"I would like to tell you how I opened my eyes to haiku...". These words were spoken by my mother to the guests of the yearly Haiku Retreat in Asilomar, CA and at other haiku conferences where she had been asked to speak. The speech was one that had developed over the many years that she was involved in haiku. As such i grew up hearing haiku, talking about haiku and living with haiku. My love for this literary form comes as part of a legacy given to me by my mother and father. As my passion grew, I also came to love showing people about this traditional form of haiku. I pass this to my daughter, now 9, and my friend Jenna.
AutumnWhile in college, I read haiku as part of an English class. I was struck by how beautiful it was, and the emotions conveyed with so few words. By reading those 17 syllables, a visual image with such beauty, strength, and expressiveness was possible, something I had never been able to do. It was 5 years later that I was reintroduced to haiku, and I have been learning and writing since. After 9/11/01, I was unable to express how I felt about anything, though I desperately needed to share my fears, my grief, and my sorrow. One night, when I was still feeling somewhat numb, Yukiko taught me some basics of haiku. And now it's my turn to pass the wonderful legacy of haiku to others.
Autumn