Haiku North America 2019 - International Conference, August 7-11

[Richard Gilbert]

Hi everyone,

Just arrived at Haiku North America 2019, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Also, the Program of events and talks is here:
http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/program1.html

The conference kicks off tomorrow, August 7-11. If there are other forum members also attending, or if you have any questions, feel free to post or comment.

Bob Moyer is the Conference Director. This conference happens only once every two years, and I'm lucky to attend from Japan, on a grant (I'll be speaking on August 8th.)

[haikutec]

Thursday, August 8th, 2019

Haiku Poem, Haiku Mind: Exploring Diversity and Life-Philosophy in Contemporary Haikusycamore room I
•Richard Gilbert

Since 2006, our Kon Nichi translation group has presented about a dozen contemporary Japanese haiku poets, culminating with A Haiku Life (2019), a book on Kaneko Tohta. Incorporating Kaneko’s idea of “stance,” a core concept, it is striking to see how deeply philosophical stances are made evident in haiku poetry, worldwide. Through the lens of “philopoetics” (poetic- philosophical exploration), creative diversity in haiku will be discussed, with examples, as a key value holding promise for international haiku community.

http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/upl...19_program.pdf

As much as Matsuo Basho is important, we need to look at Japanese haiku poets post-Shiki, who embraced two centuries (20th & 21st) and now we need another Kaneko Tohta, Japanese or otherwise, in this 'other strange world' what is not just post-WWII and striving for peace, but is once again an Anti-Peace, and Post-Peace era.

The passing of Toni Morrison shows us we are losing our big voices in literature (and beyond), who are the new big voices, both in haikai literature, and also can embrace CNF, fiction, poetry, and ground-shaking philosophy. It's a big ask, maybe someone who has to give up their own liberty to help ensure others.

Alan

[Guest]

Really sorry to be missing this. I had to cancel for medical reasons but hope everyone has a great and enlightening time!