DailyHaiku.org print edition...
September 24, 2007
I read at the launch of “DailyHaiku I” on Saturday afternoon, at Cafe Select on 109 Street here in Edmonton. Patrick Pilarski and Nicole Pakan co-edited this fine collection of haiku from 14 contributors to the on-line haiku journal. Kudos to Patrick and Nicole for a fine launch. Sorry I had to run off before the workshop. God knows, I could use a haiku workshop. Tea was served and nummy food, and the readings were good fun….
Though, I have to say, reading haiku into the air is a difficult adventure. Given that we’re working with only 17 syllables. Making a space around the word bundles is hard to do, without appearing pretentious and full of yourself. So, there is never enough space. We do not pause, for the most part. Pacing is everything, though. Slow down, believe that your words are worthy, and let there be space around them. At times, the haiku ran together like a long, disjointed prose piece. At other times, the readings became ghazals, self-contained river stones, tied together by a beautiful emotional thread – there’s something in the water...what is that...ahhh.....
Congratulations to Ray Rasmussen who gathered the Editors’ Choice Award for his cycle one, week 22 haikus. Brilliant stuff.
I leave you with this haiku:
coffee with Buddha
I talk about my worries
his dick-ass smile
4 Comments
1. Mike had this to say: Sep 24, 2007 ~ 12:13 ~ #
I wasn’t sure how haiku would come off when spoken. I never considered it to be a spoken form, but man, I thought the reading and workshop was excellent. There was an intense focus on the words, because you knew the oration would be short.
Big, huge kudos to Nicole and Patrick for their excellent work.
2. Thomas had this to say: Sep 24, 2007 ~ 14:15 ~ #
You, Mister Michael Gravel, are the instigator of the on-line DailyHaiku…You, are the brilliant “ground zero” of this adventure…credit is due…credit s due.
3. satoreyephilip had this to say: Sep 25, 2007 ~ 00:30 ~ #
The reciting of the haiku is one of the seven arts of the samuri.
Haiku are not ways of giving knowledge it is a form of history.Also humour.
4. Jamie had this to say: Sep 25, 2007 ~ 20:17 ~ #
Ha, interesting way of looking at haiku.
What a wonderful way to finish a post. I must add it to my quote-stock! =D
~Jamie