The Haiku Year

A friend recommended this book, and while I found the book itself fairly interesting by far the best part has been the haiku circle we have created. We do it via email, and try to send a haiku every day to the mailing list. There are about 8 of us who do it regularly, another 4 or so who occasionally participate. It is by no stretch classic haiku, but taking a moment from our day to polish into a limited semi-formal pattern (we try to stick to 5-7-5, but not always, and no other rules - it's haiku if you say it is). We've just completed our first year, and it is very satisfying not only to receive, but also to take that daily meditation to focus on one moment, image, or thought, and try to shine it up to a sharable form.

This collection includes some of my favourite poems rendering a very wide range of different situations, observations and feelings. To be precise, "The Haiku Year" is a collection of senryu rather than haiku and only few of the poems have any reference to the season. Instead, most of them focus entirely on different aspects of human life. Many of the poems deal with urban life and a modern life-style. Another thing which makes "The Haiku Year" different from many other collections is its tone. It is less formal and shows less decorum than any collection I have ever seen, which I think is great. But if you object to bad language etc, you may find it too provoking. However, to those who celebrate every aspect of human existence, I heartily recommend it.

One of the hardest things to do - as a writer - is to keep things succinct. It is so amazing that the group of writers who had 'a haiku year' all manage to beautifully express moments of their lives in a few lines.Though the poems vary in perspective and subject, they convey equally strong emotions. This book is enough to make you want to gather your own circle. And it's small size makes it easy to bring with you wherever you may travel - whenever you are in need of 18 words of affirmation, frustration or love. It's one of the few books I make sure is near my desk at all times.

The Haiku Year was all that I anticipated and much more! The haiku were really inspirational and enlightening...I found myself looking at the things surrounding me in completely different ways from day to day. And for all you R.E.M. fans out there who stumbled across this book for one reason and one reason only...it is much much more than that. (Trust me, I did the same thing.)

sometimes i think of my father as an aging hippie- a rusty van plastered with bumper stickers, a very liberal viewpoint, and long hair.the haiku year doesn't conform to haiku norms, but it isn't about aging hippies. it's a simple approach to the lives they lead.i have much respect for my dad, and this book is everything about him and and his friends that i love.