Decemeber Haiku Share: The Week That Was #4

The last full week of Cara Holman's December Haiku Share is complete, and we're now on the home stretch. Below are the links to the last seven days of posts, and the haiku, tanka and haiga I've shared along the way. Now that the Christmas rush is over, come and join in for the last few days! You'll find a supportive community of folks sharing their love of haiku and related forms. (Here's the link to the latest prompt - afternoon fog)

December Haiku Share - Day 22

storm clouds . . .
can hope be caught
in a spider’s web?
– Kirsten Cliff

NaHaiWriMo August 2012

December Haiku Share - Day 23

she advises
I’m at high risk
of a relapse
I breathe in air heavy
with crushed dreams
– Kirsten Cliff

Moonbathing 6, January 2012

December Haiku Share - Day 24

first spring day this breeze her hair
– Kirsten Cliff

DailyHaiku Cycle 12, Dec. 12, 2011

December Haiku Share - Day 25 

he creates
a new centrepiece
for the dining table
a size nine shoebox
full of medications
– Kirsten Cliff

Presence #44, June 2011

December Haiku Share - Day 26

on the morning
of her death, I sit
searching
for the small differences
between these wild finches
– Kirsten Cliff

~for Svetlana Marisova
Simply Haiku, January 2012

December Haiku Share - Day 27

(click on image to enlarge)

– Kirsten Cliff  

Notes From the Gean, 3:2, September 2011

December Haiku Share - Day 28

dragon fire . . .
the way he moves me
this night
– Kirsten Cliff

The Language of Dragons, January 2012
(Yay Words! project edited by Aubrie Cox)

Simply Haiku, Simply Tanka, Simply Svetlana

When I first heard the news that Svetlana Marisova was to be the new tanka editor at Simply Haiku it gave me courage; I knew I should try sending some of my work there for the first time.

Unfortunately, our dear Svetlana passed away before she could fully embrace this role. In honour of her, I sent in my submission anyway, knowing that she wouldn't be there to receive it.

I'm grateful that two of my tanka were chosen in the end to be part of this latest issue of Simply Haiku, which is in loving memory of Svetlana. You can read an in depth piece on her and her poetry by Robert D. Wilson here.

          on the morning 

          of her death, I sit

          searching

          for the small differences

          between these wild finches

          why couldn't I

          have let myself love her?

          the sun's warmth

          as I sit in the graveyard

          this spring morning




A posthumous book, Be Still and Know: a journey through love in Japanese short form poetry, by Svetlana Marisova, and her dear friend Ted van Zutphen, is out on-line now. You can read it free here. Print copies with be available for purchase soon.

Having been given the honour of reading a preview of the book, I can say that I've never read or seen anything like it before. It's a beautiful conversation between two haiku poets across the page, across time zones, across seasons, genders, age groups... It works extremely well as their voices balance and blend throughout the book.

I look forward to holding a copy in my hands very soon and savouring the unique voices of these two haijin.

Tanka and photograph © Kirsten Cliff

Tanka appeared in Simply Haiku (Autumn/Winter 2011) here

Book cover © Ted van Zutphen

September Round-Up - An Inspiration of Cherry Blossoms

Two activities hit my personal poetry Refresh button in September: an afternoon with my local poetry group 'Pacific Poets' in Papamoa and a brief spot of cherry blossom viewing in Greerton Village. I came back reinvigorated from both with a steady flow of poetry for days afterwards. It always amazes me how a small change in my routine or environment can make such a positive difference to my writing. I'm grateful to have been well enough to appreciate the experience.

Here's how I'm doing on my 2011 goal of submitting poetry to a publication or competition every week:

• week thirty-five - submitted ten haiku to The Heron's Nest, awaiting outcome
• week thirty-six - submitted ten tanka to Notes from the Gean, one tanka accepted!
• week thirty-seven - submitted ten haiku to Notes from the Gean, one haiku accepted!
• AND submitted six tanka to Simply Haiku (first time submitting here), two tanka accepted!
• week thirty-eight - submitted two haiku to the HIA Contest
• week thirty-nine - submitted ten haiku to DailyHaiku (first time submitting here), awaiting outcome

Lots of submitting this month, but not much coming out as Notes from the Gean and haijinx are still working on getting their respective issues out. I look forward to seeing my poetry in these journals, both for the first time, in a matter of days; and in Chrysanthemum and Simply Haiku in mid October, also both for the first time.

At the beginning of September I had one haiku appear in The Heron's Nest, an image feature as cover art on Kokako and my first haikai column in a fine line. I've been working on my second column throughout September and am almost ready to put it to bed. Happy October 1st all and a warm welcome to my new readers!

Greerton Village Square - September 27, 2011
Both photos by Kirsten Cliff

In Memoriam, Svetlana Marisova

Haiku written for friend and fellow haiku poet Svetlana Marisova,

during her illness, and on her passing 7/9/2011

winter sun...
my thoughts again
turn to you

winter breeze...

your haiku song in

these wind chimes

                 winter's end...

                         the world through this

                         blackbird's song

Please do take the time to read some of Svetlana's haiku on her website here and as Featured Poet in Simply Haiku here.

Simply Haiku Calls For Submissions

Simply Haiku is now accepting submissions of "Quality Traditional English Language Haiku, Tanka, Haibun, Haiga, Renga, Book reviews, Interviews and Feature articles."

Submission deadline: September 15, 2011. Please read carefully the Submission Guidelines before submitting.

On behalf of: Robert D. Wilson & Sasa Vazic
Co-Owners, Co-Publishers, Co-Editors in Chief