members in the writing of haiku that differs from the kind of haiku typically written in France. Mike Montreuil gives some insight into the workings of the group and a bi-lingual sampler of haiku, haibun and tanka.


Submissions Deadline

The deadline for all submissions to AHG 3.2 (the March 2014 issue) is December 15th. AHG has an open submissions policy: any submissions received after the deadline will be filed for consideration for the June 2014 issue. Please check our submissions page for details and editors' guidelines.


Lorin Ford – Haiku Editor, Managing Editor,
for the Editorial Team, A Hundred Gourds

Quote from: Peter Yovu on September 14, 2013, 08:20:43 AM
For this third edition of Field Notes: Explorations in Haiku, we asked members of a panel of writers to consider which haiku, or which poets, strongly influenced them in some way. I think you will find it interesting, and perhaps touching, to learn the results of this inquiry, and I hope you will continue the exploration by adding a few of your own life-changing haiku.

Was there a poem which startled you, or perhaps nudged you, in the direction of writing? Was there a poet whose work overturned all your previous expectations or beliefs about haiku, and changed your approach to writing and reading?

Hi Peter and All,
                        I had to decline Peter's original invitation because of all kinds of life things but am now catching up on reading all of the wonderful responses... both the affirming and the challenging.

So I'm responding now by adding the couple of haiku that certainly surprised me and "nudged me in the direction of writing" haiku.

Disclosure: I was completely unaware haiku existed until about early 2004, and I wasn't interested as those haiku I heard (in my ignorance) seemed to be no more than (sometimes funny) puns or po-faced faux-profundities by annoying people who wore superior cat-like smiles and answered my queries about what haiku was with such impenetrable statements as " Haiku is Zen. Zen is haiku". Enough to put anyone interested in the experience of poetry right off.

The 'life-changing' haiku for me were the first two I came across that struck me as being poems. 

The first was Carla Sari's :

back from the war
the tap he couldn't fix
still dripping

- 2nd place, paper wasp Jack Stamm Award, 2003 :  http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/paperwasp/jackstamm2003.html

Carla read this out at an informal poetry workshop I attended, and asked for critique. I distinctly recall my response: "Ya can't have that! It reads as though it's the tap that's back from the war. It needs rephrasing. " ('tap' = 'faucet' in US English, btw) Carla pointed out that there were certain conventions that applied to reading haiku: there was a break between L1 & the rest. Ah.

The succinctness struck me, as did the metaphorical and emotional resonances of that precise, literal image in context of someone being back from 'the war'. Suddenly, I was interested.

Next, perhaps even on the same day, or perhaps not, Carla read out this haiku of Dhugal Lindsay's:

picking up a jellyfish
my lifeline
clear and deep

My reaction: instant memory of doing just that as a kid, picking up moon jellies that'd washed up on the beach, seeing through them to the lines on my palm. This haiku startled and moved me, actually reconnected me with what I liked and valued, what I felt nurtured by when I was a kid, what made me happily wonder and discover things in my world. (I had no idea, until much later, that Lindsay was a marine biologist, so didn't get that aspect of this haiku)

And, I realised, that this kind of experience was the same as what attracted me to poetry in general. Lines from 'long' poems I was long familiar with, that stand out in contrast to, break away from, the more discursive verse they are 'framed' by, occurred to me in a new light such as:

Dawn points, and another day
Prepares for heat and silence. Out at sea the dawn wind
Wrinkles and slides. I am here
Or there, or elsewhere. In my beginning.

from 'East Coker', Four Quartets - TS Eliot

and

... A barnacle goose
Far up in the stretches of night; night splits and the dawn breaks loose

from 'High Talk' , 'Last Poems' - WB Yeats

These sort of lines always seemed to me to be a breakthrough into a different kind of perception from the rest of the poem, not only a change in the register of the language.

So that's it. I began writing and reading haiku. That's the big life-change.

But now another change, and not a sudden, sunlit , illuminating one, is creeping up on me in relation to haiku and prodding me to come to terms with it.

Another disclosure: long ago I read a lot of Science Fiction, short stories & novels...and still do when I want to relax and take my mind off haiku & related, though these days it's more often re-reading. Philip K. Dick is one SF writer who's dealt a lot with perceptions of reality, co-existing realities as perceived by an unreliable mind. Others have dealt with fantastic 'what ifs', possible realities.

Yet another disclosure: Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', his last play, remains my favourite play of all time.

All of which, I would've thought, might've prepared me for this sort of sea-change:

the galactic aquarium shatters
our arms ending in starfish

- Peter Yovu

But it didn't. You've blown me out of the water, Peter. I've yet to come to terms with this one.

- Lorin

A Hundred Gourds 2:4 is now online

The eighth issue of A Hundred Gourds, a quarterly journal of haiku, haibun, haiga, tanka and renku poetry is now online. The issue marks the end of our second year of publishing and we thank all of our contributors for making AHG the success that it continues to be. 

http://www.ahundredgourds.com/

Haiku in Earth Language

Many thanks to Yoshiko McFarland for this issue's feature: 'Haiku in Earth Language'. Those of you not yet familiar with Yoshiko's work will be both charmed and intrigued. Yoshiko uses her skills in visual arts to supplement and enhance a whole new language of her own creation, a language with its roots in the ancient cultures which lived close to the natural world.

Invitation to Contribute to Expositions and Features

Mathew Paul has the Expositions well up and running in this issue with an essay by Hamish Ironside and several book reviews. He welcomes your essays/ articles and your commentaries on individual poems for the December issue. Please note that submissions to Expositions, like other submissions to AHG, are not to be simultaneously submitted elsewhere. Previously published work will be considered as long as full details of previous publication are included.

As well, we are interested to hear from writers who would like to contribute a feature for AHG, to be published in 2014. Please contact Lorin Ford, initially, with a brief outline of the proposed feature. All AHG feature proposals are subsequently presented to the Editorial Team Panel for approval. Our aim is to provide one feature per issue, and the field is open to all haikai-related subjects and topics.

Submissions Deadline

The deadline for all submissions to AHG 3.1 (the December issue) is September 15th. This means that submissions intended for the December issue must be received by September 15th. We have an open submissions policy. Submissions received after the deadline will be filed for consideration for the March 2014 issue. Please check our submissions page for details and editors' guidelines.

Lorin Ford, haiku editor,
for the Editorial Team, A Hundred Gourds

The Book of Renku

John E. Carley has published a 'The Book of Renku' on the Renku Reckoner website, where you will find this message:

"Welcome to the temporary Renku Reckoner web site.

This site will shortly cease operation. The material previously hosted here has been superceded by The Book of Renku.

Private individuals are cordially invited to download a complete pdf of The Book of Renku free of charge for personal use. Please click the button below and save to an appropriate location. Please refer to the terms and conditions that preface the book."

http://www.renkureckoner.co.uk/

Free of charge to anyone interested in poetry.

John Carley's work on renku is indispensable.

- Lorin

A Hundred Gourds 2:3 is now online

The seventh issue of A Hundred Gourds, a quarterly journal of haiku, haibun, haiga, tanka and renku poetry is now online:

http://www.ahundredgourds.com/

Two Features in this issue

Along with our regular Haiku, Haiga, Haibun, Renku, Tanka and Expositions sections, AHG 2.3 presents two features: 'Haiku In India', presented by Kala Ramesh and 'From There to Here: Conversations with John E. Carley', by AHG Renku Editor, William Sorlien.

Invitation to Contribute Features

Poets and Readers who would like to contribute a feature article for any of AHG's 2014 issues are invited to contact Lorin Ford, initially, with a brief outline of the proposed feature. All AHG feature proposals are subsequently presented to the Editorial Team for approval. Our aim is to provide one feature per issue, and the field is open to all haikai-related subjects and topics.

Expositions Section

Mathew Paul is AHG's new Expositions editor, and welcomes your submissions of essays/articles and commentaries on individual poems.

Submissions Deadline

The deadline for all submissions to AHG 2.4 (the September issue) is June 15th. This means that submissions intended for the September issue must be received by June 15th. We have an open submissions policy. Submissions received after the deadline will be filed for consideration for the December issue. Please check our submissions page for details and editors' guidelines.

Lorin Ford, haiku editor,
for the Editorial Team, A Hundred Gourds

------

.. my email, I meant.  ::)

cheers,

Lorin

Hi Chase,
               Well done!  8)

See my private message in relation to pre-published haiku, though.

- Lorin

A Hundred Gourds 2:2 is now online


The sixth issue of A Hundred Gourds, a quarterly journal of haiku, haibun, haiga, tanka and renku poetry is now online:

http://www.ahundredgourds.com/

* Please note that AHG has a new url, as above. You may wish to replace the old url with the new one in your bookmarks.

Feature

Along with our regular haiku, haiga, haibun, renku and tanka sections, AHG 2.2 includes Susan Constable's feature on Kozue Uzawa, tanka poet and founder and editor of the Canadian tanka journal, GUSTS.

Expositions Section

To our regret, there is no Expositions section in AHG 2.2. We apologise to our readers for any inconvenience. If you have submitted work to the Expositions section, either for AHG 2.2 or for AHG 2.3, please contact Lorin Ford.

And now the good news: We are delighted to welcome Mathew Paul to the AHG team as the new Expositions Editor. Many of you will be familiar with Matthew's reviews in the UK haiku journal, Presence, and others will have recently enjoyed his selections of Workers' Haiku published in THF's per diem.

Due to the imminent deadline for submissions to AHG 2.3, we are not sure at this date whether Matthew's first AHG Expositions section will appear in the June or the September issue. We encourage you to send any book reviews, essays/articles or your commentaries on individual poems for the June AHG, by March 15th, in any case.

We'll publish Matthew's email address for submissions on the AHG website as soon as we can. In the meantime, please send any submissions for the Expositions section or enquiries to Lorin Ford at haikugourds@gmail.com , being sure to include 'AHG Expositions Section' in the title bar.

STOP PRESS

8) We now have Mathew's email address for submissions:  Matt Paul <expositionsgourds@gmail.com>

Submissions Deadline

The deadline for all submissions to AHG 2.3 (the June issue) is March 15th. Please check our submissions page for details and editors' guidelines.

---
Lorin Ford, Haiku Editor,
for the Editorial Team,
ahundredgourds

---

Actually, there are a couple of glitches that've become evident.

Don't be concerned about them. They'll be resolved. It's a matter of webmaster talking to webmaster.

There's no need to let any of the editors or webmaster know about these glitches ...we do know.

- Lorin

A Hundred Gourds 2:1 is now online


The fifth issue of A Hundred Gourds, a quarterly journal of haiku, haibun, haiga, tanka and renku poetry is now online.

http://ahundredgourds.com

As well as haiku, haiga, haibun, renku, tanka and our Expositions section, AHG 2:1 includes a feature by Sandra Simpson on the Haiku Festival Aotearoa, 2012, which was held in Tauranga, New Zealand.

We begin our second year of publishing a wide range of haiku and related poetry with special thanks to Jim Sullivan, AHG's new webmaster, and to Ray Rasmussen, who was willing to teach Jim the mysteries of web work and will continue in his role of consultant.

Many thanks, too, to Ron Moss for his willingness to be the guest editor for this issue's haiga section. Aubrie Cox is now on team as haiga editor and welcomes your haiga submissions for the March issue onwards.

The deadline for all submissions to AHG 2:2 (the March 2013 issue) is December 15th.

Please check the AHG submissions page for all of the editors' guidelines and email addresses.

--
Lorin Ford, haiku editor,
for the Editorial Team
A Hundred Gourds
--

A Hundred Gourds 1:4 is now online

The fourth issue of A Hundred Gourds, a quarterly journal of haiku, haibun, haiga, tanka and renku poetry is now online.

http://ahundredgourds.com

This issue marks the completion of our first full year of publishing a wide range of haiku and related poetry.

As well as haiku, haiga, haibun, renku, tanka and our Expositions section, AHG I:4 features a retrospective by Kathleen O'Toole on the haiku life of the celebrated American haiku poet, Nick Virgilio.

Haiga: Special News

A very special thanks to Melinda Hipple, an AHG co-founder, part of the webmaster team and haiga editor over the course of our inaugural year from Issue 1:1 through to the current issue 1:4. Our best wishes go with Mel for success in her university studies.

Ron Moss, AHG's resident artist, is Haiga Guest Editor for AHG 2:1, the December 2012 issue and will continue to receive haiga submissions for the December AHG until September 15th.

We welcome Aubrie Cox as the new editor for haiga. Aubrie will receive haiga submissions from September 16th – December 15th for AHG 2:2, March 2013. Please do not send submissions to Aubrie until after submissions for AHG 2:1 have closed.

The deadline for all submissions to AHG 2:1(the December issue) is September 15th.

--
Lorin Ford, haiku editor,
for the Editorial Team
A Hundred Gourds

Ron Moss Guest Haiga Editor for issue 2:1, Dec 2012 - Submissions open until September 15th.


A special thanks to Melinda Hipple, who has been AHG's haiga editor for the past year, from Issue 1:1 through to the forthcoming issue, 1:4. Melinda now needs time to pursue her long-deferred, full time university studies. We congratulate her and wish her all the best.


Ron Moss, AHG's resident artist, has generously agreed to be Guest Editor for Haiga for AHG 2:1. the December 2012 issue. Ron has previously served as a Haiga Guest Editor for Simply Haiku, in 2008. Ron welcomes your haiga submissions for the December issue, which will mark the beginning of our second year of publishing A Hundred Gourds.


Please see the AHG submission page for Haiga submission details.


A Hundred Gourds - a quarterly journal featuring haiku, tanka, renku, haiga, and haibun

http://ahundredgourds.haikuhut.com/index13.html

-
Lorin Ford, Haiku Editor
for the Management Team
A Hundred Gourds

A Hundred Gourds 1:3 is now online


The third issue of A Hundred Gourds: a quarterly journal of haiku, haibun, haiga, tanka and renku poetry is now online.

http://ahundredgourds.com

In this issue we commemorate the life of Hortensia Anderson, who passed away on the 21st of May, with a haibun written by Shelia Windsor. Hortensia, as she was known as a haiku writer, will be sadly missed by all who knew her and had the benefit of reading her beautiful haiku.

Our feature for this issue is Visual Innovation in Renku Poetry, introduced by Renku Editor, William Sorlien and featuring a renku by Bea Bereis, Simone Busch, Ramona Linke.

As well as our usual haiku, renku, haibun, haiga and tanka sections you will find an interview with Jane Reichhold, essays by Beth Vieira and Jack Galmitz, a commentary on a poem by Jim Sullivan and two book reviews. Enjoy reading!

A Hundred Gourds welcomes your submissions to the September edition.

The deadline for all submissions to AHG 1:4 is June 15th.

--
Lorin Ford, haiku editor,
for the Editorial Team
A Hundred Gourds
--