gendai haiku for NaPoWriMo aka National Poetry Writing Month

image©NaPoWriMo




National Poetry Writing Month
www.napowrimo.net

2 single-line English-language gendai haiku by Alan Summers for NaPoWriMo for Monday and Tuesday April 25th and 26th 2011

corn chaff realising oil as one colour

field of dreams an unborn child's colour isn't rapeseed

gendai haiku:

It should be our method that we create haiku which match the times. This is not a new idea and was prevalent in the old days; even Sanki Saito wrote about it before the association existed. Sanki believed:     
"To the difficult question 'what is new?'

I will answer: the new means how the emotions of today's society and people are expressed to fit the times. The haiku must be innovative in any time. 

So we should begin and continue to express the emotions of the people of this time and generation."

(Gendai Haiku, S.21.10)

Kiyoko Uda
President, Modern Haiku Association

Tokyo, JAPAN

(English Translation: Akiko Takazawa)

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Alan's haiku created into posters at StudioManchester's Japan Art Auction

An incredible collaboration with Hidenori Hiruta and Sarah Jane Robertson through haiku and art has created the opportunity that my haiku have helped in a small way with the disasters that Japan are suffering.

It wouldn't have been possible without Sarah Jane Robertson approaching me, and for Hidenori Hiruta to be so open and ready to help despite being in Japan amongst all the sorrow.  

For more of my comments scroll further down, but for now, enjoy the images and the story.

STUDIOMANCHESTER

Hulme Street, off Oxford St, Manchester

haiku©Alan Summers

translation©Hidenori Hiruta

image/poster © Sarah Jane Robertson www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk


 

 
 

Japan Art Auction

Thursday 7th April 2011

An exhibition and auction of creative work was organised to raise funds for the British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal, including two of my haiku which were also translated into Japanese by Hidenori Hiruta, and made into beautiful art posters by Sarah Jane Robertson of Creative State.

More than 40 artists from the UK, Ireland, USA, France, Norway and Japan pledged to donate existing work or create new pieces. The artists range from photographers and illustrators to writers, ceramic artists and jewellery designers.

100% of proceeds donated to the British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal.

Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke of the legendary Manchester band The Smiths opened the exhibition.

An initial £4,660 was raised on the night!  
[scroll down for later larger amount!]

A big thank you also to the Sponsors:

Samsi Japanese Restaurants
Jonathan Oakes
Studio Manchester 

Sarah Jane Robertson, Creative Director at Creative State not only kindly created two stunning haiku mandalas for the auction, in collaboration with myself and Hidenori Hiruta, she also continued to sell them via her blog to raise another £400 for the Red Cross. 
Taking the new total to £5,160! 

My profound thanks to Sarah Jane Robertson for contacting me with the suggestion of haiku art to help raise funds.

My deep thanks, respect, and admiration, always, to Hidenori Hiruta (Secretary-General of the Akita International Haiku Network) for creating wonderful translations and being such a supportive colleague, in a time of great need.

 
Details: 

image/art © Sarah Jane Robertson

www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk

magnolia moon haiku©Alan Summers

image/art © Sarah Jane Robertson www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk

haiku©Alan Summers 
translation©Hidenori Hiruta

image/art © Sarah Jane Robertson www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk

image/art © Sarah Jane Robertson www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk

Alan's haiku translation©Hidenori Hiruta

image/art © Sarah Jane Robertson www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk 

Hidenori's translation of my haiku, and I took his literal translation in Japanese as my English translation.  Translations can work more than two ways.  
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image/art © Sarah Jane Robertson www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk 

printing process images/art © Sarah Jane Robertson www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk 

Leeds and Edinburgh-based graphic designer, Sarah Jane Robertson created this pair of A3 mandala letterpress prints. Entitled Sunshine & Moonlight, she worked with myself and Hidenori Hiruta, in response to the Earthquake and Tsunami and radiation threats. 

Sarah then created the prints in response to the poems and letterpress printed them to give greater depth and definition, adding to the original artwork. 

photo©Alan Summers

postcards © Sarah Jane Robertson www.sarahjrobertson.co.uk

photo©Molly Cockcroft 2011

Sarah contacted me with this idea with a very short deadline for both of us.   I don't know how Sarah pulled out all the stops to produce artwork and then have it created as a quality poster, but it happened.

Hidenori Hiruta came up with quality translations in a very short time, no easy task, and once Sarah received our work in no time she got a design idea working that could incorporate my haiku and Hidenori's translations.

Thanks to two fabulous sponsors of Sarah's who we thank profusely:
Blush Publishing from North Wales, using traditional printing techniques and vintage printing presses.

GF Smith: a specialty paper merchant from Hull, East Yorkshire going for over 100 years, and no need to say more, than if it's from Hull, it's always going to be special, friendly, and quality all the way.
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Sarah Jane Robertson:

Creative State is the trading name for Creative State Studio Ltd. Registered in England and Wales No. 6557792.

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Registered Office 6 Chapel Lofts, Commercial Street, Leeds LS27 8HL. VAT Number: 940 0169 54.

 

gendai haiku for NaPoWriMo aka National Poetry Writing Month

image©NaPoWriMo

National Poetry Writing Month

http://www.napowrimo.net/

Gendai haiku challenge

one line haiku 

kwkslvr : I've a need for the next biblical cubit

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gendai haiku for NaPoWriMo aka National Poetry Writing Month

image©NaPoWriMo

http://www.napowrimo.net/

National Poetry Writing Month 2011
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Single line gendai haiku:

Pharmakós the name you scratch inside

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gendai haiku for NaPoWriMo aka National Poetry Writing Month

image©NaPoWriMo
http://www.napowrimo.net/

Catching up to April 22nd and Easter Gendai!

Red Sea
stone fish penetrate
my rubber soul

I sneeze half-a-dozen times the Red Sea parted

Red Sea
Year of the Rabbitfishes
Betty goes Wilde

Red Sea
the Rabbitfishes
out of the jug

Red Sea
a Boxfish breaks out
of its wrapping

the Medusa Stage
out of the fire
out of the coral


Red Sea beat my still heart hydrozoa


Byztantine reasons
deep-water squid
feed the whale


AV positive
the great sperm whale
reigns fifty years

fifty years
the sperm whale
and Justinian


Zam Zam
the baby keeps crying
mosaic over teak

gendai haiku for NaPoWriMo aka National Poetry Writing Month

image©NaPoWriMo
http://www.napowrimo.net

April 11th

some starlight just memory
the wink of an one-eyed dog

as it sneezes

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gendai haiku for NaPoWriMo aka National Poetry Writing Month

April 10th

zeros and ones
Monsieur Verdoux
takes a bow

 
Monsieur Verdoux bombed with film theatre goers and critics when it was first released, but has become a classic.

Weblinks:
1.)  http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/2010/03/anthologizing-bluebeard-a-conversation-with-miriam-bale/
2.)  http://www.hashmoder.com/2010/01/16/monsieur-verdoux/
 

Alan's haiku for NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month

3 haiku for April 7th, 8th & 9th

Plato's big picture

the meaningful differences

of infused foods

quantum bananas

the drummer wife's

new church

Harper's New Monthly
HC Andersen's sunshine
comes full loop

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Box Office now open for bookings including paypal! The Haiku Walk: Nature As Inspiration - Alan booked for the first ever Worcester Literary Festival!

Box Office now open for bookings including paypal!

http://www.worcslitfest.com/the-haiku-walk-nature-as-inspiration/

Previous post link: 
http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/04/haiku-walk-nature-as-inspiration-alan.html


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Alan's haiku attempts for NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month

April 5th and April 6th gendai haiku challenge

Kuleshov's Puzzle

nitrating cellulose 

and emulsion

Eisenstein manoeuvre

a Flying Pope's

neutrality collides

Flying Pope Japanese gendai haiku:

http://www.modernhaiku.org/essays/Miller-BanyaNatsuishi%27sFlyingPope.html

Last call out for the Purely Haiku Course!

Purely Haiku:

Monday Afternoon 11th - 

Friday Breakfast 15th April 
Claridge House, Surrey, South East England
(just outside London)

Enquiries and Bookings:

Phone: 01342 832150

Phone: 0845 3457281

Claridge House:

http://www.claridgehousequaker.org.uk/courses.php#April

I think that's a brilliant price. It's a bargain for what you are offering. I thought it was going to be much more.

Annie Bachini (past President of the British Haiku Society)
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There may be some of you who think it's not needed to do a whole course on haiku, after all it's only a certain format, very short, and easy to do. Far from it! ;-)

This course has been specifically designed to show you the delightful complexities and challenges of haiku writing.

It's designed to suit your own particular needs and ambitions.

You can start putting a collection together, or have poems that the best haiku magazines will accept, or just enjoy basking in an environment that is relaxing in every way whilst learning something new.

image©Claridge House


The course is designed to give benefit to both complete beginners and seasoned writers of haiku.  Even a highly published friend of mine from Washington State was considering coming over for this course! (Note: this isn't my anthology boss and co-editor but another highly accomplished writer from the same state.  See further below in my bio).

The food is exceptional, and ALL fabulous meals and luxurious tea/coffee/other hot drink and cake and biscuit breaks are done by the staff, we don't lift a finger! ;-)

Check our other links on Area 17 to get a further feel of this extraordinary course,
.  

http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/02/purely-haiku-unique-uk-based.html
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http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/03/still-time-to-book-up-for-purely-haiku.html
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and check out our famous fun renga that we do every time to conclude the course:

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http://area17.blogspot.com/2008/11/new-residential-haiku-course.html

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Alan Summers

Alan Summers is a Japan Times award-winning writer for haiku and renku.

He has been a Poetry School Visiting Tutor for haiku, tanka, and renga, as well as appointed as the Japan-UK-150 roving renga poet-in-residence.

Alan is a founding editor for the haijinx humor in haiku magazine; renku/renga editor for Notes from the Gean haikai literature magazine; and creator of the Bath 1000 Verse Renga, and Hull Global Renga Projects.

Alan will be reading extracts from his forthcoming haiku collection due out in the Summer; as well as from the anthology he co-edited with Washington State haiku writer Michael Dylan Welch.

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The Haiku Walk: Nature As Inspiration - Alan booked for the first ever Worcester Literary Festival!

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The first ever Worcestershire Literary Festival : the aim and mission is to raise awareness of the written word, literature and the spoken word in all forms and genres and to provide a fun and educational programme of events that are accessible for all.

The Haiku Walk:
Nature As Inspiration
 
Event details:
http://www.worcslitfest.com/the-haiku-walk-nature-as-inspiration/


Information: http://www.worcslitfest.com/contact-us/

Tickets: http://www.worcslitfest.com/shop-tickets/
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Japan Times award-winning writer Alan Summers leads a fun haiku-writing walk with a complementary Haiku Journal notebook: “Nature half-writes the haiku before we’ve even put pen to paper. Become a co-poet with nature.”

There is more than one walk, so please feel free to join in when you'd like a particular walk, or come and go too.  I'll always be based at the café when not on one of the walks.

 

Start:

Saturday, June 18, 2011 11:00 am

End:

Saturday, June 18, 2011 5:00 pm

Cost:

£5.00 (£4.00 for concessions)

Venue:

Orchard Cafe, Worcester Countryside Centre

Address:
Google Map

Wild Wood Drive, Worcester, United Kingdom, WR5 2LG

April 2nd - 4th re Alan's haiku for NaPoWriMo aka National Poetry Writing Month

image©NaPoWriMo

Three in a row, from 2nd to 4th April!

2nd April

future waterfalls
new angel DNA bursts out
from dancing pinheads

(gendai haiku)

3rd April

fingertip acupuncture I hold a sneeze at the library

(gendai haiku)

4th April 

Simon Says

If you believed they put a man

on the moon

(gendai haiku)

April 1st Alan's haiku for NaPoWriMo aka National Poetry Writing Month

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Poisson d’Avril

I gain the pirate's flag

on my blog counter

France's Poisson d'Avril (All Fools Day):

http://www.francetravelguide.com/april-fools-day-in-france-le-poisson-davril.html

Canadian Poisson d'Avril prank:

http://simplemassingpriest.blogspot.com/2010/04/poisson-davril.html

Pirate flag:

http://s01.flagcounter.com/px.html

Still time to book up for the Purely Haiku course!

I'm really looking forward to this residential course.

Monday Afternoon 11th - Friday Breakfast 15th April 
Claridge House, Surrey, South East England
(just outside London)
Phone: 01342 832150
Phone: 0845 3457281
 

The Purely Haiku Course details:

http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/02/purely-haiku-unique-uk-based.html

Claridge House:
http://www.claridgehousequaker.org.uk/courses.php#April

I think that's a brilliant price. It's a bargain for what you are offering. I thought it was going to be much more.

Annie Bachini (previous President of the British Haiku Society)

There may be some people who think, I know what haiku is, do I need a short residential course?

The answer is yes!  

photo©Rosee aka ridlydidlysventures

 


It is surprising just how much there is to learn about haiku and how the enjoyment can be tripled, quadrupled even.

The residential course starts Monday late afternoon after scrumptious teas and coffees, cakes and biscuits, in a leisurely get to know each other before we get to any workshopping at all. 

There's just the one session on Monday, and then relaxed sessions throughout Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

photo©Rosee aka ridlydidlysventures

The course is as relaxed and leisurely as you'd personally like,  or can be stepped up to your individual needs.  

The main thing is that I'm there to work hard for you, with gentle prompts and workshop exercises, with encouraging lively, engaging, inclusive group discussion and feedback.

Find out about  
kigo; kireji; gendai; shasei; juxtaposition and disjunctive methods; and how to make concrete images stand out, and even come across as lyrical in so short a poem, and help improve your other writing styles.

For those new to haiku, it will be a delightful introduction;
for those who know a little about haiku, it will be an astonishing journey to find out just how much more there is to know and enjoy.

For those who are seasoned and regularly published in haiku magazines, this is a chance to work on a body of work that can be submitted to various magazines, and become a cornerstone of your next, or first collection.

.

Traditionally 
we always conclude the course with a fun renga party*, and a souvenir Haiku Journal notebook with our renga verses, and exchange of haiku from each other!

Friday is breakfast and saying goodbyes and hopefully staying in touch!

photo©Anne Simpson

Alan Summers

Alan Summers is a Japan Times award-winning writer for haiku and renku.  He has been a Poetry School Visiting Tutor for haiku, tanka, and renga, as well as appointed as the Japan-UK-150 roving renga poet-in-residence.

Alan is a founding editor for the haijinx humor in haiku magazine; renku/renga editor for Notes from the Gean haikai literature magazine; and creator of the Bath 1000 Verse Renga, and Hull Global Renga Projects.

The Purely Haiku Course details:

http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/02/purely-haiku-unique-uk-based.html

*

Comments from previous renga workshops:

"we really enjoyed the renga event...it was a very intensely creative act, and I was really struck by the renga form itself, what it could be capable of...a whole new poetic energy" 

Mark, University of Winchester

"Thanks again for a wonderful poetry session."
Yu Yan, U.S. citizen currently visiting England

"I just wanted to thank you again for such a great event...I want to do some more!"
Susan, Plymouth

"Thanks so much for yesterday's renga event - it was fantastic! Really got the creative juices flowing. Let me know when the next one is, I will definitely attend!" Tracey, Bath

"Looks like I missed a fantastic event..I hope to be at the next one."
Caroline, Bristol (she was!)

"More! More!" Libby, Bristol

"It is so tempting to get involved in renku/renga with all the excitement you...generate."  

Melinda, USA

Alan's haiku attempts for NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month

image©NaPoWriMo

About NaPoWriMo http://www.napowrimo.net/about/

NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month, is an annual project in which participating poets attempt to write a poem a day for the month of April.

NaPoWriMo was founded in 2003, when poet Maureen Thorson decided to take up the challenge (modeled after NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month), and challenged other poets to join her. 

Since then, the number of participants has gotten larger every year, and many writers’ organizations, local, national and even international, organize NaPoWriMo activities.

Need more information? See the Wikipedia entry for NaPoWriMo!

Pictures of Karen Hoy and Alan Summers reading haiku at the Dylan Thomas Centre as part of the Another Country: Haiku Poetry from Wales, Gomer Press: double booklaunch programme at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea, Wales, U.K.

Two Day Book Launch Events for 
Another Country: 

haiku poetry from Wales
the first ever Welsh national anthology of haiku poetry
Published by Gomer Press and edited by Nigel Jenkins, Ken Jones and Lynne Rees, it features haiku, tanka, haibun and somonka – in both English and Welsh – by forty poets, from Wales's haiku pioneers.

Friday 18th March 2011

Karen Hoy reads a selection of her work

A tri-part reading of headlining Welsh haiku writers MC'd by Lynne Rees

Group 1

Vivien Kelly
Sarah Coles

Humberto Gatica

Noragh Jones

Group 2

Karen Hoy

Rona Laycock

Brian White

Ken Jones

And finally, a reading from Group 3

Alex Morden (for Matt)

Stephen White

Chris Torrance

Saturday 19th March 2011

The Saturday Haiku Night 

At The Dylan Thomas Centre

with music

First Event: Readings from workshop participants from earlier in the day

Second Event: Headlining haiku writers including Karen Hoy and Alan Summers

MC'd by Nigel Jenkins, who explained that as well as playing between performers's readings, the musicians will improvise during the actual readings.   This was a tremendous success.

Order of performers:

Noragh Jones

Karen Hoy

Alan Summers

Nigel Jenkins

Ken Jones

Lynne Rees

Musicians: Peter Stacey and Maggie Nichols

Karen Hoy enthralls the audience!

Alan looking far more serious than he should. ;-)

Weblink to further book details:

http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/03/karen-hoy-and-alan-summers-reading-at.html

Gomer Press: 
http://www.gomer.co.uk/index.php/another-country-haiku-poetry-from-wales.html

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Karen Hoy and Alan Summers reading at Haiku & Music: Dylan Thomas Centre

Scroll down for further information 

on both events.

1. Booklaunch 

Friday 18th March, 7pm:

Another Country: Haiku Poetry from Wales 

the first ever Welsh national anthology of haiku poetry
Published by Gomer Press and edited by Nigel Jenkins, Ken Jones and Lynne Rees, it features haiku, tanka, haibun and somonka – in both English and Welsh – by forty poets, from Wales's haiku pioneers.

2. Music/haiku:

Peter Stacey and Friends including Karen Hoy & Alan Summers

7.30pm Saturday 19 March 2011

Admission: Full price £5; Concessions £3.50; PTL £2

Both events are at:

Dylan Thomas Centre

Somerset Place, Swansea, SA1 1RR

tel: 01792 463980

fax: 01792 463993

email: dylanthomas.centre@swansea.gov.uk

website: http://www.dylanthomas.com

The focal point for fans worldwide, the Centre's home to a permanent Dylan Thomas exhibition, and year-round programme of arts events, including Dylan Thomas Festival. Explore the books and gifts in the bookshop-cafe. Talks and tours available on request. Open from 10am - 4:30pm every day including Bank Holidays. Free admission. VAQAS accredited.

1st EVENT:

Friday 18th March, 7pm:
Booklaunch  

Another Country: Haiku Poetry from Wales 

the first ever Welsh national anthology of haiku poetry:
http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/02/karen-hoy-appears-in-major-new-haiku.html

Karen Hoy will be reading from her work featured in the anthology at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 

Another Country: Haiku Poetry from Wales

Gomer Press
ISBN: 9781848513068 

Published by Gomer Press and edited by Nigel Jenkins, Ken Jones and Lynne Rees, it features haiku, tanka, haibun and somonka – in both English and Welsh – by forty poets, from Wales's haiku pioneers.
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Karen Hoy 

was born in Newport, and lived in Caldicot, Caerphilly and Cwmbran before moving to Hertfordshire.  

She is published by Snapshot Press Haiku Calendar; Presence magazine; and British Haiku Society Journal Blithe Spirit. 

Karen appears in My Mother Threw Knives (Second Light Publications 2006); and was Highly Commended in the BBC Wildlife Magazine's Nature Writer of the Year competition (2009). 

In 2006 Karen founded the TV development company Gilded Lily.  She has previously worked on documentaries and wildlife films for the BBC, National Geographic, the Discovery Channels and other leading broadcasters. 

Karen is also published in the American/British haiku anthology:

http://area17.blogspot.com/2010/11/fifty-seven-damn-good-haiku-by-bunch-of.html
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2nd EVENT

Music/haiku:

Peter Stacey and Friends including Karen Hoy & Alan Summers

7.30pm Saturday 19 March 2011

Admission: Full price £5; Concessions £3.50; PTL £2

Tel: 01792 463980

Email: dylanthomas.lit@swansea.gov.uk

Website: http://www.swansea.gov.uk/dtc

A celebration, in words and music, of haiku poetry, featuring some of Wales’s leading haiku poets in creative collaboration with musicians, including the renowned flautist and saxophonist Peter Stacey.

Alan Summers

Japan Times award-winning writer of haiku and renku, with parents from Wales (Monmouthshire and Swansea) proudly serving Wales during WWII in the WAAF and RAF.

Alan was the founder of With Words, which evolved into Call of the Page where he is the co-founder along with Karen Hoy. Both incarnations are UK-based providers of quality literature, education and literacy projects, often based around the Japanese genres: www.callofthepage.org

Alan and Karen regularly run online courses for haiku and its related genres. For further information please don't hesitate to drop us a line by emailing: admin@callofthepage.org

Alan and Karen ran this residential haiku course in Apriln2011, and watch this space for more live events coming up:

http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/02/purely-haiku-unique-uk-based.html 

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