Events

Haiku Holiday: fourth Saturday in April (April 24, 2004)

Haiku North America

Haiku Holiday

Haiku Holiday is a annual event sponsored by the North Carolina Haiku Society. Experienced haiku teachers and poets conduct workshops, talks and walks. The event is open to anyone with an interest in haiku, beginner or advanced.

Our first Haiku Holiday was celebrated at Bolin Brook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the United States of America on January 26, 1980. Since then, all of our annual meetings have been held at Bolin Brook Farm—thanks to our gracious host and member since the beginning, Jean Earnhardt.

The next Haiku Holiday will be held on April 24, 2004. Below is a description of Haiku Holiday 2003.

Haiku Holiday, April 26, 2003

This year's Haiku Holiday began on a rainy spring morning. Despite the rain, which was quite heavy at times, over 30 people came to hear the lectures and participate in the workshops. We think the turnout was due in large measure to the star power of our guest presenters: Jim Kacian and Peggy Lyles. (For details about Jim and Peggy, see Guest Presenters.)

The day started with Jim’s talk: “Haiku 101: Haiku for Non-Majors.” It was a far-ranging discussion that was conducted with the typical mixture of rigor, humor, and energy that Jim brings to his presentations. A spirited question and answer session followed. Sales of Red Moon Press books were brisk afterwards.

After lunch, the Executive Chairman of the North Carolina Haiku Society, Lenard D. Moore, read a selection of haiku from two of his books, Desert Storm: A Brief History and The Open Eye. (This reading was Lenard's briefest appearance in over 15 years at Haiku Holiday. Lenard has been on the road a good deal for workshops and performances, and he wanted to see what it be like to be an HH participant instead of a presenter!)

Lenard was followed by Peggy Lyles. Peggy's talk began with a review of the elements of haiku composition, such as sensing, feeling, season, the eternal present, and juxtaposition. Peggy went on to focus on how to read haiku and write about haiku with intelligence and feeling. The clarity and simplicity of her presentation were well received.

We then broke up into two workshop sessions led by Peggy and Jim. By all accounts, both workshops were bracing, informative, and good-humored.

Most people left after the workshops but a few stalwarts stayed on for a ginko (haiku walk) in the now-glorious, now-drizzly day. The walkers dawdled and straggled a bit, so we didn't meet afterwards and share our haiku from the ginko. But overall, the day was a success.

—Dave Russo

For other details about the year's Haiku Holiday, see the archive of promotional text for Haiku Holiday 2003.

Haiku North America

Haiku North America (HNA) is a conference and celebration of haiku that takes place every two years. Independent of all haiku organizations (it is not a North Carolina Haiku Society event), HNA is one of the largest gatherings of haiku poets in the United States and Canada. It typically includes presentations by internationally acclaimed haiku poets, workshops in haiku and related forms, and performances that combine haiku and other arts such as music and dance.

Haiku North America 2003 will be held in New York City. See the HNA 2003 website: http://www.haiku-north-america-2003.org/. You can also view the following link to get an impression of past conferences:

• Pictures from Haiku North America 2001 (photos and haiku from the HNA 2001 in Boston)