Does Fish-God Know haiku collection by Alan Summers

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Does Fish-God Know [Paperback]

Alan Summers (Author)

Publisher: Yet To Be Named Free Press (October 15, 2012)
158 Pages
ISBN-10: 1479211044
ISBN-13: 978-1479211043

Amazon.co.uk review extracts:

This tantalizing collection, from leading light of haiku Alan Summers, is stuffed full of unique and evocative gems. Straddling the heady border between reality and surreality are pieces such as "Toy Suns" and "Ghost Knifefish", while "Curse Her" and "Cherry Moon" throw the battle of the sexes into abrupt relief.  A must-have book for any haiku fan.

Reviewer:
Chicago-born musician, and novelist, Tracey Kelly composes music for film and media.

Susan Beth Furst:

October 24, 2020

Verified Purchase

Does Fish-God Know is a beautiful book...and then the haiku poems. One per page, white space, nothing to clutter the mind. Just the words, carefully chosen, Alan's words, his story, or ours...Alan's keen observations are expressed through rich imagery...

Ordinary moments become extraordinary, and no one does it better... The words draw you in, but you don't quite understand what they mean. These mystery haiku are some of the most enjoyable because they invite the reader to solve the mystery in her own way. 

Jacob Salzer:
Does Fish-God Know is a remarkable collection. I highly recommend this book for all readers and writers of poetry, haiku, and related literature.

Steven Rich
Alan Summers is this century's Basho. Highly recommended.

J. Grisetti
One of the first books I have read in the modern haiku style, having isolated myself for years. Alan has introduced both the one and two line haiku and I intend to imitate him in a sincere flattery.

Edwin Lomere
In addition to being a wonderful collection of Mr. Summers' unique haiku, this book serves as a study in how to write in the genre. The scope of moods and insights is brilliant. The use and command of the poetic line is remarkable. 

Paul David Mena
Thank you for writing such a vital work.
http://area17.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-book-review-of-does-fish-god-know.html

Available at Amazon USA; UK; and Europe:

USA: 
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U.K.
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Canada:
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France:
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This book is dedicated to Karen, my wife, muse, and keeper of my heart.

My many thanks also to the good people of haiku, Colin Blundell, Editor of Blithe Spirit, the journal of the British Haiku Society, who published my Does Fish-God Know title poem, which also won the ekphrastic haiku award for that issue, and to my translator Hidenori Hiruta (Akita, Japan) for breathing warmth and fire into his fine translations of my work; and to Emily Dickinson, and The Emperor Of Ice-Cream, Wallace Stevens.

[T]his book contains some of the strongest haiku written by Alan Summers, carefully chosen for their cerebral attack, backbone, humour and adaptive modelling. If you're familiar with Alan's work you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

If you're not familiar with his work then you'll be rushing out to buy other titles by him.

Alan Summers is one of Britain's top haiku writers.

Brendan Slater, 2012

Ah, out of the old pond and into the city!

Does the Fish-God know? And if, what is it he knows? He knows of life with its hard sides and gloomy shades as it is for the many people really subjected to reality. He knows that life is not all flowers and wonderful sunsets. He knows of sides never – or rarely - shown in what at present is (mis)named as "modern haiku".

But he's a god with compassion. Even through rough sceneries The Emperor of Ice-Cream strolls. These haiku have been sorely missed. 

These are NEW haiku as they live and breathe on the back of tradition but are present in the world of the 21st century. 

Alan Summers makes use of the Western mind  and a Japanese tradition to show that haiku has a place in the modern world, and will still have one if we are ready to keep our minds open to every experience and influence that befalls a human.

A manifestation of gendai haiku that shows it's not a dream ...

Johannes S. H. Bjerg

International writer and artist writing in Danish & English. 

Managing Editor, Bones Journal

Author of  "Penguins/Pingviner" 2011

Modern western haiku written by a Japan Times award winning author. Poems that will bend your mind and tempt you to re-evaluate your sense of reality. A must for lovers of experimental short-verse poetry.

Brendan Slater, YTBN Free Press

The book contains a wide range of experimental haiku, regular haiku, plus short verse, as well as one line haiku.

Does Fish-God Know [Paperback]
ISBN-10: 1479211044
ISBN-13: 978-1479211043

Pub. Yet To Be Named Free Press

.

A Blackbird Sings: a book of short poems

A Blackbird Sings: a book of short poems
Kaspalita Thompson (Editor), Fiona Robyn (Editor)

KINDLE version Amazon U.K.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackbird-Sings-short-poems-ebook/dp/B009NTE7JY

Paperback Amazon U.K.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackbird-Sings-Anthology-Small-Stones/dp/0957158424

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/Blackbird-Sings-book-short-poems/dp/0957158424

Amazon USA Kindle version:
http://www.amazon.com/Blackbird-Sings-short-poems-ebook/dp/B009NTE7JY



I’m pleased to say that two of my 1-line haiku are published in this delightful book of short verse.


sick train the night heron shifts silt for all of us

 
Old Man’s Beard a cyclist wobbles the length of it


Publications credits for both haiku: 
a handful of stones (2nd March 2011) ; A Blackbird Sings, a small stone anthology ISBN 978-0-9571584-2-9 ed.  Fiona Robyn & Kaspalita Thompson (Woodsmoke Press 2012)




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Dates: Jan. 7 - Feb. 1, 2013 Haiku and Tanka: Amazement & Intensity: online 2013 haiku and tanka workshop led by Alan Summers for Rooster Moans. The Rooster Moans Poetry Cooperative provides MFA-caliber online poetry workshops.

Update:
Celebrate with 10% Off
From The Rooster Moans Poetry Cooperative

Ring in the new year with three January workshops including Haiku and Tanka: Amazement and Intensity http://poetrycoop.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bb3dc7ead7e8fcce474c593af&id=5f9b54870f&e=b00ac07dec  (now $202.50)


All workshops begin January 7 and last four weeks plus they're archived for an additional four-week period, so you can continue your conversations!

Haiku and Tanka: Amazement & Intensity

FFI weblink  

http://www.poetrycoop.com/poetry-workshops/haiku-and-tanka-amazement-intensity

Dates: Jan. 7 - Feb. 1, 2013

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To Register

Class size: 12
Dates: Jan. 7 - Feb. 1, 2013
Price: $225
Registration is easy. We use Paypal, a service that allows you to pay securely with your credit card or bank account. After registering, you'll receive an email with additional information on your workshop. Thank you!

FFI: http://www.poetrycoop.com/poetry-workshops/haiku-and-tanka-amazement-intensity
Teaching Artists: http://www.poetrycoop.com/poetry-workshops/teaching-artists

A few more details

The Rooster Moans' online poetry workshops last four weeks. While targeted to adults and those with intermediate-toadvanced experience, the cooperative welcomes beginners and writers from other genres, too.

There are four written lessons, each accompanied by one or more discussion questions and writing prompts. Lessons typically include background/history on the workshop's theme, downloadable handouts, links to relevant poems online, suggested reading, related imagery, videos, etc.

Tutors (Teaching artists) attempt to finish all critiques within the week each lesson is posted, whenever possible, and/or all critiques within the month the workshop is active.

Workshops are archived for one month after the workshop ends, during which time students can continue to post and comment. During this period, the teaching artist’s participation is at their discretion.

Teaching artists give every student quality feedback, and lessons typically run between 1000-3000 words, with quality, research, and organization more important than quantity.

Lessons are revealed on four consecutive Sundays, by 12 PM EST, by the artistic director to the students in the workshop, and announced with an eblast.

The tutor suggests possible publication venues for student’s poems, whenever possible.

Students will also peer-critique each other's work (at least three critiques per week are required).

This is very useful as it expands your skills at critiquing both other students’ work and lets you see your own work with fresh eyes.  We will also encourage each and every student to pursue their own unique voice in poetry.

Further Information 
How do online poetry workshops work?

Our poetry workshops last four weeks and take place online in a password-protected space (“The Coop”). Because the weekly lessons are posted on the web, they make use of rich media— imagery, audio and video clips—as well as providing history on the workshop's theme, suggested reading, and questions for discussion. Students post a poem each week in response to the lesson, which is typically accompanied by several writing prompts for those seeking inspiration. Time is fluid in an online workshop; some weeks, you may be inspired to write and post immediately. Other weeks, depending on what is happening in your off-line life, you may not be able to post until the following week or even the one after that.. Our workshops are archived for a full month after the workshop ends, so you can continue to post and comment on each other's poems during that time. Our teaching artists offer detailed critiques on each of your poems, and offer suggestions, when a poem is ready, for potential publication venues. In the spirit of the cooperative, students peer-critique each other's work, too. It's fun—maybe even a little habit-forming—we promise.

Asynchronous learning is a format that uses online resources to facilitate a global network of information-sharing, as well as emphasizing the importance of peer-to-peer feedback. Behind our tagline: workshops that work is not only the belief that our workshops are effective, but that the rewards obtained from any endeavor are in direct proportion to the efforts put in. Asynchronous learning also fosters cross-cultural communication and has a positive effect on the environment by reducing the carbon footprint of its students and teachers. Most importantly, it allows for 24-7 access to our virtual classroom from anywhere there’s an internet connection and a device to receive it.

http://www.poetrycoop.com/faq

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QUOTES FROM MY VARIOUS HAIKU COURSES
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Hi Alan - thanks so much for this....I learned a lot... I really had no idea there was so much to this art, and I'm completely fascinated. Your comments are extremely perceptive.

MK

As you probably know by now, I use every corner of my life as a way of reflection of my psychological personal development - haiku in itself is great for this, but working with you has just elevated the experience a 100 fold.

Your support over the last couple of years or so have just been such an amazing gift to me - bless you.

I am well aware of the fact that I wouldn't be having such an amazing journey with my haiku if wasn't for you.

FT

…this whole exercise has shown me … trying to distil very personal moments and memories into a few lines is something I have never attempted before, in fact never thought of before - and for that I thank you.

ASH


I have just finished reading your final feedback report on our course. Throughout, your knowledge and love of the subject has been very vividly communicated and I am grateful to you for the way you have generously shared it with us and for the guidance you’ve given.

PW

I can see that they are a way of thinking that is different to our western mind - and am eager to continue.

PC

Thanks very much for all your work. Am starting to get a feel for haiku.

RS

Teaching artist Alan Summers is a Japan Times award-winning writer with a Masters Degree in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University. He has studied and written haiku and other Japanese form poetry for twenty years.

Alan has won awards, been published internationally and translated into 15 languages, and helped his American team win Japan Times Best Renga of 2002.

He’s a co-editor of five haiku anthologies: Parade of Life: Poems inspired by Japanese Prints; The Poetic Image - Haiku and Photography; Fifty-Seven Damn Good Haiku, Press Here; Four Virtual Haiku Poets; and c.2.2. Themes of Loss of Identity and/or Name. He has been General Secretary of the British Haiku Society and a Foundation Member of the Australian Haiku Society.

Alan is currently editor with gendai haiku magazine Bones, and is working on The Kigo Lab, a project to use the potential of Western haiku seasons for eco-critical writing.

He has had a haiku pamphlet collection published called The In-Between Season (2012), and a gendai haiku collection called Does Fish-God Know:

U.K. plus review: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357385313&sr=8-1

U.S.A.  http://www.amazon.com/Does-Fish-God-Know-Alan-Summers/dp/1479211044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357385427&sr=8-1&keywords=does+fish-god+know