Frogpond 31:2 (Spring/Summer 2008) plopped into my mailbox yesterday. Of course, it’s the first-rate haiku and senryu, and other haikai forms, that make the Haiku Society of America’s journal so special. Because the poems are not available online from Frogpond, I’m going to rush some of those written by our Honored Guest Poets to you right away. Later today, I may add a few editorial comments about this first Frogpond issue edited by our haiku friend and mentor George Swede.
short rain–
the scoreless game
lasting longer… by Gary Hotham
Here are haiku by members of the f/k/a family that were selected for inclusion in Frogpond 31:2 (Spring/Summer 2008); come back tomorrow for senryu and perhaps some haibun or renga:
cicada season __
jackhammers begin
the day shift…………… by Barry George
reunion
the vacant lot alive
with fireflies
……………. by Peggy Willis Lyles
summer rain
the awning colors
back to life…………… by w.f. owen
at the laundromat
clothes spinning round and round
winter rain
for his statue
the Great One hatless . . .
spring rain
… by Jim Kacian
startled rabbit
easter snow slips
from a telephone wire…….. by David Giacalone
afterwords (July 6, 2008): We learned yesterday that our friend Yu Chang was the author of the following haiku, which appears on page 22 of the new Frogpond without attribution:
newspaper roll __
crushed crocuses just below
the headlines… by Yu Chang
David,
Thanks for this. My frogpond reached the upper mid-west yesterday. Recalling your dialogue with w.f. owen about haiku rendered in one line, I was looking for an increase in one-liners here and elsewhere. Some appear. Some of course, work better than others. On the whole, are you seeing an increase in number or quality of one-line poems? If they are rendered in one-line, there should be something in structure or content compelling form. I guess I will continue to experiment and watch. Thanks for the forum.
Comment by Dan Schwerin — July 10, 2008 @ 8:55 am
Hi, Don. Thanks for the comments and for visiting us again. I agree that “if they are rendered in one-line, there should be something in structure or content compelling form.” I continue to see more and more one-liners and there seems to have less and less reason for their divergence from the 3-line format.
As someone who hopes to help the general public learn to appreciate “real” haiku, one-liners seems to be a detriment.
Comment by David Giacalone — July 10, 2008 @ 9:19 am