Japan Fest a Huge Success!

Enjoy a few pictures from Japan Fest...http://www.haikuguy.com/nov09.html

And, here's the public renga:

JAPAN FEST '09 RENGA composed at NOMA 11/8/09 by festival goers.

a big drum booms

the beginning...Japan Fest

it was more of a bang

gunshot

the song of the drums

is like our ancestors

Indians

a sound in the soul

past felt in the heart

feelings can't be replaced

the reminiscence of home

nothing like New Orleans

after an evening of glitz and glitter

the serenity of haiku

a sweet sound of grandma's song

walking through her garden

watching the water glisten

arranging a variety of precious stones

dreaming while she works
and waiting for it to happen

remembering the time

men were smaller than her

for she is a giant

time remembers me best

from when I was small

thoughts of my mind

scattered and blistered

who knows what souls will find

at the bottom of the well

a shiny penny

besieged upon

seized by wanderlust today

searching for fortunes

looking for gold

traveling the world

leaving Denham Springs

we drove off the bridge

and met a giant clam

to beat a clam

"Sentinel!" we cry

water game

wet dries on destruction

seeds of renewal germinate

mold grows

symptoms overtake

fighting back

the warriors march forth

to claim a victory

spring flowers

his peaceful heart

moon and forest

picture sweet

ove always beneath

love in the moon

leave pain beneath

joy overtakes the sorrow

a new day has come

love is with me now

our warm embrace lasting an eternity

our hearts forever entwined

Japan

New Orleans

beauty

wind strong on shore
get in car

drive off to another place where it's

safe and dry, leave the city so you

won't cry

storm winds roll into the city but

the sun rises every morning

the sun bakes the avenue's stately oaks

welcoming its neighbors who traverse
from home to work to play and beyond on her streetcars

to walk beneath bead-covered trees

to heard the sounds of music and life again

my thoughts and prayers may be my own

but represent the journeys of many

a shadow bare

autumn breeze silence

morning music

New Orleans in November

warm day, cold night

butterflies follow

my bicycle ride by moonlight

soft breath, so I glide

my yard's garden

sweet music

blessings of life

planting my garden with butterfly flowers

Sassy, my dog, reclaimed her spot

and sat on them

three grandsons living with me after Katrina

the last one has just left

Governor Jindal has just declared

a state of emergency for Hurricane Ida

grandchildren on the North Shore

here we go again

I zip my son's jacket in the wind

Haiku Walk - October 2009

Here are some photos from our labyrinth haiku walk in October at Audubon Park. Thanks to Laura for providing the labyrinth as a muse for haiku writing!

...and a fun time was had by all!

NOHS at Japan Fest 2009

The New Orleans Haiku Society will host an exhibit table at the Japan Fest at the New Orleans Museum of Art, in City Park, One Collins C. Diboll Circle, City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana 70124, USA. Come out for a cultural immersion experience and visit our table where you will be able to write your own haiku on the spot using our haiku magnet boards, participate in Festival day renga game and learn more about haiku and our group.

The festival is always a treat; a day filled with taiko drumming, a tea ceremony, origami, live performances, the game of Go, sushi and much more. We hope to see you there!

Upcoming Events

October 18, 2009 at 2:00
Haiku Walk
Audubon Park
New Orleans, LA
Meet at the fountain at 2:00

November 8, 2009
Japan Fest
New Orleans Museum of Art
City Park
New Orleans, LA
NOHS will have a display table

November 15, 2009 at 3:30
Poetry Reading
Maple Leaf Bar
Oak Street, New Orleans, LA
NOHS will be the featured poets and will read their haiku

September 2009 Meeting Notes

It was nearly a full house at the NOHS monthly meeting last night. In attendance were Juliet, Samantha, Bob, Emma, Joe, Nicholas, Allie, David and Johnette. For dinner, Kathleen joined the party.

"Death-ku" seemed to be the theme last night. Juliet had some poems about her beloved childhood apple tree that had died, Bob shared some haiku about some friends who died in a plane crash and Samantha shared some haiku about a dying goose. On a lighter note, Nicholas roped us in with some streetcar and street scene-ku, Emma shared some poems from her Moon-ku series, Allie shared some Issa haiku, David had some travel-ku and Johnette had some mountain-ku. We saved some moments to hear haiku from our members in Japan; Emiko and Sakuo.

Plans for Japan Fest, a Facebook page, a haiku walk and a poetry reading were also discussed. More details to follow!

Happy haikuing.

NOHS Monthly Meeting - September 2009

The New Orleans Haiku Society will host its monthly meeting on Monday, September 21, 2009 from 6:00-7:45 at the Milton H. Latter Memorial Library, 5120 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA. The meeting is free and open to the public. Please bring haiku to read and join us for sushi dinner afterwards at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street.

Haiku Writing Workshop

Haiku Writing Workshop with David Lanoue
Xavier University
Administration Annex Building 217
South Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, LA
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
Free and open to the public

New Issa for Kids Web Site

I am pleased to announce a new web site titled Issa for Kids! Check it out at:

http://haikuguy.com/issa4kids/

This is a project that I'm doing for Xavier University this semester: a haiku-learning Issa website aimed at 4th to 6th graders. If any of you have teacher-friends, please pass it along to them so that they can give me feedback. I'd also love to hear what their students have to say.

-David Lanoue

Petar Tchouhov Reading

The evening of July 20th at the Latter Library on St. Charles Avenue, the New Orleans Haiku Society hosted a reading by Bulgarian poet Petar Tchouhov. The event was open to the public and well attended. Petar shared a good portion of his haiku collection, titled "Safety Pins," in Bulgarian and English. After the reading, a lively question-and-answer session ensued, during which Petar shed light on the Bulgarian haiku scene and related topics. Here are three of the poems he shared that particularly pleased the audience:

my father's funeral
at last
I meet him
(first published in tinywords)

shop window
the beggar's reflection
in new clothes
(first published in Presence)

she falls asleep
her shadow continues
reading
(3rd place, Ludbreg Haiku Calendar contest)

submitted by David G. Lanoue

Haiku Reading by Petar Tchouhov

Haiku Reading

the New Orleans Haiku Society presents

Petar Tchouhov, an award-winning poet from Bulgaria . . .

Monday, July 20th, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

in the Milton H. Latter Memorial Library, 5120 St. Charles Ave


This reading is free and open to the public
For more information about this event or about the New Orleans Haiku Society,

contact David Lanoue at 504-861-1430; david1gerard@hotmail.com

NOHS Monthly Meeting - July 2009

Beat the heat and join us inside the lovely Milton Latter Library on St. Charles Avenue for our monthly meeting on July 20, 2009 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. We will have a special guest from Bulgaria at our meeting which promises to be a real treat. Bring haiku to share and join us for sushi dinner at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania after the meeting.

See you there!

Haiku North America

Here is information about the Haiku North America Conference set for August 5-9, 2009 in Ottawa, Canada. http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/ David is listed as a presenter!!

Issa Birthday Party May, 5, 2009

Here's a link to party pics and our drunken renga: http://haikuguy.com/may09.html

Thanks, everyone who came, for making the evening special and helping to anoint our new apartment with friendship, poetry and laughter. And, those of you who couldn't come, we MISSED YOU!

And this tidbit of news: Petar Tchouhov of Bulgaria has accepted our invitation to come to New Orleans to do a special reading for us. I invited him to our meeting of either June or July. I'll keep you posted on which date works for him.

-David



HEY TOAD (drunken renga)

hey toad
the caterpillar will grow
and fly away!
-Issa

like the buck moth
then down to earth
-Bob

celebrating with
the goddess
sweet wine in May
-Juliet

in my glass
a drunk fly
-Johnette

wings bobbling
the little plane aims
at sunset
-David

flying into sunset
fireflies
-Bob

waiting for
a friend
porch light is on
-Juliet

night blossoming jasmine
we shsh each other loudly
-Johnette

until their ears bleed
the old rocker
rocks
-David

speakers blasting
more beer
-Bob

their new apartment
mustard brown walls
book worms
-Juliet

a fake closet
no secrets
-Johnette

Queen Victoria poses
amid posies
he - she
-David

birds of a feather
out of the closet
-Bob

snow melts
Mount Fuji
wading in flood
-Juliette

the wells in her eyes
full
-Johnette

moon over the cemetery
rabbits
f***ing
-David

cheaper
than a motel
-Bob

her best friend's
wedding in June
staying up late
-Juliet

humid air
a stained gown
-Johnette

Mr. Clinton
once the world's leader
checks in
-David

it's hard to get
good help
-Bob

at the shrink's
nodding
to dreamland
-Samantha

photos on line
for the world to see
-Juliet

morning meditation
my mother's voice
in the wind
-Johnette

Lady Liberty said "Come!"
damn it
-David

always follow
universal rule
ladies first
-Bob

ballerina dances
my little niece
-Samantha

cutting the cake
cinco de mayo
memories, laughter
-Juliet

April 20 Meeting Schedule Change

The NOHS regular meeting at the Latter Library will not take place on April 20, 2009, the third Monday of the month, due to renovations at the Library. Please join us on May 18, 2009 for haiku and sushi!!

Haiku Guy in Japanese!

David Lanoue's book "Haiku Guy" has been published in Japanese by Sanwa Press. He's going to Japan in May for some book signings/readings.

Congrats David!! Your book is a hit in every language!!!

NOHS Holiday Party

The NOHS had its annual holiday party at Johnette's house on January 19, 2009. In attendance were David, Kathleen, Samantha, Karel, Juliet, Amy, Michael H., Bob, Michael S. and Johnette. The group participated in a White Elephant gift stealing game; so many thieves in this group! A book of haiku, a beautiful piece of pottery and Zen tea & mug were the "hot" items and were stolen the most. The group also read haiku and had a jam session of songs old and new.

The biggest news of all came from Karel who informed us that she and Leo are pregnant! Congrats!!!!

Join us for our regular meeting on February 16, 2009 at the Latter Library from 6:00-7:45.

NOHS November 2008 Meeting Notes

The November meeting of the NOHS was well attended and quite enjoyable. We had two guests; Anya, a friend of Bob's from New Orleans via Brazil, and Rita, a publisher from Scotland. Rita treated us to a selection of poems written by Colin Stewart Jones from his book A Seal Snorts Out the Moon, published by Cauliay Publishing Company. Here are a few of the gems shared from Colin's book:

days off!
I see the world
through my toes


quayside...
fog clinging
to the smell of fish


loch laxavat-
casting a bubble float
into the day moon


scottish spring
taking my pick
of kigo


A Seal Snorts Out the Moon is a 2008 Costa Book Award Nominee. Check it out at http://www.cauliaypublishing.com/



In attendance at the meeting were Michael, Juliet, Samantha, Bob, Anya, Rita and Johnette. A sushi dinner at Kyoto Restaurant after the meeting was enjoyed by all.

Vaughn Banting Memorial Haiku Reading Notes

The NOHS Memorial Haiku Reading for our friend Vaughn Banting was filled with laughter and joy as each person shared memories of Vaughn and read poems by and in homage to Vaughn. During the event, the group participated in the following renga:

CODGERS COGITATE

codgers cogitate

frost on green grass
crunch

friends in a circles
haring stories

of the bonsai master
who pruned

toasting memories
with wine

wondering about
his cat

TAPS

soul or body

brain tumor - now with wings!

song of the butterfly
Zen garden
koto

before Katrina
long walks

now, an empty wheelchair
a sad squirrel

a sleeping branch
an open sky

waiting for tomorrow

a new bloom opens

a lost hard-on?

living with infirmities

he pours more wine
she straddles his lap

match made in heaven

last cigarette
geckos cursing at dusk

melting chocolate tales
out of school

a family crest
finds itself under his finger
she carefully tends the roots

the roots of eternity
are planted today

growing tomorrow

distorted by the wind

ashes of a friend
make their way
to the garden

dreamers all

until the stuttering cicada
wakes us!


-----by: Laura, Karel, Bob, Bill, Carolyn, Johnette, Juliet and David


Please feel free to view some photos taken during the event at: http://haikuguy.com/nov08.html


Vaughn is dearly missed and will forever be in our hearts.

Vaughn Banting Memorial Haiku Reading

The NOHS will host a Memorial Haiku Reading for our dear friend Vaughn Banting on November 22, 2008 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Milton Latter Library, 5120 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans. Vaughn's friends and family are invited to join us as poems written by, for and about Vaughn will be read in celebration of his joie de vivre.

NOHS Monthly Meeting - November 2008

The NOHS will host its monthly meeting on November 17, 2008 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. at the Milton Latter Library on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. The meeting is free and open to the public. Please bring some haiku to share with the group and join us for sushi dinner after the meeting at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street.

Boo-Ku - Halloween Haiku Walk

The NOHS hosted a Boo-ku, a Halloween haiku walk in the French Quarter. In attendance were David, Juliet, Karel and Leo. Here are a few haiku from the event:

French Quarter Halloween
face to face
with her own ghosts

Church bells ring
Halloween night
circle of fortune tellers

Halloween
trick or treat
texting an old flame

Walking home alone
in the shadows
All Hallows Eve

White facade
cathedral
ghosts

-Juliet



Halloween madness--
the perturbed face
of a dog

six Sarah Palins
line up
for the men's room

a can of Pepsi
peddles his bike
Halloweening


-David Lanoue

Vaughn Banting

With heavy hearts, the New Orleans Haiku Society shares the sad news that one of our own, Vaughn Banting, has passed away. Vaughn was a dear friend who was an inspiration to all. His extensive website offers us a glimpse of the amazing life he led with joie de vivre. http://www.vlbanting.com/

Below are a few haiku written as a tribute to our beloved friend:


flying high
above all worldly care
Vaughn Banting

-terrytip


the bonsai master
walks with a cane
under pines

-David Lanoue



in the midst
of war
collecting orchids

-Emma Pierson



to live life
with infirmities
Vaughn showed us the way

-Carolyn Graetz



in the barrel
of his gun
white orchid

-Johnette Downing

memories

of his Zen Garden

loss of a friend

-Juliet

His memorial service will be held on October 16,2 008 from 9-12 at Tharp Sontheimer Funeral Home, 1600 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, LA 504 835-2341.

RIP Vaughn.

Japan Fest

The Japan Fest is on Sunday, October 19th, 2008 at the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park, New Orleans, LA USA. For more information about this wonderful festival, visit:

http://www.nashville.us.emb-japan.go.jp/en/events/2008/Japan%20Fest%202008.htm

Monthly Meeting Notes - September 2008

The September 15, 2008 meeting of the New Orleans Haiku Society went well as it was nice to reunite after being evacuated for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. In attendance were Juliet, Bob, David and Johnette. We shared haiku we had written about the evacuation and about our recent visit to the Insectarium. David brought a book of haiku titled In Borrowed Shoes by San Francisco poet Fay Aoyagi. David and Bob took turns reading poems from Fay's book. A sushi dinner after the meeting was enjoyed by all. Here are a few poems Juliet wrote and read at the meeting:


Under the dogs
white paw
first autumn leaf

Old flower
children
Dylan show


Evacuation
Deja vu
my brothers couch

-Juliet

There is something brewing about a haiku walk in October. If you are interested in joining us for a BOO-KU, let us know!

September 2008 Monthly Meeting

The next NOHS meeting will be held on Monday, September 15, 2008 at the Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, LA from 6:00-7:45 p.m. The meetings are free and open to the public. Please bring some haiku to share and feel free to join us for sushi dinner after the meeting at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street

Hurricane Gustav

Even a mandatory evacuation for Hurricane Gustav is muse for haiku warriors! Here are a few haiku written by the members of the New Orleans Haiku Society before, during and after the storm.


$6.00 salad dressing
in the trash
evacuation

- Juliet


slice of honeydew moon
wraps itself in cloud
hungry for home

-Emma Pierson


After the hurricane
the sound of frogs

-Samantha Klein


the smell of generators
and roofing tar
in Gustav's wake

-Michael Hebert


sushi bar
after the hurricane
mad gobbling

-David Lanoue


she waters her garden
slow moving
hurricane

-Johnette Downing

Southeast HSA Conference

The Southeast Regional Conference for the Haiku Society of America will take place in Hot Springs, Arkansas on November 7-8, 2008 at the municipal airport. For more information, contact Howard Kilby at hkilby@gmail.com.

Insectarium Haiku Walk

The New Orleans Haiku Society hosted a haiku walk at the Insectarium on August 24, 2008 from 1:00-3:00. Juliet, David and Johnette were in attendance. Here are a few poems we wrote at the new Insectarium:

Watching them squirm
children and
caterpillars

Fitting in
moving about
ants

What happens in the bug
exhibit
stays in the bug exhibit

The ups and downs
of life
butterfly

Poor bug
your sex life
exposed

Surrounded by insects
swarms of
children

She pulls on
his arm
afraid of spiders

Share with me
your secrets
butterfly

She sides with
the vegetarian
insects

Eat up
little bug
before you get eaten

- Juliet


spring's brightest
cliche
butterfly

a visual language
the heart understands
butterfly's wing

butterfly garden
my haiku on paper
his in stone

delicate dancer
on gossamer
black widow

one of them
brings home a flower
ants

-David Lanoue


sanitation workers
dung
beetles

tea garden moon
buck moth
caterpillar

walls
of the butterfly garden
move

Insectarium
bug
Utopia

after the bug museum
my garden variety snail
miraculous

like going to a ball
leaf cutter ants
in crepe myrtle blossoms

Insectarium
bugs
for lunch

wind for the flute
butterfly
wings

painted ceiling
blue morph
butterfly

- Johnette Downing

August 2008 Meeting Notes

Do you haiku? We do! The NOHS August meeting went well. In attendence were Ronnie, Charles, David and Johnette. Charles shared some vampire haiku from his new book of haiku and David shared several chapters from the new haiku autobiography he is writing. A sushi dinner at Kyoto Restaurant was enjoyed after the meeting.

This weekend, the NOHS will host a haiku walk at the new Insectarium in New Orleans. We'll be buggy about haiku so feel free to join us at 1:00 on August 24, 2008 in the lobby of the Insectarium on Canal Street.

Haiku Walk - Insectarium

The NOHS is hosting a haiku walk at the new Insectarium in New Orleans on August 24, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. We will meet inside the Insectarium in the lobby at 1:00, begin the haiku walk at 1:15 and meet back in the lobby at an agreed upon time (usually two hours later). At that time we will find a quiet place to share the poems we have written. Please feel free to join us as we get buggy about haiku.

For more information about the Insectarium including ticket prices, hours, directions, please visit:

http://www.auduboninstitute.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Facility_Insectarium_v2

Join the bug-a-lution!

July 2008 Meeting Notes

Ahhh, summer in New Orleans! The heat, the soupy air...inside the Library! Our July meeting was held in our regular meeting space, the Latter Library, except on this particular evening the air-conditioning was broken!!!! Did I mention it is JULY in New Orleans??? Balmy, no! Tepid, no! Steamy, yes! Hot, you betcha! But, being the troopers we are, we held the meeting anyway with the slow hum of a small box fan. In attendance were Juliet, Karel, Michael, David and Johnette. Some sizzling haiku were read by all and the ensemble cooled off at Kyoto Restaurant for a nice sushi dinner. Here is one of the poems read by Juliet that evening:

explosions of color
4th of July
her tie dye dress

-Juliet

Photos of the New Orleans Haiku Society

Yup, we live in New Orleans and we know how to have a fun. Check out this link for photographs of the New Orleans Haiku Society.

http://haikuguy.com/nohspics.html

Issa A Day

Are you getting your daily dose of haiku? Are you a fan of haiku Master Kobayashi Issa? Well, Issa-A-Day can fortify you with your daily prescription of poetry. All you have to do is sign up for the free daily haiku email and you are good to go.

Check it out at: http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Monthly Meeting - July 2008

The next NOHS meeting will be held on Monday, July 21, 2008 at the majestic Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, LA from 6:00-7:45 p.m. The meetings are free and open to the public. Please bring some haiku to share and feel free to join us for sushi dinner after the meeting at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day from the NOHS. Pay homage to the Earth by writing a haiku about her!

April Meeting Notes

The April 21st meeting was energized by our shared experiences at the previous nights moon viewing party. We read the poems we had written at the party as well as poems we had written during the month. Juliet, Bob, Ronnie, Laura, David and Johnette were in attendance. After the meeting, we had dinner at Kyoto Restaurant.

Moon Viewing Party Notes

Sushi dinner and moon viewing; ahhhh, what a night. The moon viewing party at Vaughn's lovely home and Zen garden was filled with excitement and drama. The moon toyed with us sneaking in and out of clouds while music and merriment filled the air. Christening Vaughn's delightful tea house was a highlight. Here are some poems from the night:

flashlight moon
low
on batteries

-Johnette Downing


murky moon
now I'm older
than ever

-David Lanoue


under a full moon
a teahouse
crowded to capacity

-Vaughn Banting


full moon in scorpio
she stings
strangers

-Juliet


out from under
the blanket
peeks the moon

-Karel Sloane


glass of wine
in my court yard
same moon

-terrytip

Tea House Party

Vaughn of the NOHS will host a tea house christening and moon viewing party on April 20, 2008. We will meet at Little Toyoko Restaurant on Causeway Blvd in Metairie for sushi dinner at 7:00 p.m. and then go to the tea house location.

Monthy Meeting - April 2008

The next NOHS meeting will be held on Monday, April 21, 2008 at the Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, LA from 6:00-7:45 p.m. The meetings are free and open to the public. Please bring some haiku to share and feel free to join us for sushi dinner after the meeting at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street

Maple Leaf Bar Poetry Reading

The New Orleans Haiku Society was featured at the weekly Maple Leaf Bar Poetry Readings on April 6, 2008. The group read poems about the environment as part of the V-Day Celebration hosted in part by the Katrina Warriors, an organization formed after Hurricane Katrina to unite, activate, involve, and transform the women of the New Orleans and Gulf South after the disaster.

The Maple Leaf Bar poetry readings are held at the Maple Leaf Bar on Oak Street in New Orleans every Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

March 2008 Meeting Notes

The March meeting of the NOHS was quite enjoyable. In attendance were David, Karel, Caroline, Bob, Laura and Johnette. Laura is new to our group and shared her poems about yoga. Ironically, David had several poems about yoga and Caroline's photo-ku of sunsets intertwined with trees had some twists and turns all there own. Here is a yoga poem that David shared that night:

yoga class over
a collective "Om!"
of relief

-David

NOHS Reading at Maple Leaf Bar

What: New Orleans Haiku Society
When: Sun Apr 6 3pm – Sun Apr 6 5pm
Where: Maple Leaf Bar, 8316 Oak Street, New Orleans,LA 70118

Created By Katrina Warriors Festival Events
Description: www.portalspress.com neworleanshaikusociety.blogspot.com

The Maple Leaf Bar is the venue with the longest running history of hosting poetry events in the south since 1978.

Monthly Meeting - March 2008

The next NOHS meeting will be held on Monday, March 17, 2008 at the Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, LA from 6:00-7:45 p.m. The meetings are free and open to the public. Please bring some haiku to share and feel free to join us for sushi dinner after the meeting at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street.

Happy Haikuing!

Haiku Holiday Party

The NOHS had our annual Haiku Holiday Party on January 21, 2008 with music, merriment, food, games and haiku sharing. The party even ventured outdoors in the cold night air for a brief full moon viewing. The rabbit was certainly in the moon that night.

Happy National Haiku Day

Today, December 21, 2007, is National Haiku Day! Celebrate the day by writing, reading and sharing haiku. For more information about haiku, visit:

Haiku Society of America at http://www.hsa-haiku.org/
Haiku North America at http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/
Haiku Canada at http://www.haikucanada.org/
Modern Haiku at http://www.modernhaiku.org/
bottle rockets at http://www.geocities.com/bottlerockets_99/
Simply Haiku at http://www.poetrylives.com/SimplyHaiku/SHv5n4/index.html
Tiny Words at http://tinywords.com/

Here are some haiku from the New Orleans Haiku Society from our 5th Year Celebration commemorative booklet:

withered chrysanthemum-
the warmth
of a teacup

-Johnette Downing
-----------

old stone bridge
whether I cross it
or not

-David Lanoue
--------------

only on stormy nights
thoughts of him
under the covers

-Juliet
--------------

caterpillar flips
turning over a new leaf
first full day of spring

-Ronnie Virgets
--------------

light descends
trees write
on water

-Carolyn Graetz
-----------

filling the air
with flutter
festival fans

-Karel Boekbinder-Sloane
---------------

ghostly comets
warm hearts
in the cold darkness

-Michael Hebert
---------------

deciphering
the slug's map
I arrive at cabbages

-Vaughn Banting
---------------

biting the loquat
tasting
summer

- Emma P.
-----------------

opened book
child kissing
the bear

-Samantha Klein
----------------

walking barefoot
on the wooden floor
Southern winter

-Isabel Altamirano


Happy in Haiku!

Monthly Meeting - January 2008

The Latter Library will be closed on January 21, 2008, the date of our regular NOHS meeting, in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. Regular meetings will resume in February at the Latter Library on the third Monday of each month from 6:00-7:45. Please join us on February 18, 2008 and bring haiku to share.

Happy New Year!

Monthly Meeting - December 2007

The next NOHS meeting will be held on December 17, 2007 at the Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, LA from 6:00-7:45 p.m. The meetings are free and open to the public. Feel free to bring some haiku to share. Please join us for a sushi celebration at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street at 8:00 p.m. immediately after the meeting. Happy Haiku Holidays!

November Meeting Notes

At the November NOHS meeting, David read several haiku from books he received as gifts from haiku poets in Serbia and told stories about his experiences there. Then the meeting proceeded with the usual rounds of haiku sharing. After the haiku sharing, we participated in another kukai; carefully studying individual poems in depth and then discussing ways in which to make the poems stronger. Here is a poem by Emma as an example of the process. The first is her original haiku and the second is the revised one:

arched against
the cloud-banked sky
the bent cypress tree

an arch against
the cloud-banked sky
cypress tree