Southern California Haiku Study Group

Mariko Kitakubo Tanka Reading

2008-04-21T09:16:00.001-07:00

front: Lindy Hill, Violet, Nardin Gottfried, Phyllis Collins, Mariko Kitakubo, Linda Galloway, Peggy Castro, Janis Lukstein
back: Debbie Kolodji, Ines Foley, Vic Gendrano

On Saturday, April 19, 2008, the Southern California Haiku Study Group co-sponsored a bilingual tanka reading by Mariko Kitakubo with the Pacific Asia Museum. The reading took place in the Japanese Gallery where the Rengetsu exhibit is on display through May 11th. Otagaki Rengetsu (1791-1875) was a Buddhist nun, a poet, a calligrapher, and ceramic artist. Listening to Kitakubo read tanka in Japanese surrounded by pottery and scrolls with Rengetsu poetry was a very special experience for all who attended.

Linda Galloway read the English translations of Kitakubo's work, translations by Amelia Fielden of Australia. The mood was set by music by Mei on shamisen, Rick Wilson on flute, and Kathy Wilson on percussion before and after the performance.

The reading was well attended, with approximately 40 people present. In addition to Mariko, Linda, Kathy, Rick, and Mei, attendees included Nardin Gottfried, Vic Gendrano, Peggy Hehman-Smith, Debbie Kolodji, D'Ellen Hutchins, Justin Kibbe, Jane Moore, Ericka Wilks, Violet, Ines Foley, Phyllis Collins, Elva, Nobuko Sugamoto, Peggy Castro, Lindy Hill, Maja Trochimczyk, Hisashi Matsue and members of a Japanese language tanka group in Los Angeles.

April 19th - Mariko Kitakubo

2008-04-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

Mariko Kitakubo
tanka poet & performer
April 19, 2008 - 2 p.m.
Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA

In a rare bilingual performance as part of the Authors on Asia program at the Pacific Asia Museum, Mariko Kitakubo, a leading Japanese poet and performance artist from Toyko, will present her tanka (Japan’s oldest and most popular poetry form) accompanied by Linda Galloway reading the English translation. The program is co-sponsored by the Southern California Haiku Study Group.

Kitakubo is a member of the Association of Contemporary Tanka Poets, Nihonkajin Club and the Sakujitsu Society. She has published three books in Japanese, I Want to Tell You in the Way of the Waves (1999), When the Music Stops (2002), and Will (2005) in addition to two collections of tanka in English, On this Same Star (2007) and Cicada Forest (2008).

Books will be available for purchase and signing. The program is free to museum members and Southern California Haiku Study Group members and free with museum general admission for non-members. $7 general, $5 students and seniors. There will be a reception afterwards in the museum courtyard. To help with planning for the event, please call 626-449-2742, ext 20 for reservations.

October 20, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-11-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

October 20, 2007

Blue Room, Pacific Asia Museum

The October workshop was a joint meeting between the Southern California Haiku Study Group and the Urban Emerging Poets, which meets over eight consecutive Saturdays in the Fall and Spring at the back room of the Santa Catalina Branch of the Pasadena Library. Both groups start at 2:00 p.m.

Present were Peggy Castro, Sharon Hawley, Sandra Flick, Elva Lauter, Lynn, Lindy Hill, Debbie Kolodji, Pauli Dutton, Violet, Kath Wilson, Don Kingfisher Campbell, Wendy Wright, Tom Bilicke, Ines Foley, Theresa Antonia, and Mary Torregrossa.

For the haiku read-around, each visiting poet was loaned a book of classical Japanese haiku and given the choice of reading one of their own, or one from the book. A lively discussion followed when Lynn noticed that she had a different translation of the haiku Sharon read from Autumn Haiku, Selected Poems by Kobayashi Issa translated by Lewis Mackenzie:

And, when I die,
Be thou guardian of my tomb,
Grasshopper.

- Issa

Lynn was reading from classic Haiku, selected and translated by Yozuru Miura:

Oh, cricket!
Act as grave keeper
After I am gone.

- Issa

The group thought in the first translation the emphasis seemed to be on the tomb whereas the emphasis in the second translation was on the cricket.

The group then discussed kigo, looking at the season word handouts. We went around the table and had each person say the word that first popped into their head when thinking of October (without repeating someone else's word). Then, everyone was to write a haiku using their word for the kukai.

There were 54 haiku in the kukai, including:

full moon
in a tree of stars --
taste of golden apple

- Elva Lauper

cigarette --
alone in her garden,
the Blue Hour

- Tom Bilicke

temple dog's
silent bark
of 100 years

- Don Kingfisher Campbell

The next meeting of the Southern California Haiku Study Group will be on Saturday, November 17, 2007 at the Pacific Asia Museum at 2:00 p.m.

September 15, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-10-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

Water Lilies, Pacific Asia Museum Courtyard

There was another wedding at the Pacific Asia Museum and members of the Southern California Haiku Study Group met in the Volunteer Room. Present were Peggy Hehman-Smith, Phyllis Collins, Lindy Hill, Pauli Dutton, Dick Dutton, Kathy Wilson, Debbie Kolodji, Violet, Wendy Wright, and Janis.

We discussed the season, lamenting summer's end with cooler nights, but enjoying blooming morning glory vines and the sound of crickets.

Some sample haiku from the kukai:

is it the same cricket
in the rafters tonight?
old friend

- Lindy Hill

dying morning glory vine
slowly releases
the garden gate

- Peggy Hehman-Smith

alone in the gallery
where we sang --
distant drums

- Kath Abela Wilson

August 18, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-10-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Debbie Kolodji

Eight haiku poets attended the August 18th Southern California Haiku Study Group workshop and kukai at the charming and inspiring Pacific Asia Museum: Phyllis Collins, Tom Conroy, Anne Jones, Debbie Kolodji, Elva Lauter, Janis Lukstein, Naia, and Wendy Wright.

After several rounds of sharing recent haiku written by attendees, we discussed using all the senses to perceive our surroundings. Members offered their insights and discussed writing good haiku, and draft haiku were workshopped. Janis shared some photos from a recent haiku excursion.

The group reviewed kigo words and phrases indicative of our region during this time of year. Two haiku that were highlighted during our meeting were:

morning fog
covers the garden...
then red hibiscus

-Elva Lauter

end of summer --
his old fisherman's cap
on a chair

-Wendy Wright

The next workshop and kukai will be on Saturday, October 20th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Rattle of Bamboo our group anthology reading July 29, 2007

2007-09-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

In the exquisite setting of the Japanese Gallery of our gracious host, the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, we presented our 2006 anthology, Rattle of Bamboo. Poets published in the anthology who read were Tom Bilicke, Tom Conroy, D'Ellen, Linda Galloway, gK, Nardin Gottfried, Peggy Hehman-Smith, Gloria Jaguden, Anne Jones, Deborah P Kolodji, Janis Lukstein, Kath Wilson, and Wendy Wright. With gracious introductions by our moderator Deborah P Kolodji, acting editor Linda Galloway and a welcoming prelude by Tai-Ling Wong of the museum, the first reader Tom Billicke read his beautiful ephemeral haiku tribite to our past member and long-time friend, David Priebe (1937-2006) in whose memory he wrote:

cool hotel lobby
I watch traffic passing
and remember you

Punctuating the reading appropriate to our oriental roots and setting, were Japanese and Chinese flutes and percussion, so in tune with our lyrical verse and images. Rick Wilson played Japanese shinoboe as introduction, with Kath Wilson on Japanese drums. At mid-reading he played a Chinese dizi accompanied by small cymbals and the reading ended with the intensity of the Japanese ryuteki (dragon flute) and drums.

One of the most moving points of the reading was a series presented by our dedicated editor, Linda Galloway, of haiku inspired and dedicated to the passing of her beloved daughter a year ago. The deep sound of a Nepalese singing bowl added to the dramatic moment.

Debbie Kolodji's beautiful musical verse so appropriately reflects the mood of our presentation:

green storm
a gong echoes
as it stills

The spirit of lost friends, the reading community of strong and expressive poets, the founding by Jerry Ball, who set this group sail, the generosity of our host the Pacific Asia Museum, the beauty of the setting, the music like wind through bamboo, the work of our editor and moderator, all made this an unforgettably poetic experience for all involved. We look forward to next year's anthology and presentation!

July 21, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-08-18T01:22:00.000-07:00

July 2007 Kukai
Blue Room, Pacific Asia Museum
(photo by Kath Wilson)

Twelve people attended the July 21st workshop and kukai at the Pacific Asia Museum: Peggy Castro, Peggy Hehman-Smith, Lindy Hill, Linda Galloway, Nardin Gottfried, Darrell Byrd, Phyllis Collins, Elva, Violet, Kath Wilson, Wendy Wright, and Debbie Kolodji.

Linda showed the group some bookmaking kits that she has been using to make her haiku diaries.

We had a group discussion about kigo, with some controversary as to whether or not "hermit crabs" were seasonal. We tentatively decided that it was a summer kigo. Some other kigo discussed included summer Shakespeare, outdoor concerts, summer herbs, and the milky way.

Two high scoring haiku in the kukai used the kigo "too hot to go out":

too hot to go out
the dogs take their
ninth nap of the day

- Margaret Hehman-Smith

too hot to go out
I lie back and watch
my toes curl

-Peggy Castro

Another high scoring haiku :

melon blossom
a yellow powdered bee
wipes its face

- Darrell Byrd

The next workshop and kukai will be on Saturday, August 18th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Tanabata

2007-07-11T00:39:00.000-07:00

Debbie Kolodji, Wendy Wright,
Naia and Peggy Hehman-Smith
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, CSULB
Tanabata Celebration, July 8, 2007

The SCHSG manned a table at Tanabata Festival at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden at CSULB on Sunday, July 8, 2007. Peggy Hehman-Smith, Naia, Wendy Wright, Debbie Kolodji, and Janis Lukstein were the participating members.

The afternoon was rewarding, talking to the parents and children who came by to learn about haiku. There were two tables. One was set up for the younger children with coloring book style haiku drawings for the children to color. Wendy did the artwork for some tanabata haiku by Issa.

For older children who didn't want to color but didn't want to try to write haiku, Wendy put a haiku on a blank paper by Issa:

Even the insects sing
"it's great Tanabata!
Tanabata!
- Issa

On display was a book illustrating how to draw various types of insects. One little girl drew a very cool-looking earwig. All of the papers had a hole punched at the top with a ribbon so the kids could take their haiku artwork home and hang them up for Tanabata.

At the other table, there was tanzaku for haiku writing as well as some blank paper. Several books of haiku and art were on display.

A surprising number of people were game enough to attempt their first haiku with some help from the group.

July Haiku Events

2007-07-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 8, 2007 - Tanabata Celebration
The California Haiku Study Group will staff a haiku table at the CSULB Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden from Noon to 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 21, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai
2:00 pm at the Pacific Asia Museum

Sunday, July 29, 2007 - rattle of bamboo reading and signing
2:00 pm at the Pacific Asia Museum

Copies of rattle of bamboo, the Southern California Haiku Study Group 2007 anthology, can be purchased at the museum gift shop and through mail by contacting Darrell Byrd (dbyrd37@yahoo.com).

June 16, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-06-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

The June workshop and kukai was attended by Ines Foley, Tom Bilicke, Linda Galloway, Nardin Gottfried, Debbie Kolodji, Lindy Hill, G. Murray Thomas, D'Ellen, Darrell Byrd, Pauli Dutton, Naia, and Wendy Wright.

After a haiku read-around, we discussed the season's kigo:

The Season: summer, June gloom
Sky and Heavens: summer constellations, short shadows
Mountains, Fields, and Ocean: dry grass
Flowers and Plants: jacaranda pods, green tomatoes
Birds and Animals: bees in fallen blooms, feeding finches
Human Affairs: weddings, Father's Day

There were several nice haiku in the kukai:

dawn moon
I too, only half
awake

- Darrell Byrd

evening primrose
she unwinds her long
black hair

- Linda Galloway

poetry by the water
a green heron
cocks his head

- G. Murray Thomas

May 19, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-05-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

Pacific Asia Museum Courtyard, Pasadena, CA

Our May workshop, attended by Linda Galloway, Nardin Gottfried, Darrell Byrd, Tom Bilicke, Peggy Castro, and Lindy Hill was a delightful afternoon. Linda Galloway led the meeting, and gave a brief talk about the life of Masaoka Shiki (1867-1903) and his historic contribution to modern haiku. Linda had just returned from the international Haiku Pacific Rim (HPR) Conference, in Matsuyama, Japan, the birthplace and hometown of Shiki. The conference was held at the Shiki Museum in Matsuyama. Linda then passed around reproductions of Shiki's paintings and read some of Shiki's spring haiku.

once there was
an old man and an old woman --
peach blossoms

doll shadows
peach shadows
overlapped on the wall

misted moon --
on the Gojo Bridge
no one at all

spring snowfall
among the willows --
it is, is not

--Shiki

The group shared haiku and had a group discussion about the place and appropriateness of using questions in haiku. Members gave examples of their haiku which contained questions.

For the monthly kukai, Linda Galloway brought spring kigo (season words) from the haiku of Shiki, and others. Examples were:

cats in love, cherry blossoms, days are long, first thunder, frog, idle weather, mist, misty moon, paper kites, peach blossoms, plum blossoms, spring dusk, spring moon, spring moor, spring rain, spring snow, spring wind, uguisu (bush warbler), violets, water wander**, willow trees.

[**water wander is a spring game and consists of. starters up stream & haiku contestants down stream. The starters put wine-filled cups into the water upstream. Then the contestants down stream must write a haiku before the wine cups reach them. A haiku contestant grabs a cup, runs upstream, recites his haiku, and gets to drink the wine.]

Some haiku from the group members were:

misty moon --
the clouded eyes of an old
bamboo shoot seller

--Linda Galloway

Telephone book --
I pick a number at random,
She was glad I called.

--Tom Bilicke

Escondido --
a spot on the way to town
is now town

--Darrell Byrd

grief at her move --
tulip blooms
fail to open

--Lindy Hill

May 21, 2007 - San Jose Teahouse Reading

2007-05-21T05:47:00.000-07:00

Wendy Wright, Deborah Kolodji, Jerry Ball
and Janis, Japanese Friendship Garden, San Jose, CA
May 21, 2007

Southern California Haiku Study Group members Wendy Wright, Deborah Kolodji, and Janis drove to San Jose for the annual Yuki Teikei Teahouse Reading in San Jose. SCHSG founder, Jerry Ball, was one of the featured haiku poets for the reading.

It was a satisfying day of haiku. We met at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Kelley Park at 10:00 for a workship led by Anne Homan. Other workshop attendees, in addition to the four SCHSG members above, included Alison Woolpert, Ed Grossman, Carol Steele, Roger Abe, Maxine, Eric, Christine, and Bill.

Participants were given the following kigo for inspiration before strolling the gardens for a ginko:

ducklings, end of springtime, Mother's Day, new leaves/young leaves, waterfall, spring tranquility

Some of us visited Heritage Park, also in Kelley Park, for lunch before returning for the haiku reading where we were joined by Ann Bendixen, donnalynn chase, and Maxine . In addition to Jerry Ball, the other featured poets were Betty and Jim Arnold, all of who read haiku from their recent trip to Japan for Haiku Pacific Rim.

Afterwards, some of us had dinner at Gombei in Japantown, a restaurant known for home-style Japanese dishes. We all vowed to attend the Asilomar retreat in September to learn more about haiku and spend time with our Yuki Teikei friends

April 22, 2007 - Pacific Asia Museum Family Festival

2007-04-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

SCHSG at the Pacific Asia Museum Family Festival
Debbie Kolodji and Kath Wilson
April 22, 2007

The Southern California Haiku Study Group had a haiku table at the Family Festival at the Pacific Asia Museum on Sunday, April 22, 2007. The table was manned by Debbie Kolodji and then by Kath Wilson.

We had coloring book style pages of kites with an Issa haiku for the children to color, copies of our April kigo list and notecards for those adults who wanted to try their hands at haiku.

Kath also brought nice cardstock paper, paper, glue, and copies of Pacific Asia Museum brochures so that the children could cut out photos of the museum and glue them on the card. Kath then composed a special haiku for each child with their name in it. It was an afternoon filled with smiling children and the haiku table was a popular one for parents and children alike.

April 21, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-04-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Kath Wilson, Tom Bilicke, and Debbie Kolodji
April 21, 2007, Pacific Asia Museum

Today's workshop was small but lively. The koi were back in the courtyard to inspire us:

floating gauze
of a belly dancer
koi wiggle

- Deborah P Kolodji

We discussed the season and had a small kukai with many nice haiku by the three of us.

Here are some sample April kigo:

The Season: spring wind, warmer days
Sky and Heavens: spring sky, pink moon
Mountains, Fields and Ocean: snow run-off, green hills
Flowers and Plants: Easter Lily, wisteria
Birds and Animals: harbor seal pups, woodpecker nests
Human Affairs: baseball season starts, vacation plans

Our next workshop and kukai will be on Saturday, May 19, 2007, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Pacific Asia Museum. Bring your haiku and thoughts of the season and join us.

2007-04-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

April 2007 Events

Sunday, April 8 - Haiku Pacific Rim, Matsuyama, Japan

Two SCHSG members attended Haiku Pacific Rim this year in Matsuyama, Japan - Jerry Ball and Linda Galloway. Jerry Ball's opening remarks are in the video archive of the conference: http://hpr-conference.com/archive/webcast-archive.html

Saturday, April 21, 2-4 pm - Workshop and Kukai, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena

The April workshop will be held in the Volunteer Room instead of the Blue Room due to a wedding at the museum scheduled from 11-3. Please go through the gallery and use the elevator so not to disturb wedding guests.

Sunday, April 22, 1-4 pm - Family Festival at the Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena

The Pacific Asia Museum is holding a family festival with hands-on arts and crafts workshops in the courtyard and auditorium. All ages welcome. Activities include origami, calligraphy, sumi-e, collages, mandalas, and haiku. The SCHSG group will be manning a table for this event. If you can help out, please contact Debbie Kolodji at dkolodji "at" aol "dot" com.

If it rains, the courtyard activities will be set up inside the galleries instead.

March 17, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-03-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

Sharon Hawley, Janis, Lindy Hill, Pauli Dutton,
Vic Gendrano, Peggy Hehman-Smith
(front) Peggy Castro
(not shown) Debbie Kolodji, Theresa Antonia, Violet, Tom Bilicke

Members of the Pasadena-based Emerging Urban Poets workshop joined the Southern California Haiku Study Group at the Pacific Asia Museum on March 17th for a haiku workshop and kukai.

Kigo appropriate to March was discussed:

The Season: Daylight Savings Time, spring dew, Pisces
Sky and Heavens: vernal equinox, worm moon
Mountains, Fields, and Oceans: snow run-off, wildflower fields
Flowers and Plants: lily, cherry blossom
Birds and Animals: raven squawk, baby animals, breeding plumage
Human Affairs: St. Patrick's Day, March Madness, Lent

Some high-scoring haiku from the haiku:

first kiss
I don't remember
the color of his eyes

- Theresa Antonia

lack of spring rain
still no news
of their runaway daughter

- Victor Gendrano

The koi are back in the museum courtyard. Several SCHSG members donated to the private "Phisch Phund" to pay for the pond repairs so that the fish could move back to their home and return the courtyard to its former tranquility.

February 17, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-02-19T06:56:00.000-08:00

Pacific Asia Museum
Debbie Kolodji, Peggy Castro, Darrell Byrd, Kath Wilson, and Janis

President's Weekend brought us another wonderful Saturday afternoon. The turnout was small but full of creative energy. The garden courtyard has been restored to its normal tranquility producing a rush of creativity as the group wrote in the garden.

Beautiful magnolia blossoms were everywhere, inspiring one of the high scoring haiku in the kukai:

pink magnolia
the stone lion
wears a petal on his head

- Kath Wilson

Kath brought some Mayan chocolate to share, dark chocolate witha huge kick in it, inspiring another kukai haiku:

Mayan chocolate -
we forget to warn her
about the chile

- Deborah P Kolodji

All the pink blossoms in the courtyard must have had everyone in a "pink" mood, for Darrell penned the following:

cactus patch
a pink ribbon flutters on
an old wren's nest

- Darrell Byrd

Some kigo for the month include:

The Season: winter's last days, early spring
Sky and Heavens: winter sky, winter triangle
Mountains, Field, and Ocean: winter sea, first greening
Flowers and Plants: daffodils, magnolias
Birds and Animals: osprey nests, rabbit litters
Human Affairs: valentines, Ash Wednesday

The next workshop and kukai will be on March 17, 2007 at the Pacific Asia Museum at 2:00 p.m.

January 20, 2007 - Workshop and Kukai

2007-01-24T22:36:00.000-08:00

(back row) Nardin Gottfried, Kath Wilson,
Don Kingfisher Campbell, Janis, Ines Foley
(front row) Tom Bilicke, Linda Galloway, Min Jae Kim
(not shown) Debbie Kolodji, Peggy Hehman-Smith

On January 20, 2007, the Southern California Haiku Study Group met at the Pacific Asia Museum for their monthly workshop and kukai. An Asian-American festival was going on in the restored courtyard, inspiring several haiku. After a brief kigo discussion, Linda Galloway made a presentation on wild mushrooms offering mushrooms as a kigo for this time of year. As challenge kigo for the kukai and to bring back next month to the meeting, she offered "mushroom season" and "wild mushroom soup."

Some other kigo for the current month are:

The Season: winter, rainy season
Sky and Heaven: winter moon, wolf moon, Orion
Mountain, Fields, and Ocean: rising LA river, snow-capped mountains
Flowers and Plants: manzanita blossoms, bare root, mushrooms
Birds and Animals: squirrel nests, overwintering monarchs

Human Affairs: bowl games, pruning, Martin Luther King Day

Sample haiku from the kukai:

into my poem
finally
winter drums

- Kath Wilson

first fog --
he writes
the old year again

- Nardin Gottfried

The next meeting will be February 17, 2007 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Pacific Asia Museum. Please bring any haiku you may have written for the challenge kigo with you to the meeting.

December 16, 2006 - Workshop and Kukai

2006-12-20T22:09:00.000-08:00

Dodging a sudden rainstorm, the Southern California Haiku Study Group met at the Pacific Asia Museum on December 16th. Darrell Byrd, Nardin Gottfried, Linda Galloway, Debbie Kolodji, Wendy Wright, John Wong, and Tom Bilicke participated in the kigo discussion and kukai.

Some of the kigo appropriate for December:

The Season: beginning of winter, winter solstice, first frost
Sky and Heavens: snow moon, Geminids, winter sky
Mountains, Fields, and Ocean: winter sea, frost flash, crunchy grass
Flowers and Plants: winter magnolia, toyon berries, early camellias
Birds and Animals: winter loon, cats mating, red-tailed hawk
Human Affairs: missing glove, Christmas bonus, flu

A couple of high-scoring haiku from the kukai:

winter rain --
the broken spout
on the teapot

- Wendy Wright

blooms of a leafless tree--
trying to make sense
of my life

- Linda Galloway

The next SCHSG workshop and kukai will be on January 20, 2007 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Pacific Asia Museum.

Yuki Teikei Christmas Party

2006-12-12T22:29:00.000-08:00

(left to right) Betty Arnold, Roger Abe, Jerry Ball,
Carol Steele, Wendy Wright, Nardin Gottfried,
Linda Galloway

Three members of the Southern California Haiku Study Group traveled north to attend the Yuki Teikei Society Christmas Party in the Bay Area at the home of Patrick and Claire Gallagher. There they were also able to spend an afternoon with Jerry Ball and have a renku.

November 18, 2006 - Workshop and Kukai

2006-11-26T22:38:00.000-08:00

Pacific Asia Museum, November 18, 2006

On November 18th, Nardin Gottfreid, Tom Bilicke, Inez, Kathy Wilson, Peggy Hehman-Smith, Wendy Wright, Darrell Byrd, Linda Galloway, and Debbie Kolodji met at the Pacific Asia Museum for a haiku workshop, kigo discussion and kukai.

Some of the kigo appropriate for November:

The Season: late autumn, shorter days, first rain
Sky and Heavens: Leonids, Andromeda
Mountains, Fields, and Ocean: gleaning, falling leaves, dead grass
Flowers and Plants: sycamore leaves, cattails, pomegranate, acorn litter
Birds and Animals: hawks, pregnant deer, pregnant gray whales, rain beetles
Human Affairs: football pep rallies, lost umbrella, cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing

Sample haiku from the kukai:

October dawn —
a pheasant fades
into the cotton field

--Darrell Byrd

first chill--
the noh dancer's eyes
see through me

--Wendy Wright

a pumpkin face
caved in upon itself --
my new chin hair

--linda galloway

The next SCHSG workshop and kukai will be on December 16, 2006 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Pacific Asia Museum.

November 18, 2006 Meeting Notice

2006-11-18T01:05:00.000-08:00

The Southern California Haiku Study Group will be meeting on Saturday, November 17, 2006 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm in the Blue Room of the Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles, Pasadena for haiku workshop and kukai.

Please arrive early so we can start the meeting promptly at 2:00 pm. The Pacific Asia Museum sometimes has weddings afterwards so we need to be out of the room by 4:00 pm.

There is a nice garden in the courtyard where we can gather before and after the workshop to socialize, write haiku, and simply enjoy the peaceful environment.

Please bring November kigo (season words) with you to share and discuss. Leonids, pumpkins, gingko leaves.....what evokes November for you?

October 21, 2006 - Workshop and Kukai

2006-10-26T22:33:00.000-07:00

Pacific Asia Museum Courtyard

The Southern California Haiku Study Group met for the first time in its new home at the Pacific Asia Museum on Saturday, October 21st. Shown above are (top row)Victor Ortiz, (second row) Peggy Hehman-Smith, Kathy Wilson, Linda Galloway, Debbie Kolodji, Tom Bilicke, D'Ellen Hutchens, Nardin Gottfried (bottom row) Wendy Wright, Vic Gendrano, and Darrell Byrd. Not shown but present were Kraig Keeler, Inez, and Mimi Ortiz. Everyone enjoyed tea, cookies, sesame and rice crackers, haiku sharing, haiku workshop, and a kukai.

Some kigo appropriate for October discussed were:

The Season: autumn, autumn dusk, Indian summer

Sky and Heavens: fire sky, Santa Ana winds, starless sky, Orionids

Mountains and Fields: brush fires, harvest

Flowers and Plants: last tomatoes, honey locust blooms, scented angel trumpets, pumpkins, changing leaves

Birds and Animals: returning seagulls, white pelican, widowed mockingbird, deer mating, crow convention

Human Affairs: baseball, football, lobster season, Halloween

Some sample haiku from our kukai:

highway fog
the honking of geese
homeward bound

- Darrell Byrd

starless sky
my son tells me
he's moving out

- Deborah P Kolodji

morning boats
my dreams
in lobster cages

- Victor Ortiz

SCHSG at Asilomar

2006-10-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

Linda Galloway signing the season...spring

Amidst Monterey pines, raccoon, and Arts and Crafts architecture, the annual Yuki Teikei Haiku Retreat took place the end of this September at Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds.

Four of our SCHSG travelled north to participate—Linda Galloway, Peggy Hehmann-Smith, Nardi Gottfried, and Wendy Wright. Joining them was Jerry Ball Doijin Emeritus of SCHSG, recently re-located to Walnut Creek, who drove down to everyone's delight.

Our own Linda Galloway gave a presentation on Sign Language and Haiku to an enthusiastic and engaged audience.

Tei Matsushita Scott (www.matsushita.com) led everyone in several hands-on painting workshops, The Fusion of Poetry and Painting.

One evening everyone sat rapt with Ellen Brooks who talked about and performed Noh Dancing.

There were the inevitable camp mascots, raccoons, who were eager to join in all activities, especially a nighttime bonfire filled with cocoa, singing, poetry and joke telling. And, of course, there were numerous ginkos and haiku sharing.

Emiko Miyashita led one kukai where entrants had to use the following three words in a haiku "sun, "shine" and"surf".

summer sun --
her bling bling outshines
the surf

--linda galloway

October 21, 2006 - Meeting Notice

2006-10-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

The Blue Room at the Pacific Asia Museum

Starting with the October 21st workshop and kukai, the Southern California Haiku Study Group will be meeting on the third Saturday of every month from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. in the Blue Room at the Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles, Pasadena.

There is a kitchen we will be able to use to prepare tea. The garden in the museum courtyard is only a few stairs away, easily accessible for the reflective writing part of our workshop and kukai.

Parking is free but you will need to ask for a token at the front desk to exit the parking lot. The museum is within a short walking distance of the Memorial Park station of the Gold Line.

When you arrive at the museum, there will be a sign-in sheet at the front desk. Tell the desk attendant that you are here for the haiku workshop and you will be directed into the central courtyard. Take the stairs on the left to reach the blue room.

Please bring kigo appropriate to the season and any haiku you have written recently.

Pacific Asia Museum Courtyard
Stairs Leading to Blue Room