:He's the Yuki Teikei Website Guy!!

Here is David Sheretz reading from his work at the introductory session

in the YT Retreat just past. Already it seems to be TOO LONG

until the next one. Looking on, Eleanor Carolan (center)

and Anne Homan in apricot sweater.

David Sheretz is our Webminder for the Yukii Teiket Website:

youngleaves.org

Be sure to go there for the news and views

and all about Yuki Teikei.

Merriment

You can see what a good time we were having at the YT Asilomar Haiku Retreat this year!

Left to right, Anne Homan, Genie Nakano, Joan Zimmerman & Toni Homan.

on hands and knees

I blow a baby spider

out the door

Genie Nakano

The Plover and the Moonstone, page 23.

Top Hat

Patrick Gallagher knows how to be a Renku Master 

at the End Of The YT Retreat Classis Renku Party.

We all wear some sort of costume, which I think is a tradition 

he began by showing up in Japanese costume several years ago.  

He is also decisive and authoritative, which keeps things moving right along. 

The printed renku is likely to appear in Geppo, if tradition is followed.

spring cleaning

if only Mother had saved

my comic books

Patrick Gallagher

The Plover and the Moonstone

page 15

Morning Tide

Irrepressible, and ubiquitous in the haiku zone, 

Debbie Kolodji definitely attended the YT 40th Anniversary 

Retreat at Asilomar.

Here are two of her haiku from the new anthology:

morning tide

a sea otter rolls

in the kelp bed

pi day

the circumference

of an onion slice

Deborah P. Kolodji

The Plover and the Moonstone,

edited by Patricia Machmiller,

Yuki Teikei Haiku Society, 2015m page 19.

The Plover and the Moonstone

Patricia Machmiller, editor, and Patrick Gallagher, book design and production,

introduce the 40th Anniversary Anthology 

of the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society at the 2015 YT Retreat at Asilomar!

The title is The Plover and the Moonstone.

That's Patrick's design on the cover.

The title is taken from this haiku:

                               daybreak

                                   a pair of plovers forage

                                   among moonstones

                                      Joyce Lorenson

                                                                               

Texts and Subtexts

Between sessions of the YT Haiku Retreat, 

Emiko Miyashita and Jerry Ball find out what's new.

In his discussion of haiku at the 40th Anniversary Reading in the Teahouse,

on May 9, 2015, Jerry gave examples of several different types of haiku. 

Haiku like the ones below he called "Haiku with a subtext."

These are the haiku which suggest a scenario for the reader to imagine.

waking up late

yesterday's mail

still unopened

the first autumn rain

belief in heaven and hell

no longer needed

the first fallen leaves

again I'm reminded

of the autumn inside

Jerry Ball

All these haiku were written by Jerry Ball and published in:

The Plover and the Moonstone; 

the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society 40th Anniversary Anthology, 

edited by Patricia J.Machmiller, 2015, page 47.

Renku Extravaganza!

On the final night of the YT Retreat at Asilomar,

we have a longstanding tradition of a festive RENKU PARTY.

Here you see Renku Master Emiko Miyashita in official regalia. 

We will be showing some of the other poets' costumes in the days to come.

The wall hanging behind her was made by Donnalynn Chase 

incorporating one of Emiko's drawings from the previous Retreat.

Perhaps this will give you an insight into the tone of the proceedings!

This is verse 13--a little more than one-third of the way through

the 36-link renku form. It is a "moon link"

meaning it must use, in this case, the winter moon.

Winter moon

as pale as

tofu

I took the picture before the author's name was written on the record.

I will have to add it when I find out who wrote that great link!  jhh

The dog's name is Penny

Here is Jerry Ball, one of the earliest members of Yuki Teikei Haiku Society,

at the YT Haiku Retreat at Asilomar last weekend.

I think there are only three of us left who joined soon enough to know Mr. Kiyoshi Tokutomi,

and Jerry is one. When I went over to talk to them this time, he said, "Penny says . . .."

and looking at his wife, I said, " I thought your name was Sandy." 

She laughed and told me it was the dog who was named Penny.

This is how I found out that there is someone besides my husband who

quotes from the wise words of dogs. . .

We were all thrilled to get to spend a little time with Jerry.    jhhymas

winter moon

my neighbor draws the curtains

his wife opens them

Jerry Ball

 This is Jerry's moon link from one of our renku:

California Surf

Basho's Crow

Early in this year's 40th Anniversary YT Haiku Retreat, 2015 poets began

to nudge each other and whisper after this crow perched on the drought-stressed 

California Live Oak outside the window of the Trident Meeting Room.

From across the room, I had a good view. The beautiful colors were just like this

in the soft afternoon light; I have not altered them, 

just cropped the photo to feature Basho's Crow.

On a bare branch
A crow is perched -
Autumn evening.  

                                           Makoto Ueda [1]

On a withered bough
A crow alone is perching;
Autumn evening now   

                                           Kenneth Yasuda [2]

On a withered branch
a crow has settled...
autumn nightfall.

                                                     Harold G. Henderson [3]

on a dead branch
the crow settles -
autumn evening
                                            Bruce Ross [4]


On the dead limb
squats a crow -
autumn night 

                                             Lucien Stryk [5]

On a withered branch
A crow is perched,
In the autumn evening.                                    

                                              R. H. Blyth [6]

on a bare branch
a crow has alighted...
autumn nightfall.
                                             Makoto Ueda [7]


on a bare branch
a crow lands
autumn dusk
                                             Jane Reichhold [8]


A crow
has settled on a bare branch -
autumn evening.
                                              Robert Hass [9]

on dead branches crows remain
perched at autumn's end                                              

                                                         Hiroaki Sato [10]

on a barren branch
a raven has perched -
autumn dusk
                                               William J. Higginson [11]


a solitary
crow on a bare branch -
autumn evening
                                                Sam Hamill [12]

on a leafless branch
a crow comes to nest -
autumn nightfall
                                                 Haruo Shirane [13]

on a withered branch
a crow has settled -
autumn evening.
                                                  David Landis Barnhill [14]

Books:

[1] Ueda, Makoto
Basho and His Interpreters: Selected Hokku with Commentary
Stanford University Press, 1995.

[2] Yasuda, Kenneth
Japanese Haiku: Its Essential Nature and History
Tuttle Publishing, 2002.

[3] Henderson, Harold G.
An Introduction to Haiku: An Anthology of Poems and Poets From Basho to Shiki
Doubleday Anchor Books, 1958.

[4] Ross, Bruce (ed).
Haiku Moment: An Anthology of Contemporary North American Haiku
Charles E. Tuttle Company, Vermont, 1993.

[5] Stryk, Lucien
On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho
University of Hawaii Press, 1986.

[6] Blyth, Reginald Horace,
Haiku
Hokuseido Press, 1997.

[7] Ueda, Makoto
Matsuo Basho
Kodansha America, 1983.

[8] Reichhold, Jane
Writing and Enjoying Haiku: A Hands on Guide
Kodansha International, 2003.

[9] Hass, Robert
The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson & Issa
Ecco press, 1994.

[10] Sato, Hiroaki
[...]

[11] Higginson, William J. with Penny Harter
The Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share and Teach Haiku
McGraw-Hill, 1985.

[12] Hamill, Sam
The Sound of Water: Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa and Other Poets
Shambhala Publications, 1995.

[13] Shirane, Haruo
Traces of Dreams: Landscape, Cultural Memory and the Poetry of Basho
Stanford University Press, 1998.

[14] Barnhill, David Landis
Basho's Haiku: Selected Poems of Matsuo Basho
State University of New York Press, 2004.

NOTE: I got the translations and bibliography at this link!

 

The Voices of Children and Birds

This morning on the last day of the 2015 Yuki Teikei Haiku Retreat at Asilomar,

the Monterey Bay looked like this--after heavy rain in the night. The sea was very active,

with lots of brilliantly white crashing surf. And birds were everywhere overhead!

One of the highlights of this year's Retreat 

was the introduction by Emiko Miyashita 

(who traveled from Japan for the Retreat)

of the current anthology of children's art and haiku

Impressions of Dreams, edited by JAL Foundation.

The book is the result of a biannual competition 

sponsored by Japan Airline's JAL Foundation.

Emiko brought copies to share and also sets of the postcards 

that are made from individual haiku.

Each haiku is presented in the original language of the child

and translations into English and Japanese,

Every page has colorful reproductions of children's art from the same contest.

The haiku are funny or thoughtful, clever or wise, and always delightful;

they were written by children from all over the world.

The art is reproduced in bright, shining color.

We went around the room taking turns selecting

just one haiku to read aloud. Wonderful!

Here is just one:

To fly with belief

Free like a feather

to fly even without wings--

Mariam Martirosyan, Armenia

Impressions of Dreams, JAL Foundation, 2014, page 82.

Sandpipers

Asilomar at dawn during the Retreat in 2012. The sandpipers are further on;

just keep walking toward the left. . .

sandpipers

an answer short of

the sea

Michele Root-Bernstein

Something out of nothing; seventy-five haiga,  

Ion Codrescu, Red Moon Press, 2014, page 77

A bitter morning

We had news today of the passing of James W. Hackett in Hawaii. 

He has long been one of the titans of English language haiku

and this is sad, sad news.

This picture was taken at Haiku North America 1991 when he sat at the speaker's table,

after one of his superb presentations

The baleful glare is probably directed at me; it looks like I had

not yet learned to cancel the flash when taking a portrait.

(See the hard shadow behind his head.) 

Most modern cameras almost never really need the flash.

Try turning yours off.  jhh

a bitter morning

sparrows sitting together

without any necks

James O. Hackett

Winner of the top prize in the Japan Airlines Contest 1964

Gathering Seashells

Stalwart members of the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society,

Mimi Ahern (left) and Toni Homan (right)

smile at the 2012 Asilomar Retreat: Haiku Pacific Rim.

Mrs. Minako Noma, from Matsuyama, Japan,

is the tiny, white-haired figure in the upper left.

Mimi currently serves as the Corresponding Secretary

and Toni as the Membership Secretary of YTHS.

eucalyptus bark

peeling

layers of sunset

Mimi Ahern

hoofmarks in the sand

gathering seashells now

all gone in one wave

Toni Homan

Both haiku from 

Extinguished Candles; 2009 Membership Anthology,

edited by June Hopper Hymas

Winter Sky

This is Alison Woolpert (center, in black) making an introduction

to one of the many informative sessions that were held at our joint conferences

in 2012. The couple right in front of us are Mr. and Mrs. Noma from Japan

who were such a delightful addition to this assembly.

Alison has been the president of Yuki Teikei Haiku Society for several years now.

She spends a lot of time outdoors and is a true lover of nature.

winter sky

the released doves circle once

and are gone

Alison Woolpert

Something out of Nothing; seventy-five haiga,

Ion Codrescu, Red Moon Press, 2014

Grandfather tells us . . .

At the Annual YT moonviewing in  Capitola, California last month, 

we had a great sunset in addition to a mooncake and the actual moon!

Grandfather tells us

about gathering firewood

under the full moon

Jerry Ball

From the Renku:

First Day of School

reprinted in Renku Moon, YTHS

the earth spins

This turtle in the bright sunlight was spotted
many years ago during a Yuki Teikei ginko
at Hakone Gardens.

turtles dozing 

on this warm and sunny rock 

how slow the earth spins

Ben Gieske

http://poetfreak.com/250995/turtles-dozing-haiku.html

7 October 2013

For information about
the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society
and its history and events
visit our web page at:
youngleaves.org

It is autumn

On the grass, on the ground, on the bare cement surfaces, leaves are falling.

This one fell three days ago.

The kitten

holds down a leaf

for a moment

ISSA

Don't Tell the Scarecrow
and other Japanese Poems.
Various translators;
pictures by Talivaldis Stubis, 

Scholastic, 1969, no pagination.

*****

one-by-one the chickadee carries sunflower seeds into the wood 

jhh

Even among insects

The day Ann Bendixen invited me to come on a tour of the Lotus Garden

in Modesto, was beautiful and sunny, with no annoying bugs. 

It wasn't specifically a haiku outing, but a ginko with a friend.  jhh

Even among insects in this world

some are good at singing

some bad

ISSA


Don't Tell the Scarecrow
and other Japanese Poems.
Various translators;
pictures by Talivaldis Stubis, 

Scholastic, 1969, no pagination.

Isn't Issa Cool????

The Edge of the Woods

Before he left us in 2009 (way too soon) Paul O. Williams 

was always able to enliven and enlighten any haiku meeting, 

event or poetry gathering, with his comments: 

wise, intelligent and often also very, very funny.

We miss him a lot.

He also wrote a series of seven post-apocalytic novels 

called The Pelbar Cycle;

they have always had a devoted following

and are now available on Kindle.

In rain, people pass

the water-rippled window

like living stained glass

Paul O. Williams

The Edge of the Woods;

55 Haiku

Paul O. Williams, Elsah, Illinois, 1968

This haiku is a fine example of what can be accomplished

when using the 5-7-5 form in English.

It is not the only good English haiku form,

but many excellent haiku have been written this way.

Kiyoshi and Kiyoko always supported this form;

In remembrance, and to honor them, 
the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society

holds the Tokutomi contest 
for 5-7-5 haiku each year.

For details about the contest and for other activities

and highlights of the group's history, visit

youngleaves.org

Songbird . . .

Naia is in the foreground of this informal glimpse 

of the 2012 Retreat at Asilomar. I think this is the same renku party 

that Alan Pizzarelli is shown leading in a recent photo on this blog.

Joseph Robello is at the right 

and that's the indefatigable haijin Deborah Kolodji in the center.

I went looking for this photo because Naia's haiku below

was the Daily Haiku on Charlotte di Gregorio's Writer's Blog today!  jhh

        songbird . . .

        even the crow in the next tree

        listens 

                        Naia 

                               Basho Festival Anthology, Japan, 2001

Did I get the shot?

In the bright mid-day sun at Asilomar 2012 when it is almost impossible

to see the screen of your camera to improve your framing, 

Mr. and Mrs Noma from Matsuyama, Japan, 

and Ann Bendixen, longtime YT member from San Jose (center.) 

all try to see what they have.

the sunlight behind

is irritating...

blooming irises

  

Issa

(Haiku and translation 

from David Lanoue's wonderful website)

haikuguy.com/issa