The Haiku Foundation Forums

Please contact Colin directly for information regarding this program.  I had to make a decision to not be involved in it at this time.  Thanks so much for your great responses!!!  I appreciate it very much!

Take care,

Don

:)

( And no, there are no problems between Col and I. We've been friends for years and always will be.  I'm working on starting up a school of poetry for the Japanese arts of English language haiku, tanka, haiga and haibun.  A school is the direction I want to go.  This school will be developed for online studies.  I pioneered an online school of poetry of which I have managed and/or taught for over 7 years.  It is incredibly successful.  

I graduated from a 5 year program at UCLA with a major in Music and Education.  English comp was my minor - creative writing, not technical.  I've taught high school, masters classes for professional musicians, photography, martial arts and police defensive tactics for three different departments over a 35 year career.  I am a teacher through and through.  That is my passion and that is where I want to focus my energy, along with writing poetry, of course.  I will keep you all posted as there are many folks here I would love to have as teachers at the school)  don

Hi Paul,

I fully agree with you.  I felt it was a great challenge to folks to post this concept and discuss it.  As we all can see, there will be quite a few years left to go by before we get into duplication of efforts ... though, it happens occasionally today.

Your thoughts are appreciated and I agree with them fully.

Take care and thanks for joining in.

Don

my cat
dressed for Halloween
a blue moon

hahahaaha!!!!

Hi Alan,

Interesting thought!  Great seeing ya!

8)

Hey gang,

I've completed Col's post on this subject.  So, please read it again.

It's very exciting and we're looking for experienced poets to become part of the team - as contributers.  I've posted three subjects this time around.  If you feel like you have a handle on any one of the subjects, please query me on your ideas and then write an article for consideration.  Thanks!

Call for September Issue:  due (cut-off) date is June 30th       Thank you.

Thanks for joining in.  I look forward to your queries and submissions.

"Three Cheers to the Gean!!!
;D

Great job Col and team.  You all rock!!!

Hello,

I haven't written a haiku about stained glass but this thread has sure encouraged me to do so.  Great thread ... I'll be back for more.

Thanks,

Don

Hey Erin,

Possibly, too, you could do some research.  I'd suggest buying one of the books about Masaoka Shiki who is the Japanese poet that popularized haiku (and named it).  Reading his story is extremely helpful for a beginner (though not all folks agree).  I enjoyed studying his life, his thoughts and his poetry.  It was interesting how he documented his entire life through haiku while he was room and then bed confined.

Others to study are Buson and Issa ... possibly Basho.  There are so many opinions today ... but, you know me ... I'm one to look at history to see how we got here today.  That mind set will really help you understand today's haiku environment as well as assists you in eventually chosing your own haiku voice and style.

Take care and have a great weekend!

:)

"a moment of clarity" ...

"a defining moment" ...

"Spark" works for me as the impetus for both of those to occur.

An enjoyable thread and a needed discussion. Thanks Bea for such a great question!

Don

I think you have to write the truth.  If that creates a haiku that is more local, then that seems fine to me (not that I'm any judge, etc.)  It's important to write haiku that reflect your immediate surroundings ... wherever you are at the moment.  Haiku written with that mindset will not always be accessible to everyone world wide.  But, someone of your area will "get" it right away.

I think it is a situation of intent.  If you intend to use wordplay that confuses the reader it is a lesser poem (and a lesser intention).  If it happens simply because that is where you are and that is what you saw, then the poem has integrity ... even if there are some folks who do not immeditately understand it.

And, I agree with Gabi's wonderful chat with you.  Excellent thoughts.

:)

I try to write my haiku to be accessible to as many folks as possible.  However, with the multitude of differing cultures, we will all experience reading and writing haiku that are not easily understood.  I think one key is:  don't write them intentionally to be obscure to a certain culture.  If there is obscurity, let it be incidental and not on purpose.  The reader, after all, is also your audience.

Just a short version of my two cents.

:)

Hi,

Titles should not be used with haiku and in particular (if the poet "broke" the rule) the title should not be part of the poem, effect or add to it in any way.

I think you'll find that to be the general consensus.

Keep on writing!!!

Don

Bumping Up!  :)

We're making last calls for haiga to be published in the Spring issue of Simply Haiku.  If you have haiga that you would like to be considered for publication in Simply Haiku, please submit haiga here:

http://www.simplyhaiku.webs.com/silvijaintro.htm


Thanks!

Don

Hey Alan ... please private message me ... how much have you collected, if you don't mind me asking.  Private IM me with estimate.  I'd love to know where you stand and then I will help fix some of it with my personal donation.

Thanks ... you guys are the greatest!

Don

I had no idea.  Thanks for sharing, Gabi!

What a wonderful issue!  Very fine work!  Congrats!

Don