This looks like an interesting film. The first ever full length movie about English languge haiku. Please follow this link to Youtube to watch the trailer of HAIKU: THE ART OF THE SHORT POEM

http://www.youtube.com/poemstudios

Enjoy!

barely moving

this windy night

~ winter moon



Very windy last night ...

Last week I attended a ginko at Melbourne cemetery. It was led by local poet and haijin Myron Lysenko. We had a haiku workshop where we had to write as many haiku as possible in 15 minutes (I managed 12), this was to stop ourelves from self editing. We also practiced 5/7/5 technique and the 'three 'w's - When/what/where technique. We had great fun (even in a cemetery) listening to and reading our haiku.
And we were also very lucky to have a perfect Melbourne Winter's day.
Here are a few of mine ...





city cemetery ~

the same sun

on every grave
 




Winter cemetery ~

a crow flies

across denominations





old graveyard ~

so many ways

to say goodbye





 

last light ~

the old duck's wake


widening 




Wish I had a photo ....

 I have't been able to contribute much to LJ this year. This is because of work commitments and a lot of travel. However, I have just won a promotion to a new job at work which makes it almost worth it. The down side is that I will be away from the 'haiku mind' and LJ for about another month whilst I am in training. Hopefully once this time has passed I shall be able to devote more time to the Haiku way and get back to you all more often. I do miss it ...
Cheers, Paul ;)
Here's an old one of mine


opening my eyes

under Winter stars

 ~ the earth has turned

I have been far too busy lately, working and travelling and missing my girls. I haven't had the right frame of mind to write haiku but when I was in Japan for cherry blossom season (sakura) a few weeks ago ......

Narita airport ~ 

plastic flowers 

announce sakura 




far from home 

I find a shell 

by the Tokko river 



 



without her 

Spring comes

             anyway





even the poor family

has a cherry tree

to host







after six beers

the talk turns back

to sakura


I REALLY wanted to join this cherry blossom viewing party!

Leap year ~

my three year old daughter

asks to marry me


Not sure if this is a worldwide tradition, but on the 29th Feb, a woman is permitted to ask a man to marry him. I am just pleased my daughter asked me and not someone else!

 

The latest edition of Red Moon Press's Haiku Anthology has been released  www.redmoonpress.com/   I am fortunate to have one of my haiku and one haibun published.
The haibun is a revised version of 'New Life' which has previously been shown here on LJ.
The haiku is slightly different to one I posted here before.

Budding crocus ~

the closed door

of my daughter's bedroom


and here is the very first haiku of 154 haiku and senryu in the book by Hortensia Anderson


alone

with the diagnosis

I hold my own hand


It is a fantastic collection and it would make somebody a great gift (either that or take them to Tiffany's for some jewellery...)

 I haven't written any haiku for a while but I was very pleased to see that two of my ku were voted second and third respectively in January's Shiki Kukai. The themes were, 'plum' for the kigo contest and 'short days' for the Free Format contest.


into Winter ~

the empty plum tree

and I




the talk

we had to have

~ early dusk

My apologies for not being around lately. I have had to engage the left side of my brain for the last month, and being a male. I cannot do two things at once, ie - be logical and write haiku at the same time. Anyway, my right brain is temporarily re-engaged ...


back to work ~

last year's

to do list

On an earlier post I told you that two haiku of mine had been selected to be part of Melbourne's 'Moving Galleries' project. 36 haiku (or Australian 'Rooku" - 'Roo' meaning Australian origin from kangaROO) are to be exhibited along with winning artwork on 40 of Melbourne's trains. More details here:  www.movinggalleries.org
Yesterday my wife and I attended the launch. The minister for the arts was there as well as TV coverage and reporters. I met several well known haijin whom I'd never met before and heard some great readings and had a very civilized lunch (all paid for!). 
The best part of all, however, was that I got a name badge with 'Paul Hodder - POET' on it, and even better, my wife got one with 'Guest of poet'. I got her to carry my bag and hold my plate of sandwiches for a whole hour!! She made me take the badge off my pyjamas when we went to bed...


amongst the poets -

the puffed chest

of an old sparrow





Flinders Street station



Paul Hodder - Poet, on the train with his 'Rooku' (top )

 I am fortunate to have had eight of my haiku and senryu published in the Spring edition of Paper Wasp magazine that has just come out.
Some I have already posted here but the following are Spring fresh!


into the mist

and out again

- the same sparrow



slowly crossing

Beach road

- palm shadows



the same argument -

metal

around my ring finger



first snow -

the blackbird

blacker



Summer rain -

she smells 

her own hair

 “You’ll be ok mate, I promise you we’ll have a beer together later”.

These were the last words my friend said to his fellow soldier as he held him in his arms after he had pulled him from his burning patrol vehicle. 

They were in Vietnam almost thirty five years ago, both of them nineteen years old. Their convoy had been surprised by artillery fire whilst crossing a river and their vehicle had taken a direct hit.

Today, my friend retells the story as we walk along the same riverbank. It has taken him this long to come back and he can remember every hill and clump of trees.

He wanders off up the riverside alone, two cans of beer in his hands, both too warm to really enjoy. Nevertheless, he sits down and drinks  from one can and slowly pours the other into the brown river water.

As he comes back, a couple of Vietnamese children jump, squealing with delight from the bridge. As they surface, their faces wide with smiles, he raises his can to them and says “Cheers”.

old river ~

only its name

stays the same

across the lawn

and up the fence

~  gull's shadow





her cold kiss ~

the downward arc

of the rainbow




writer's block ~

the same cloud

outside my window




Comments, corrections, criticisms and complaints welcome ...

Today I received an email telling me that 2 out of 3 of my submitted haiku have been selected for Melbourne's 'Moving Galleries' project.
This means that my haiku (or Rooku as they are named here - ROO meaning Australian haiku as in 'kangaROO') will be exhibited on 40 of Melbourne's trains for passengers to read whilst travelling. 
I am not sure how many haiku in total will be shown but I know that there were over 1000 entries for this competition. Sue Stanford was amongst the judges and just for her to like my haiku is reward enough. I get $50 for each haiku and the possibility of $500 if one of them is judged best overall (don't tell my wife!).
Needless to say I am very pleased and surprised and hope to be featured on the cover of 'TIME' magazine just like Andrea....;)))
The theme of the competition was 'Melbourne's icons'.

Morning

outside the bathing box

             skinny orange legs

                        of a Brighton seagull



The beach suburb of Brighton is famous for its brightly coloured bathing boxes.

The insider

moonlit MCG -

a pigeon inspects

mid wicket

 


MCG stands for Melbourne Cricket Ground. 'Mid wicket 'is a vital part of a cricket pitch that gets inspected by the captains of both teams and TV commentators before a match. Cricket is almost a religion during the summer here and the MCG is is a sporting mecca.

We have just arrived home from our holiday in Fiji. We had a wonderful time ...

View from our room

Torch lighting at sunset

Fijian hymn

floats through the village

~ frangipani breeze

tropical holiday ~

my daughter's

first tan line

Fiji time ~

the skin without my watch

slowly tans

siesta time ~

two ants discuss

my cookie crumbs

hotel carvery ~

old ladies

discuss their operations

sundown ~

an ant creeps up

my cocktail glass

outgoing tide ~

new guests

in the rockpool

Fijian holiday  ~

grandad undoes

an extra button

tide line ~

a sand crab climbs out

of my footprint

leaning shadows

in the grooves

of a sea shell

a leaf chases

            and waits

                        and chases me

the useless beauty

of scattered

frangipani

amongst the palms ~

swaying women in

frangipani print

- driftwood

the floating thoughts

of siesta time

cocktail hour ~

the dramas

of insect life

last day ~

my footprints

shallower

final night ~

the sea pulls

at my feet

Fiji check out ~

I've forgotten 

my pin number

This month's Shiki Kukai's kigo theme was 'Fleas". I won First Place!
I have to say that it is not a great haiku, but it worked in this competition ...



Flea haiku ~

I scratch

my head

Just back from a kid's birthday party ...

kid's party ~

she refuses to hit 

the butterfly pinata


My daughter didn't want to hit the butterfly because it 'was too pretty'.

The latest edition of the magazine 'Paper Wasp' has just been sent out. This edition is not online yet, but you can see previous editions at http://members.optusnet.com.au/paperwasp/selections.html

A few of my haiku and senryu are featured in the latest Winter edition.


hospice window ~

less moon

each night




Autumn chill ~

how quietly

the flower dies


and ... 


a cyclists head

travels the length

of my garden fence