New Orleans Haiku Society

Shokan Tadashi Kondo Visit in March

2012-01-21T08:35:00.007-06:00

We are thrilled to report that international renku master Shokan Tadashi Kondo will visit New Orleans in March.

Monday, March 19. 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. He will attend the regular monthly meeting of the New Orleans Haiku Society as our special guest reader. He will talk about renku informally and participate in our sharing and critique of haiku. 5120 St. Charles Avenue. This meeting is open to the public.

Wednesday, March 21. 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. He will give a talk at Xavier University of Louisiana on "A Brief History of Haiku and Renku." NCF Academic Science Building, Room 173. This lecture, sponsored by the Xavier English Department, is open to Xavier students, faculty, staff and to the general public.

Sunday, March 25. 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. "Renku Seminar: Form and Practice." He will lead a workshop to write a short form of renku. All are invited.

Japan Fest a Great Success!

2011-10-16T08:42:00.002-05:00

On October 8, 2011, members of the New Orleans Haiku Society manned an informational table at Japan Fest, held in the New Orleans Museum of Art. We set up our post in the medeival art room, surrounded by beautiful religious works of art. This year, we decided to sponsor a haiku contest, the winners of which would receive a haiku book in the mail. We had two categories: children under 18 and adults. For the children's category we had ten entries; for the adults' we had twenty-five. Members read all of the entries and voted online. There were so many fine haiku, it was a difficult decision to make, but somehow we managed to pick these two winners:

THE UNDER 18 WINNER IS...

golden beaches
lovely sand flowers
shark waters
--Je'on Domingue

THE ADULT WINNER IS...

morning crescent moon
smile white in Pueblo sky
reminds me to call
--Mark Folse

Congratulations to Je'on and Mark, and thank you, all participants! Maybe we'll see some of you at a future meeting (third Monday of the month, 6 p.m., Latter Library!).

NOHS Monthly Meetings - June 2011

2011-06-07T11:26:00.002-05:00

Love haiku? Want to learn more about haiku? Are you a haiku groupie? So are we!

Join us for the next meeting of the New Orleans Haiku Society on June 20, 2011 from 6:00-7:45 at the Milton Latter Library, 5120 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA. The meetings are free and open to the public. Feel free to bring haiku to share with the group. Or bring a book of your favorite haiku to share.

Dinner at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania follows the meeting.

Maple Leaf Bar Poetry Reading

2011-06-07T11:21:00.002-05:00

On Sunday, May 22, 2011, the NOHS were guest poets at the weekly Maple Leaf Bar Poetry Readings on Oak Street in New Orleans, LA as part of the closing activites of the Haiku Society of America's Southern quarterly meeting. Visiting haiku poets from Georgia and Arkansas joined the ensemble for an enjoyable afternoon of haiku.

Thanks Nancy for your continued service and passion for poetry as the host of the Maple Leaf Bar Poetry Readings for numerous years and thanks for inviting us to read.

HSA South Meeting Agenda

2011-04-22T10:06:00.002-05:00

Haiku Society of America South Region Conference

May 21-22, 2011.

Friday, May 20. There is no official activity, but all participants are invited to meet in the French Quarter for drinks and dinner, 7:00 p.m., restaurant TBA.

Saturday, May 21. The conference will be held in the Latter Library, 5120 St. Charles Avenue.

10:00 – 10:30 Welcome: a haiku read-around
10:30 – 11:45 Tom Painting, "What's Lurking?" a workshop
11:45 – 12:45 Juliet Seer Pazera, "Tarot Haiku"
1:00 – 2:15 Lunch at Kyoto Restaurant, 4920 Prytania Street
2:30 – 3:30 Carlos Colon and Johnette Downing, "Haiku Jazz Duet"
3:30 – 4:00 Johnye Strickland, "HSA South Business"
4:00 – 5:00 Chibi, "Interactive Renku with Skype"

All participants are invited to dinner and a party at David Lanoue’s house, 7:00 p.m., provided by the New Orleans Haiku Society. At the party, we plan to play a game of “Evil Santa”: everyone brings a present (under $20) and the game will begin!

Sunday, May 22. Haiku Walk and Kukai in Audubon Park. We’ll meet at 11:00 a.m. at the fountain on the St. Charles Avenue side of the park. After walking and writing haiku for an hour, we reconvene at the fountain at noon to share our poems. Lunch will follow (we’ll have a list of possible restaurants along the streetcar line). Finally, at 3:00 p.m. (officially, but 3:30 is more realistic), we meet in the courtyard of the Maple Leaf Bar, 8316 Oak Street, for a public reading of haiku by all conference participants.

NOHS on Americas Greatest Otaku!

2011-04-20T12:32:00.003-05:00

The New Orleans Haiku Society recently appeared on the hit Japanese Pop culture TV show Americas Greatest Otaku. Check out the video:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/230995/americas-greatest-otaku-big-easy-otaku#s-p1-so-i0

Congratulations to Karel!

2011-03-06T09:23:00.002-06:00

NOHS member Karel Sloan-Boekbinder was recently honored with a Big Easy Tribute to the Classic Arts Award for her work in poetic theatre. In addition, the play that she conceived and co-wrote, Amusing, won multiple awards, including Best Performance, from the American Association of Community Theatre. Way to go, Karel!

Crude Haiku, oil poems

2011-03-01T12:33:00.007-06:00

NOHS co-founder Johnette Downing has edited a fund-raising booklet of haiku inspired by the BP oil disaster titled: Crude Haiku, oil poems. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to support the coastal restoration and animal preservation and conservation. The booklet (8 pages, side-stapled) contains 34 haiku written by thirteen Louisiana poets with help from Fay Aoyagi, Dennis Holmes (Chibi), Emiko Miyashita, Sakuo Nakamura and Luce Pelletier. on the nautical chart a black rose drops its petals --Fay Aoyagi pre-blackened fish bp marinade --Mary Emma Dutreix Pierson Here is how to order: Send a self-addressed stamped 6x9 envelope with a suggested $5.00 donation (though any amount is welcome) to: Johnette Downing Crude Haiku P. O. Box 13367 New Orleans, LA 70185

HSA South Region Meeting - Other Hotels

2011-02-28T06:57:00.002-06:00

In addition to the two hotels that we recommended in an earlier post, see this web page for dozens of bed-and-breakfast possibilities in New Orleans:

http://bedandbreakfast.com/new-orleans-louisiana.html

We hope to see you in New Orleans May 20-22, 2011!

HSA South Region Meeting - Hotels

2011-02-25T07:03:00.002-06:00

We've lined up our first two hotel recommendations for the conference, May 20-22. Both are located on streetcar lines, which will make travel to and from the conference site quite easy.

The conference site for Saturday, May 21st, will be the Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Our first hotel recommendation is on St. Charles Avenue, just walking distance from the conference site or a five-minute streetcar ride: Parkview Guest House, a bed-and-breakfast in a renovated mansion. They are holding rooms for us under the code word, "Haiku Society of America." Call 888-533-0746 before March 20th to reserve a room. The room prices range from $159 to $189 a night, but note that some of the rooms have two beds, which makes it possible for people to share the room and cost, if desired. By New Orleans standards, these prices aren't bad.

Here's their website with pictures:

www.parkviewguesthouse.com

Our second recommendation is farther away but much cheaper. The India House is a hostel located on 124 S. Lopez Street, just a block from Canal and the red streetcar line. To go to the conference site, you would ride the red streetcar toward downtown, then transfer to the green St. Charles streetcar. The ride, taking into account waiting time for the green streetcar, could take the better part of an hour, so an early start would be necessary. But the rooms are nice, the price is low, and the streetcar rides to and from India House provide a nice tour of a lot of New Orleans. They have private rooms--some with private bathrooms, some with shared bathrooms, in the $45 - $55 range. Call 504-821-1904 to reserve your room (and mention the Haiku Society of America). Here's their website:

www.indiahousehostel.com

If these two hotels fill up, just contact me (david1gerard@hotmail.com) and I'll recommend others. It might be difficult to book a room in a large downtown hotel (I've been told that there will be two major conferences downtown that weekend), but New Orleans has lots of small bed-and-breakfast places.

HSA South Regional Meeting in New Orleans

2011-02-23T04:56:00.003-06:00

The NOHS will host the Haiku Society of America's South Regional Conference on May 20-22, 2011. As details become available concerning the program and hotel availability, we will post them here on our blog--so stay tuned!

NOHS Annual Party

2011-02-22T22:13:00.002-06:00

NOHS had it's annual party on January 17, 2011 at Johnette's house. The theme this year was "Haiku Fiesta" in an attempt to warm up January with merriment and haiku. Fiesta goers arrived with "fiesta" haiku ready to read as part of the party haiku assignment. The annual White Elephant gift sharing was a highlight.

February Meeting

2011-02-22T22:06:00.002-06:00

The February meeting of the New Orleans Haiku Society was well attended by Juliet, Bob, Allison, Emma, Ed, Nicholas, Karel, T.J., David and Johnette.

Stay tuned for upcoming news about the Haiku Society of America Southeast Regional Meeting which will be hosted by NOHS in May 2011.

Join us for our next monthly meeting scheduled for March 21, 2011 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. at the Milton Latter Library on St. Charles Avenue in NOLA.

January Meeting

2011-01-12T15:36:00.002-06:00

The NOHS will not host its regular monthly meeting at the Latter Library on January 17, 2011 because the library is closed for MLK holiday. Please join us on February 21, 2011 at 6:00 at the Latter Library, 5120 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA.

NOHS Monthly Meeting - November 2010

2010-11-09T18:09:00.003-06:00

We'll be back in our regular meeting spot in the newly renovated Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA on November 15, 2010 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. Sushi dinner at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania St. begins at 8:00 p.m. Bring some haiku to share at the meetings. Meetings are free and open to the public.

We had an assignment for the November meeting if you wish to participate.

November Assignment

Write a 5-7-5 haiku using "camping with Jesus" somewhere in the poem.

See you there!

NOHS Members Attend the HSA Southern Region Conference

2010-11-09T18:08:00.002-06:00

Haiku Society of America - Southern Region Conference

On November 4-5, 2010, five members of the New Orleans Haiku Society attended the Southern Regional Conference of the Haiku Society of America: Allison, Bob, Chibi, David, Juliet and Nicholas. It was a splendid meeting. David gave a workshop on ways to read avant-garde haiku ("Atom Heart Mother" quickly became the weekend's buzz-word). There was also an editing workshop, a haiku walk in woods that emitted dragon-breath steam from deep in the earth, a Japanese-style kukai (a sort of contest/critique session) and, among other highlights, a visit from Haiku Elvis, performed by Carlos Colon.

NOHS Monthly Meeting - July 2010

2010-07-10T10:55:00.002-05:00

The next meeting of the NOHS will take place on July 19, 2010 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. at the Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA. Bring haiku to share with the group and feel free to join us for sushi dinner afterwards at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania St. near the library.

4th of July Party

2010-07-10T10:50:00.002-05:00

The NOHS celebrated the Fourth of July with a party hosted by David and Kathleen. Part of the festivities included watching a re-run of the New Orleans Saints football team winning the Super Bowl! We got nervous and excited all over again as "Who Dat" fans. There was plenty of yummy food and merriment as well as a "football" renga.

Thanks David and Kathleen for a great party!

NOHS Monthly Meeting

2010-05-02T19:17:00.002-05:00

Our next monthly meeting is scheduled for May 17, 2010 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. at the Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, LA.

The meetings are free and open to the public.

This month we have an assignment. Write a haiku about George Rodrigue's Blue Dog. For more information about the infamous Blue Dog, visit: http://www.georgerodrigue.com/ Bring your Blue Dog haiku to the next meeting to share.

Hope to see you there.

Issa's 10th Year Celebration

2010-05-02T15:42:00.001-05:00

Issa's 10th Year Celebration

On May 1st, 2010, members of the New Orleans Haiku Society had a party to honor the tenth anniversary of the Haiku of Kobayashi Issa website. Check out the photos:

http://haikuguy.com/may10.html

Also, feel free to post a comment on the Issa Wall at:

http://haikuguy.com/issa/commentwall.html

Chibi Visits NOHS

2010-04-26T21:29:00.003-05:00

On April 12-13 haiku poet Chibi (AKA Dennis) came down from his home in Georgia for a New Orleans visit. Due to schedule conflicts, not many members of the NOHS were able to enjoy his company, but I was one of the lucky two. On the clear, starry evening of April 12th, Chibi and I had a nice dinner at Coop's Place in the French Quarter, after which we claimed a table in the courtyard of Pat O'Briens. There, we wrote a 25-verse "drunken renku"--a true pleasure that was interrupted twice by people going up to Chibi and tugging at his beard, just to see if it was real. Next day, Chibi repeated the renku exercise, this time with NOHS member Juliet and without the inspiration of alcohol or beard-tuggers--resulting in a much more coherent end-product!

Pictured: me and Chibi at Pat O'Briens.

-David Lanoue

And Chibi writes this about his visit:

As to my visit to New Orleans, I met David for dinner at Coops and we ended up drinking and composing "barku/beerku" at Pat O'Brians. David and I talked about kigo in haiku and about our mutual friend and renku master, Professor Shokan Tadashi Kondo which we both have met in Tokyo, Japan. David and I composed a renga which is posted in neworleanshaikusociety yahoo group along with a few night-life photos at Pat's. I was also fortunate to be able to meet Juliet on another day for dinner at Bamboo, a vegetarian resturant in the French Quarter. Juliet and I composed a juunichou over dinner. We talked and ate between composing verse. I had the popular, Abita Strawberry ale and a vegetable quesadilla. I also posted Juliet and my juunichou on the yahoo group.

I was in New Orleans with my wife, Debbie, while she attended a three day conference on disaster management at Tulane. I also went to Audubon Park on the last day of our visit. I took photos of the park including the snowy egret rookery.

-Chibi

Birthday Wishes

2010-04-20T17:04:00.001-05:00

Happy March Birthday Juliet!

Happy April Birthday Bob!

April Haiku Walk

2010-04-20T16:48:00.002-05:00

Four members of the NOHS went on a haiku walk in Algiers Point on Sunday, April 18, 2010 from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. The "walk" included a "ride," a ferry ride across the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Algiers. In attendance were Kathleen, Juliet, David and Johnette. The quartet walked along the levee, down the Jazz Walk of Fame and through Riverfest, a festival that was going on providing a sound scape of Jazz to inspire poets. We shared our haiku and had lunch at the Dry Dock Cafe and then boarded the ferry back across the River to New Orleans. The escape from New Orleans, though not far away, provided a nice view of our beloved City. We parted ways at Decatur Street where Juliet began her journey home on foot, and Kathleen, David and Johnette took the streetcar to their respective homes. It was beautiful day to be outdoors and to write and share haiku with friends.

April 2010 Meeting Notes

2010-04-20T16:47:00.000-05:00

It was a fine meeting, I thought. Nice to see two new people come in: David and Allison. David is quite a quick composer, writing haiku on the spot. And Allison, coming from the 5-7-5 school, has a masterful and sensitive way with words. I hope that we'll be seeing more of both of them.

We shared and discussed the haiku that Sakuo sent us from him and his friends Tomiko and Koubushin.

-David Lanoue

NOHS Monthly Meeting - April 2010

2010-04-01T16:00:00.002-05:00

Put some "spring" into your step and join us for our spring haiku meeting on April 19, 2010 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. at the Milton Latter Library at 5120 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA. We welcome haiku poets of all levels and the meetings are free and open to the public. Bring some of your own haiku to share or bring a book of haiku from which to read. You won't want to miss dinner at Kyoto Restaurant afterwards.

See you there!

National Poetry Month

2010-04-01T15:47:00.002-05:00

April is National Poetry Month!

Here are a few ways you can celebrate poetry this month:

1) read poetry alone or with friends

2) attend a poetry reading

3) participate in a poetry reading

4) purchase or check out books of poetry to support poets and the art of poetry

5) write poetry

6) join a poetry group

7) join a poetry organization

8) attend a poetry conference

9) host a poetry party or event

10) share poetry with children or the elderly

11) attend a poetry party or event

12) subscribe to poetry journals and magazines

13) subscribe to online poetry journals and magazines

14) share and promote poetry on social networking sites

15) send a poet chocolate...(did I say that out loud? Hmmm.)

NOHS Annual Party

2010-04-01T15:32:00.003-05:00

We had our annual NOHS party in March instead of January this year. March is our anniversary month, making the NOHS eight years old! Hurrah!

The party was hosted on March 20, 2010 by Johnette at her house and in attendance were Karel, T.J., Leo, Bob, Nicholas, Juliet, Emma, Ed, Kathleen, David and Johnette. The party began with two games; one was a party renga (which will be posted on the Blog later) and the second was a "who wrote this haiku" guessing game. Each participant wrote an anonymous haiku on an index card and placed the card in a bowl. The haiku were then taken out of the bowl one at a time and read. At the end of the reading, participants had to guess the author of each haiku.

Plenty of food, drink, haiku reading and merriment were shared throughout the evening. The party ended with the annual "White Elephant" gift exchange game.

Feel free to view some of the photos David took during the party at http://haikuguy.com/mar10.html

March Meeting Notes

2010-04-01T15:20:00.002-05:00

The March meeting of the NOHS on March 15, 2010 was short, but sweet. In attendance were Bob, Nicholas, Juliet, David and Johnette. David and Juliet shared a drinking renga they had written one night in a bar. Bob shared some haiku about purging clutter from his house, Nicholas shared some of his famous "death-ku" and Johnette shared some St. Patrick's parade-ku. Ironically, despite the drinking renga and the St. Patrick's Day parade haiku, the group's creativity seemed to be dry this month making the meeting shorter than usual; therefore, the group headed over to Kyoto for a sushi dinner and a little inspiration.

Join us for the next meeting on April 19, 2010 from 6:00-7:45 p.m.

NOHS February Meeting Notes

2010-02-02T13:10:00.003-06:00

The February meeting proved to be interesting from a geographical standpoint. Haiku poet Bob Moyer from Winston-Salem, NC was in town working on a theatre project and joined us at the meeting. David read some haiku from a poet in Columbia named Humberto Senegal as well as from our online members Emiko and Sakuo in Japan. Nicholas invited two guests named Charlene and Katie, so we had a full house. In attendance were Bob Moyer, Nicholas, Karel, T.J., Carolyn, Bob, Juliet, Charlene, Katie, David and Johnette.

The haiku read last night covered topics such as the New Orleans Saints, Who Dats, beer, strippers, New Orleans, relationships, families, newspaper headlines, politicians, Korea, Christmas, the New Year and cherry blossoms.

We'll be back on our regular schedule in March so we hope to see you on March 15, 2010 at 6:00.

Until then, Happy Mardi Gras!!!

February 2010 Meeting Change

2010-01-31T12:06:00.002-06:00

Due to Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras celebrations, the February 15, 2010 meeting for the NOHS has been changed to Monday, February 1, 2010 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. at the Milton Latter Library, 5120 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA. Sushi dinner at Kyoto Restaurant a few blocks from the library on Prytania Street follows the meeting.

Meetings are free and open to the public. Feel free to bring haiku to read at the meeting.

January Meeting Cancelled

2010-01-01T16:45:00.002-06:00

The January 18, 2010 meeting for the New Orleans Haiku Society will be cancelled due the library closure for the Martin Luther King holiday. Please join us for our regularly scheduled meeting on February 15, 2010.

NOHS December Meeting Notes

2010-01-01T16:11:00.004-06:00

The December meeting had a holiday feel as friends gathered to say goodbye to 2009 with haiku and sweet treats. In attendance were Bob, Karel, TJ, Carolyn, Nicholas, David and Johnette. Emma, Juliet, Sakuo, Emiko, Koubushin and Kazuyoshi sent poems to be read at the meeting in their absence.

The three-word haiku assignment was a huge success and even prompted some to write three-syllable haiku and three-letter haiku! Whoa! Now that's a challenge!

Sushi dinner at Kyoto was enjoyed after the meeting.

NOHS Monthly Meeting - December 2009

2009-12-18T08:39:00.003-06:00

Join us for our last haiku meeting in the year 2009. The meeting will take place in our usual spot; the Pink Room, Milton Latter Library, St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA USA from 6:00-7:45. Bring some haiku to share with the group.

Last month we issued an assignment to have prepared for the December meeting. The assignment was to write a three word haiku. Don't forget to bring your teeny haiku with you to share with the group on Monday night. If you didn't write one yet, get cracking!

After the meeting, we'll send the old year off in style with a sushi dinner celebration at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street, just a few blocks from the library.

The meetings are free and open to the public. The streetcar offers public transportation to the Library!

See you there!

NOHS Monthly Meeting Notes - November 2009

2009-11-16T22:07:00.002-06:00

Following an enjoyable afternoon of haiku reading at the Maple Leaf Bar Poetry Reading on Sunday, the November meeting of the NOHS on Monday night went very well. In attendance were Bob, Juliet, Nicholas, David, Ed, Emma, Johnette, Karel and T. J. Karel shared some lizard-ku, Juliet read some casino-ku, Nicholas had some urban life-ku, Emma offered moon-ku, Bob had some haiku from a recent reunion he attended, and David and Johnette offered some slice of life haiku. The end of the meeting was reserved for a discussion about how to submit haiku for publication consideration to haiku journals.

A first for our group, an assignment of writing a three word, three line haiku to share at the December meeting was given.

Until the next meeting, happy haikuing!

Japan Fest a Huge Success!

2009-11-09T13:08:00.005-06:00

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

Haiku Walk - October 2009

2009-11-02T14:09:00.004-06:00

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

2009-11-02T13:45:00.002-06:00

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

2009-09-22T09:24:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-22T09:03:00.004-05:00

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

2009-09-21T11:40:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-21T11:35:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-21T10:56:00.002-05:00

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

2009-07-29T10:13:00.002-05:00

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

2009-07-05T10:37:00.002-05:00

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

2009-07-05T10:31:00.002-05:00

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

2009-05-25T18:24:00.003-05:00

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

2009-05-25T18:07:00.003-05:00

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

2009-04-17T09:38:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-04-17T09:36:00.001-05:00

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

2009-01-20T13:25:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-25T11:15:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-23T20:08:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-15T21:18:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-15T21:15:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-15T21:09:00.002-06:00

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

2008-10-13T22:40:00.009-05:00

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

2008-10-13T22:35:00.002-05:00

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

2008-09-18T15:16:00.004-05:00

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

2008-09-09T10:06:00.004-05:00

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

2008-09-09T09:54:00.004-05:00

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

2008-09-04T22:22:00.002-05:00

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

2008-09-04T21:47:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-19T09:34:00.004-05:00

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.

2008-08-19T09:34:00.001-05:00

Haiku Walk - Insectarium

2008-07-22T16:49:00.005-05:00

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

2008-07-22T16:39:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-14T12:18:00.003-05:00

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

2008-07-12T14:34:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-11T15:43:00.001-05:00

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!

2008-04-22T15:04:00.003-05:00

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

April Meeting Notes

2008-04-21T22:28:00.003-05:00

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

2008-04-21T22:20:00.005-05:00

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

2008-04-14T17:09:00.004-05:00

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

2008-04-14T17:02:00.001-05:00

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

2008-04-14T16:59:00.002-05:00

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

2008-03-18T23:33:00.003-05:00

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

2008-03-18T23:30:00.000-05:00

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.

2008-03-07T17:30:00.003-06:00

Monthly Meeting - March 2008

2008-03-06T23:47:00.003-06:00

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

2008-01-23T20:51:00.000-06:00

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

2007-12-21T11:39:00.001-06:00

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

2007-12-21T11:32:00.001-06:00

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

2007-12-13T21:21:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-20T19:33:00.000-06:00

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

A Haiku from Michael

2007-11-20T19:29:00.000-06:00

more salt
in my pepper
monthly haircut

Even MORE Haiku Guy

2007-11-14T13:29:00.000-06:00

Two weekends ago, NOHS cofounder David Lanoue flew to Belgrade to celebrate the publication of the Serbian translation of Haiku Guy. He was invited to a meeting of the Haiku Society of Serbia and Montenegro. Way to go David! Haiku Guy has English, French, Spanish, Bulgarian, and Serbian translations! Hmmmm, what lies ahead for this multi-lingual Haiku Guy; perhaps Arabic, Italian and Portuguese???

Monthly Meeting - November 2007

2007-11-09T10:29:00.000-06:00

The next NOHS meeting will be held on November 19, 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. You may not want to miss joining us for a sushi feast at Kyoto Restaurant on Prytania Street at 8:00 p.m. immediately after the meeting. Happy haikuing!

October Meeting Notes

2007-10-18T13:34:00.000-05:00

The NOHS October meeting was quite enjoyable. David had just returned from Japan and had participated in a kukai," a "haiku meeting." David commented, "Every kukai is run a little differently. The one that I attended last Saturday in Tokyo went like this: Everyone (about 22 people) submitted one haiku. It was photocopied so that everyone had everyone else's poem. Then, one by one, taking 10-20 minutes per person, we discussed the haiku in-depth. It took all afternoon but was very valuable."

During our NOHS meeting on Monday we conducted a similar event. We copied one haiku from each member in attendance and then discussed each poem in depth, taking turns. The experience was aimed at making each haiku stronger. Here is an example from Karel. The first haiku is her original poem and the second is the result of the group discussion:

hanging
above the square
sounds of children

suspended
above the square
children's laughter

Monthly Meeting - October 2007

2007-10-05T13:12:00.001-05:00

The next NOHS monthly meeting will take place on October 15, 2007 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. at the Latter Library on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, LA. Bring some haiku to share at the meeting. A sushi dinner at Kyoto Restaurant will follow the meeting. Meetings are free, open to the public and open to all forms of haiku.

A Haiku from Carolyn

2007-10-05T13:04:00.000-05:00

light descends
trees write
on water

NOHS 5th Year Anniversary Party

2007-10-05T12:58:00.000-05:00

The New Orleans Haiku Society celebrated its 5th Year Anniversary at the Latter Library on September 29, 2007. Proceeds from the sale of Katrina-ku, storm poems were donated to Arts a la Carte, an organization dedicated to bringing the joy of art into the lives of adults with disabilities.

A New Orleans Haiku Society commemorative booklet of haiku was released at the party to celebrate the event. Beautifully hand-crafted and compiled by David and Juliet, the booklet includes two poems from each NOHS member.

Here is to the next five years!

NOHS 5th Year Anniversary Party

2007-08-30T19:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to us! The New Orleans Haiku Society will celebrate its fifth year anniversary with a party on September 29, 2007 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Latter Library, New Orleans, LA. The party will include haiku readings, haiku exhibit, NOHS haiku booklet release, book signing, Katrina-ku proceeds donation and refreshments. In addition, a reading from Katrina-ku will commemorate the two year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The party is free and open to the public.

For more information about the event, contact johnettemusic@aol.com or david1gerard@hotmail.com.

More Haiku Guy

2007-08-30T19:13:00.000-05:00

David Lanoue's book Haiku Guy is slated to be translated in French and Spanish. Go Haiku Guy! Check out www.haikuguy.com for more details.

Haiku North America Conference a huge success!

2007-08-20T15:12:00.000-05:00

Three Louisiana haiku poets attended the Haiku North America Conference in Winston/Salem, NC last week; Carlos Colon of Shreveport, David Lanoue of New Orleans and Johnette Downing of New Orleans. The conference was a huge success playing host to poets from Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Poland and the United States. David and Carlos were presenters at the Conference; David leading a wonderful panel discussion on haiku research and Carlos leading an innovative presentation on concrete haiku and images.

In the evening hours of the conference, Carlos, David and Johnette were brave participants in the Head to Head Haiku Death Match, a fun competition, despite its name. All three poets advanced to the second round and David advanced to the third/final round which was ultimately won by Dave Russo of Cary, North Carolina. Did someone say Jazz? Carlos and Johnette teamed up to show that music runs in their veins as they participated in an evening Jazz open mic reading with a live Jazz band.

The next Haiku North America conference will be held in 2009 in Canada. Check out www.haikunorthamerica.com

A Haiku from Vaughn

2007-08-20T15:03:00.000-05:00

deciphering
the slug's map
I arrive at the cabbages

Monthly Meeting - August

2007-08-06T18:21:00.000-05:00

The August monthly meeting will be held on August 20, 2007 from 6:00-7:45 p.m. in the Pink Room at the Latter Library, 5120 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 504 596-2625. The meetings are free and open to the public. Bring some haiku to read or a book of haiku from which to read a few poems during the meeting. Afterwards, you may want to join us for sushi dinner a few blocks away from the Library at Kyoto Restaurant where the fun continues over a delicious meal!

Haiku North America Conference

2007-08-06T10:10:00.000-05:00

The Haiku North America Conference will be held in Winston/Salem, North Carolina on August 15-19, 2007. Check out more information http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/

Haiku Guy in Bulgarian

2007-08-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to David Lanoue, New Orleans Haiku Society cofounder, whose book "Haiku Guy" has recently been translated into Bulgarian. Check out haikuguy.com for more details.

July Haiku Meeting

2007-08-06T09:59:00.001-05:00

At the July meeting, members discussed hosting a New Orleans Haiku Society Anniversary Party to celebrate our 5th year anniversary. The proposed date for the party is late September. Stay tuned for more details!

Katrina-ku Available in Local Bookstores

2007-07-15T11:56:00.000-05:00

Our Katrina-ku, storm poems book is available at the following New Orleans area bookstores:

Garden District Books, 2727 Prytania Street, New Orleans
Octavia Books, 513 Octavia Street, New Orleans
Crescent City Books, 204 Chartres Street, New Orleans
McKeown Books, 4737 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans
Maple Street Book Shop, 7523 Maple Street, New Orleans

Books are also available by contacting Johnette at johnettemusic@aol.com.