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Patricia Donegan, Friend of The Haiku Foundation

It is with sadness that we relate the passing of Patricia Donegan, in her native Chicago, on 24 January 2023, following a short but onerous illness brought on by an allergic reaction to medication. Donegan served The Haiku Foundation as an Associate, as well as a judge in its HaikuNow! Contests. She was a champion of women haiku poets in Japan and around the world, and was, of course, a world-class poet herself. A Sukhavati will be held Friday, 27 January 2023, at 7:00 pm CST. A Zoom link for those wishing to attend from a distance will be made available.

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  3. May the soul of the dearly departed rest in Nirvana in the Western Pure Land. Let the soul be the jewel in the lotus.
    Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ …
    🪷

  6. Thanks, Jim, for this notice.

    I have two of Patricia Donegan’s books: ‘Haiku Mind’ and ‘Chiyo-ni – Woman Haiku Master’.

    From the latter:
    ”
    tsuki mo mite
    ware wa kono yo o
    kashiku kana

    I also saw the moon
    and so I say goodbye
    to this world

    note “This is Chiyo-ni’s last haiku . . . The “also” infers that she had experienced everything in life including the full autumn moon right before she died. The word ” kashiku was usually used by women in those days at the end of a letter to say goodbye ; shows her clear and calm state of mind.” – p 190 – ‘Chiyo-ni – Woman Haiku Master’, (c) 1988 by Charles E. Tuttle Publishing Co. Inc.

    Patricia’s words that Dave gives us certainly are a match for Chiyo-ni’s, so I believe this is her last haiku :
    .
    “I go willingly into the sound of the crickets.”

    I go
    willingly into the sound
    of crickets — Patricia Donegan
    .
    This draws me in. May we all go this way.

    My condolences to Patricia’s family and all who knew her personally.

  7. I read that some of her last words were:

    “I go willingly into the sound of the crickets.”

  9. one less star
    still burning
    in our verbal universe;
    through her poetry
    her light still reaches us

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