Haiku Workshop - November 15, 2014 2pm

November's haiku workshop, held on Saturday, November 15th, focused on sound.  The meeting started with a discussion of various haiku retreats and conferences, as the sound workshop presented at the USC Pacific Asia Museum was based upon upon Susan Constable's workshop on Sound Haiku at the recent Seabeck Conference. Susan had been so kind as to send us the mp3 files she used in her workshop as well as an electronic copy of her handout.

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Before starting the sound workshop, there were a few announcements.   A few Southern California Haiku Study Members have been recently honored.   William Hart received a Modern Haiku Award by having his senryu from the Summer 2014 issue selected as the favorite of the issue:

                           in crowspeak
                           there are thirty-two
                           words for trouble

                                           - William Hart
                                              Modern Haiku, Vol 45.2,
                                              Summer 2014

Two SCHSG members received awards in the 2014 Tokutomi Haiku Contest from the Yuki Teikei Society, a strict 5-7-5 haiku written to a pre-determined kigo.   Gregory Longenecker received 2nd place for:

                               early summer rain
                               Mom hums some forgotten tune
                               in a minor key

                                       - Gregory Longenecker
                                          2nd place,
                                          2014 Tokutomi Haiku Contest

Deborah P Kolodji also received an honorable mention in the same contest:

                               another blue sky,
                               another day without you. . .
                              apple blossom rain

                                       - Deborah P Kolodji
                                         Honorable Mention,
                                         2014 Tokutomi Haiku Contest

After a read-around of haiku, moderator Deborah P Kolodji reviewed Susan's Seabeck Sound handout, and then played 12 sounds to be used as writing prompts:  storm, sharpening a knife, a mosquito, an owl, a train, a babbling brook, a cat purr, a woodpecker, someone brushing his teeth, a chain saw, a rocking chair, and a jungle.  

After the writing session, clips from the sound tracks were replayed as poets read their haiku for each sound.   An anonymous haiku workshop finished up the meeting.

Present were William Hart, Gregory Longenecker, Deborah P Kolodji, Kimberly Esser, Janis, James Won, Elva Lauter, Rose, Sharon, Miya Rollinger, Genie Nakano, Patricia, Yvette Kolodji, Werner, Sean Carlton, Ash Baldon, Jonathan, and Lynn.  (Some poets have requested that their last name not be posted).