John Stevenson — Touchstone Distinguished Books Award Winner 2021
John Stevenson is the recipient of a Touchstone Distinguished Books Award for 2020 for his volume My Red: The Selected Haiku of John Stevenson (Edited by Randy and Shirley Brooks. Taylorville IL: Brooks Books, 2021).
Commentary from the Panel:
The Italian expression sprezzatura has been translated as “graceful conduct or performance without apparent effort” . . . or simply as “effortless genius.” Moments of sprezzatura abound in this landmark collection of the finest work from the last quarter century by John Stevenson, widely hailed as an American haiku master.
Stevenson’s easy yet incisive humor is on ample display in these pages.
applauding
the mime
in our mittens
a big diamond . . .
just imagine
the pressure
So too is his openness to experiment with syntax, wordplay and form, often to stunning effect.
expecting
no one
arrives
more automatic words about weapons
the procession follows the hearse around the pothole
jampackedelevatoreverybuttonpushed
Stevenson’s perspective on everyday phenomena frequently surprises, even amazes — not least because of its curious yet unassailable logic.
dandelion wishes
the wind
makes most of them
for the office plants
it rains
on Fridays
The simplest observations can casually impart the deepest wisdom.
a child’s art
the tulips
tower over everything
we’re here
we might as well build
a sand castle
Such work has justly earned Stevenson the fervent admiration of poets across the haiku world. This in itself would secure any literary reputation. But Stevenson’s oeuvre offers something more—and something even greater. At the heart of his poetry is a profound sense of humanity. This can be seen in his attention to, and compassion for, the plight of “all creatures great and small.”
luxury car
a sparrow’s
quiet thump
barks at me every day
but just lately
he sounds lonely
train station
someone who
someone stopped loving
But it’s also evident in the poet’s willingness to be authentically human and make himself vulnerable: sharing self-censure; expressing self-depreciation; confessing self-doubts.
cold moon —
a moment of hesitation
years ago
class reunion
everybody loved
my wife
putting them away
I hope my clothes
were good enough
Perhaps this helps explain why John Stevenson is not only admired in haiku circles but beloved.
embarrassed
by the lavish praise
I imagine getting
Memo to poet: You’re not imagining . . . now deal with it!
See the complete list of winners of both Individual Poem Awards and Distinguished Books Awards in the Touchstone Archives.
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Congratulations! Great book! He is so good at what he does sometimes he doesn’t even use actual images…Amazing!
Congratulations John, a lovely award.
Congratulations–you are a marvel!
Well said, Jim, and well done, John!
If you haven’t watched John’s two trailers for My Red, I highly recommend them . This shows another aspect of John’s poetry that, for me, elevates them to yet another level, and that is his delivery of the poem. I listen to John’s haiku in his unique voice like no other I can think of, except perhaps Roberta Beary.
I’m so happy for you !
The Hemingway of haiku!
Congratulations John, a well-deserved award!
A tremendous inspiration… without peer, imho.
I’ve always greatly admired John’s poems, both for their keen observations and his unwaveringly surprising turn of mind. Both these skills can’t be taught, but are baked in.
It’s always pure joy to see unique gifts not your own, especially when so consistent.