No Controvery & No More Waiting: There may be agita and anticipation in Schenectady today over Sex Offender legislation, but there is nothing but joy in the Haiku Community, because the newest edition of Simply Haiku, (Autumn 2007, vol. 5 #3), went online overnight. As usual, in this combination haiku journal and magazine, you will find excellent examples of Japanese short-form poetry (such has haiku, senryu, haibun, renku, and both modern and traditional haiga), along with essays and commentary.
This month, they even presented five poems by dagosan‘s alter ego, including this pair:
first the scent –
lilac bushes
’round the cornerblustery day
one tulip
keeps his head…………………………………….. by David Giacalone, Simply Haiku, Autumn 2007, vol 5 no 3
You will also find, for example, haibun (prose with a linked poem) by our never-disappointing Roberta Beary, plus the experimental “alphabet jazz‘ by Ed Markowski; haiga (an image with a linked poem) by f/k/a‘s honorary daughter Aurora Antonovic; and five tanka by Tom Clausen, including this pair:
overly familiar
to me now,
this way of seeing people
as being like someone
I’ve known before
I sit on a stool 
nursing the furnace
looking into where
our warmth has come
and gone…
…………………………………… by Tom Clausen – Simply Haiku (Autumn 2007)
david,
this “Haiku Community” you refer to, where is it and what is it?
i’ve looked for it diligently and have found nothing but miles of
road mirages and empty fields.
ed
Comment by ed markowski — August 16, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
Edward, Edward, I’m supposed to be the cynic around here. Compared to the politics of sex offender legislation, the little “Haiku Wars” of the haijin community are just tiny family squabbles. And, we all like a good journal to peruse — even if only to disagree.
Comment by David Giacalone — August 16, 2007 @ 6:34 pm
Dear Ed,
The haiku community is at David’s place, 9 pm sharp. I’m bringing the nachos, you can bring the refried beans and dip. See you there!
Your psedo-niece,
Aurora
Comment by Aurora — August 16, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
Oh, no, AA, now I’m going to have to dust and wash that sink-full of dishes. I think we should get Ed to bring some pizza dough and some of his specialty recipes (he is half-Italian, you know). I’ve got some cheap “dagosan” red wine.
Comment by David Giacalone — August 16, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
Ed got me so upset, I misspelled “pseudo”. Maybe we shouldn’t let him come, unless he promises to be especially entertaining at charades.
Comment by Aurora — August 16, 2007 @ 6:47 pm
david & aa,
can i get there by following the yellow brick road?
Comment by ed markowski — August 16, 2007 @ 8:15 pm
I sent a helicopter to airlift you to David’s, Ed. Didn’t it arrive yet?
David’s already dancing on the coffee table and doing Basho impersonations. Oh, it’s a wonderful time. Hurry before the cops get here to shut us down.
Comment by Aurora — August 16, 2007 @ 8:29 pm
aa,
i’ll be there with the nachos.
in this city of broken dreams,
nachos ARE chips, queso quesadilla,
and a whole lot of hot chili peppers. so please,bring the dom perignon.
ed
Comment by ed markowski — August 16, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
Too late, Eddie, Schenectady’s finest have already contacted INS and are about to deport Ms. A. for Bringing Genetically-Altered Corn Products Across an International Border. Meanwhile, I’ve been arrested for Blogging While Under the Influence.
Comment by David Giacalone — August 16, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
That is totally not what happened. David, who inbibed a little too much before anyone even arrived, decided to streak down the street, screaming, “I AM ISSA!!!!!!” Oh, it was very embarrassing. *hides face in shame*
Comment by Aurora — August 16, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
david,
in that case, when you and aa are sprung, meet me at harvey lo’s yummy house in windsor. i figure aa will be able to find the palce if she doesn’t already know the way. utterly brilliant dim sum.
then, we’ll watch the sunset and view the beautiful facade that is the skyline of detroit.
simply beautiful
through a window in Windsor
the skyline of Detroit
Comment by ed markowski — August 16, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
geez, i’m so excited i misspelled
place.
ed
Comment by ed markowski — August 16, 2007 @ 8:59 pm
Ed, you ever been to Noi’s? Or Brigantino?
Comment by Aurora — August 16, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
the cat joins
the party…
drinking away the year
………….
after the fire–
the fleas throw a wild
party
….. by Kobayashi Issa, translated by David G. Lanoue, who is in Winston-Salem, NC, with Yu Chang, and probably at the Haiku North America “Head-to-Head Haiku Competition” as we type.
Comment by David Giacalone — August 16, 2007 @ 9:16 pm
aa & david,
sorry for this late response. i just returned from the ultrasound department. after all i am at work.
aa i have been to brigantino. also,
my mother and her cousin lena always shopped erie street when running low on authentic italian
culinary essentials. when ma wasn’t with lena on erie street, she was with me on erie street.
david, you would love erie street.
if you don’t believe me ask aa.
aa, some of my other favorite places in windsor include wah court, the mini restaurant and shin shin. in fact shin shin is one of the few authentic szechuan
restaurants around these parts anyway.
to let the cat out of the bag so to speak, my wife and i first kissed on the sidewalk in front of the shin shin after a meal of pot stickers, spring rolls, hot and sour soup, and shrimp with garlic flavours. aa, windsor has a very
special place in my heart.
Comment by ed markowski — August 16, 2007 @ 10:08 pm
first kiss
two fireflies align
with Mars
Comment by ed markowski — August 16, 2007 @ 10:10 pm
Ed, thanks for sharing. Perhaps this is what David meant by “haiku community”? :)
Your haibun, incidentally, was one of the finest I’ve seen. It was decidedly fresh.
Comment by Aurora — August 16, 2007 @ 11:07 pm