The Four Seasons of Haiku

2009-05-22T10:31:00.048+01:00

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In the valley stream

rocks also chant poems--

mountain cherry blossoms

---Onitsura

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News and Events

2009-05-21T22:59:00.236+01:00

We are working on a printed collection of poems that have appeared on the seasonal haiku blogs since the spring 2006 to present.

In the future we also have plans to expand the site to include more events and activities related to Japanese forms of poetry.

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Tatjana Debeljacki

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Literature - - R.K Singh's Mind and Art: A Simphony of Expressions

Literature - - R.K Singh's Mind and Art: A Simphony of Expressions

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New Indian English Poetry : An Alternative Voice : R.K. Singh/edited by I.K. Sharma Edited by I.K. Sharma Vedams Books 8181520858

New Indian English Poetry : An Alternative Voice : R.K. Singh/edited by I.K. Sharma Edited by I.K. Sharma Vedams Books 8181520858

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WHA will co-hold the 2nd Tokyo Poetrty Festival & the 6th World Haiku Association Conference 2011, 9-11 September in Tokyo.

This double festival website:
http://www.geocities.jp/tokyopoetry/

After it, we will begin to edit “World Haiku 2012: No. 8”.

Ban'ya Natsuishi
3-16-11 Tsuruse-nishi, Fujimi
Saitama, Japan 354-0026
Tel & fax: +81-49-252-9823 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +81-49-252-9823 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

World Haiku Association
http://www.worldhaiku.net/
Meiji University
http://rwdb2.mind.meiji.ac.jp/Profiles/7/0000611/prof_e.html
Ginyu
http://www.geocities.jp/ginyu_haiku/
Tokyo Poetry Festival
http://www.geocities.jp/tokyopoetry/
facebook
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000478650973/

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Notes from the Gean

Exciting new look new design revamped Notes from the Gean coming soon.

New editors including the world famous Michael McClintock stepping in as new tanka editor.

I believe he has enough for the September issue, but please send in for the December issue for consideration before it fills up.

Also check out all the new editors who have joined us!

Submissions have been extended to September 14th for haiku; haiga; and haibun, and it's worth seeing if your tanka can be accepted for September, or at least December! ;-)

Notes from the Gean: http://www.notesfromthegean.com

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Check out the new haiku app for iPhones/iPads/iPod touch developed for The Haiku Foundation.

Eight of my haiku are featured there, along with 365 haiku in total. The app is free.

Details and a link are at my blog: http://area17.blogspot.com

Alan, With Words

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Poets and Writers Picnic: Cartys Poetry Journal: call for submissions, book...: "Poets seeking to have their books reviewed in the Cartys Poetry Journa l are invited to submit a copy to us at the address below. In keepi..."

http://poetsandwriterspicnic.blogspot.com/2011/06/cartys-poetry-journal-call-for.html?spref=bl

Tatjana Debeljacki

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7th International writers festival-India will be held at Wardha (Maharastra) India on 26 & 27 November, 2011 with a special focus on Diaspora Literature. World peace and the role of Mahatma Gandhi. A special session would be devoted to Roma literature and language.
See details at www.indianwriters.org
We can send you an invitation letter as and when the same is required by you.

DEV BHARDWAJ
Director IICCA, Chandigarth - India
Editor: Kafka Inter-continental
Tel +91-98728-23437 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91-98728-23437 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
www.indianwriters.org
www.kafkaintercontinental.com

Tatjana Debeljacki

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"SEEKING A POEM"

INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION 2011

You are invited to submit a poem for the International Poetry Competition “SEEKINGFOR A POEM”, organized by the Association’ La Stanza del Poeta’ from Formia/Gaeta (Italy) and DIOGEN pro culture magazine from Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Please read ‘How to Guide’ below.

(1) Submit one poem of your choice and your short Biography, including your photo ((color and/or black-white, 300 dpi, format 1200 x 800 pixels) by 30/10/2011. Submission should be sent to seekingpoem@yahoo.com . The results will be published by 31/1/2012. Please note that you are required to provide a valid email address. All communications with you will be exclusively in writing and via email. It is important that you keep your email address valid and active during the selection process so that we can communicate with you.

(2) Your poem will be evaluated by our judges: poets Giuseppe Napolitano from Italy and Sabahudin Hadžialić from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Having read and assessed your poem, the judges will make a decision to either publish it or decline publication.

(3) The poems selected for publication will be uploaded on the competition website and the top three poems will be announced. All contestants are invited to visit the website and review the results.

(4) The top three poems will be also announced on web site of the Association’ La Stanza del Poeta ‘ and DIOGEN pro culture magazine and published in the annual DIOGEN pro culture magazine No. 2. edition in February 2012.

The winners will be offered the opportunity to be the judges for the next year’s competition.

Each winner will be presented with the opportunity to publish 20 poems of their choice in the second edition of DIOGEN pro culture magazine.

We would like to thank you in advance for your devotion to the development of creative writing endeavors

Additional Contest Information

Who is Eligible?

Poets of all ages are eligible and all styles of poetry are acceptable.

How and When to Submit?

We ask that you submit your writings by November 30, 2011. Submissions are accepted via email to seekingpoem@yahoo.com

Submission Requirements

Poems must be original works.

Poems should be submitted in English, or the English translation should accompany the original

The poet's full name and email address must be provided.

The poet must be able to be notified via email if their poem has been selected for publication.

Guidelines

The judges will be looking for originality, rhythm, rhymes, and audience appeal.

The judges will be looking for poet’s passion about the subject topic of the poem or a novel approach to every day topics.

http://diogen.weebly.com

http://stanzadelpoeta.wordpress.com/

Tatjana Debeljački

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An open invitation to join our virtual walk and enjoy the Sendai Festival in Japan too!

Cities of Green Leaves Ginko-no-Kukai:

http://area17.blogspot.com

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Purely Haiku Residential Course: http://area17.blogspot.com

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U.K. mini-memoir course useful to writers of haiku and haibun

Want to write memoirs of your earlier life? Don't know where to start?

There are still places available on our Mini-Memoir residential course, run by workshop leader Karen Hoy and assisted by Alan Summers, at the wonderful Claridge House, running from Monday 17th January (a week this Monday) to the Friday morning.

We first used the Mini-Memoir exercises in a workshop setting to generate ideas for haibun, so haibunistas will be at home here.

n.b. haibun is economic prose with one or more haiku.

Check Alan's Area 17 blog for details:
http://area17.blogspot.com

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Blogging Along Tobacco Road: Pravat Kumar Padhy - Three Questions: "Pravat Kumar Padhy, is a Petroleum Geologist, ONGC, in India. He received his Masters in Science and Ph.D in Applied Geology from Indian S..."

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The With Words International
Online Haiku Competition 2010

We are now open for competition entries:

http://www.withwords.org.uk/comp.html

Deadline: (all timezones) of Sunday 21st November 2010.

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SENSE AND SILENCE: COLLECTED POEMS

by R.K. Singh (ISBN 978-81-910588-2-6)

Available to Indian readers from: Yking Books, 18, Jain Bhawan, Opp. N.B.C., Shanti Nagar, Jaipur 302006, India.
To contact the publisher via email ykingbooks@gmail.com

http://www.redroom.com/articlestory/sense-and-silence-collected-poems
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The Dartmoor Summer Haiku Almanac workshop and walk with Karen and Alan Summers:

The Dartmoor Summer Haiku Almanac workshop and walk with Karen and Alan Summers
http://cypruswell.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/the-dartmoor-summer-haiku-almanac-workshop-and-walk/

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2010 BATH JAPANESE FESTIVAL

EARTHDAY HAIKU CONTEST RESULTS:

http://kidsearthdayhaiku.blogspot.com

2010 BATH JAPANESE FESTIVAL

http://www.bathjapanesefestival.com

LAUNCH PARTY!

Wednesday 12th May 7-10 p.m.

Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution

16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN

http://www.brlsi.org/

Live words, event tasters and Japanese cultural experiences, in celebration of the Bath Japanese Festival. Includes Japanese-form and Japanese-inspired spoken words, anime/manga art, origami, haiga art, and Japanese tattoos.

And while you’re there, check out all the other fun stuff happening at the Bath Japanese Festival launch party including haiku readings and tattoo poetry,

Hosted by Nikki Bennett the night includes renga and haiku readings from Alan and Karen Summers; Masuda Aika (haiga artist) with Masuda Junko (haiku poet) Akita, Northern Honshu, Japan.

SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE

Carrie Etter will read haiku and senryu from her collection in progress since 1987: 'The Broken Kite'.

Carrie's blog: http://carrieetter.blogspot.com/

Numerous other events throughout festival plus renga workshops with Writing Events Bath; and Bath Central Library; and Japanese bookmaking with Guy Begbie.

Free Renga Session at Bath Central Library

Saturday 22nd May 3-5pm

Bath Central Library

19-23 The Podium

Bath BA1 5AN

http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/bathnes/leisureandculture/libraries/information/batharea.htm

Renga Workshop

Renga: splicing spontaneity into your writing with Alan Summers

Mr B’ s Emporium of Reading Delights, 14-15 John Street, Bath

Thursday 20th May 6.30 - 8.30 p.m.

£24 with wine.

Bookings only with Writing Events Bath: mb. 07811501978

all my best,

Alan

Literature Director, Bath Japanese Festival

http://www.bathjapanesefestival.com

Alan's blog: http://area17.blogspot.com

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REVIEW

Moonbathing, a journal of women's tanka, ed. by Pamela A. Babusci

The first issue of a journal entirely dedicated to women tanka poets, reviewed by Beatrice van de Vis

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WEEKLY HAIKU MEME
15th December 09
Nancy Bea Miller (Genre Cookshop) just started a weekly haiku meme with her brother Bruce Miller (Kitehorse.) Please join in the fun if you are interested. The site is bare bones as yet but up and running:
http://haikubones.blogspot.com/
New prompts each Sunday.
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20th November
Mandy Smith, an esteemend contributor to the seasonal blogs, passed away quietly a few days ago.
Before entering a hospice, she emailed many of her contacts and asked to say that she did not want anyone to mourn for her but expressed her thanks to those who have made contact with her over recent years; Mandy's intention was to delete her blog but, urged not to do so, asked a friend to take it over and keep the contents online http://mandysmeanderings.blogspot.com/
Our thanks and appreciatiation to Mandy for her contribution, and blessings and prayers for her.

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The 1000 Verse Renga Project:

http://tiny.cc/1000VerseRenga

We are 800 verses but would love to have additional verses coming in as we near the end of the project!

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MOONBATHING

A NEW JOURNAL OF WOMEN'S TANKA

Editors
Pamela A. Babusci
Cathy Drinkwater Better

Published by Black Cat Press

Submissions deadline for the Premier Issue, Fall/Winter 2009–10, 1stNovember
For details see:

TANKA NEWS AND HAIKU HEADLINES

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HAIKU WALK

Lincolnshire: Friday 23rd October 2009

Check out my Area 17 blog for details about this fantastic haiku writing walk opportunity in Lincolnshire (U.K.)! Area 17: http://area17.blogspot.com

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READINGS

SURPRISE VISIT TO THE U.K. Saturday 5th September
Poetry Library (Royal Festival Hall) 10.15a.m.
Roberta Beary is visiting London and With Words (Alan Summers) is promoting and organising a reading and launch of Roberta's new chapbook "nothing left to say" edited by Michael Dylan Welch. Details at: http://area17.blogspot.com
Roberta's website: http://www.robertabeary.com/bio.html

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MOVIE

Chichester: Thursday 13th August 2009

Screening of "Handwritten" a video animation by Jenny Lewis at the Chichester Arts Festival "I Am Joy", between 5pm and 8pm. The inspiration for Jenny Lewis' work is the poem of the same title, by Beatrice van de Vis. To watch Jenny Lewis' video and listen to the reading visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOEHlDiRC
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BOOKS

July 2009

"A Thousand Reasons" The first collection of tanka by internationally award-winning poet and acclaimed artist Pamela A. Babusci is now available from the author. Read what the reviews say on Simply Haiku by Randy Brooks and:
Blogging Along Tobacco Road

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PERFORMANCE

London 27th July 2009, 2-3PM
Watch Alan Summers on the Fourth Plinth, reading Words:
http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20100223124345/http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Alan_S

Alan Summers' interview with the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8176398.stm

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The First Seasonal Haiku Blogs 2006-2009

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The history of the seasonal haiku blogs goes back to the spring of 2006, when a group of talented poets gathered together, to celebrate the season in haiku, tanka, haiga, haibun and senryu. To that purpose, they set up what was to become the very first of the seasonal blogs. From then on, the team haiku blog became a regular feature of every season and has continued to gather in strength, with new writers joining all the time.

By the spring of 2009 it was felt that the previous system of starting a new blog, at the beginning of each season, was no longer adequate, and it was time to have a permanent home, now here in The Four Seasons of Haiku, in which we hope the stark elegance of haiku and other forms of Japanese style poetry, will continue to thrive and reach new heights.

In 2006, Gerald England compiled an online anthology UKKU Spring Haiku of the year's spring poems. We are now also in the process of publishing a printed and illustrated collection of poems which have appeared on the blogs between 2006-2009. But none of this would have been possible without the consistent effort and encouragement of those authors who, from the beginning, took the time and trouble of setting up and administering a new site, each season. Some of those authors are Alan Summers, Alison Williams, Ashi, Gerald England, Isabel, J.Andrew Lockhart, Mandy, Matthew, Paul, Sangeet, Steve and Rachel Green. Apologies if any name has been omitted in error, please contact 4Seasons to have your name included.

Beatrice van de Vis

You can visit all our previous seasons through the links below:

Spring

2006 2007 2008 2009

Summer
2006 2007 2008 2009

Autumn

2006 2007 2008

Winter

2006 2007 2008

What is haiku?

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by Alan Summers (2009 With Words)

"Today it may be possible to describe haiku but not to define it."
Hiroaki Sato: Author; Columnist; and Editor of "One Hundred Frogs: From Matsuo Basho to Allen Ginsberg"

"There are as many descriptions of haiku as there are stars in the night sky: this is mine." Alan Summers, founder of With Words.

An English-language haiku is often written in three short lines and read out loud in about six seconds. 'Haiku' is the singular and plural spelling, there's no 'haikus'.

They're written in the present tense, in ordinary language, and work well as two different images that spark off each other.

It's good to include one or more senses such as sound, smell, taste or touch, and not just what we can see.

Haiku don't tell, or merely describe, they allow the reader to enter the poem in their own way.

They are ideal for non-fiction observations as a kind of short-hand for remembering events or incidents.

They can be therapeutic and they exercise both the right and the left side of the brain.

Traditionally haiku are rooted in natural history and the seasons, and make us conspirators with wildlife, as nature half-writes the haiku before we've even put pen to paper.

Haiku have a seasonal clue called kigo in Japanese. Obvious season words are snow for winter; and heatwave for summer; but you could use less obvious kigo like beer for summer, and Orion or Orion's Belt for winter.

Where does haiku come from?

Haiku evolved from a "first verse" called hokku; they often look incomplete as they originated from a linked verse poem where the first verse (hokku) was finished by the second verse and then the second verse was completed by the third verse and so on.

'Hokku' held a special place in the multi-poet-multi-linking-verse-poem known as renga, or renku, which enjoyed a renaissance in 17th Century Japan: people started collecting them, as not all the composed hokku, on the day could be chosen to start off the renga.

Japanese writers began to adapt foreign literary techniques into their poetry as Japan in the late 18th century, when it was opened up to the West. Journalist, writer, and poet Masaoka Shiki took full advantage when he officially made hokku an independent poem in the 1890s and called them "haiku" (singular and plural spelling) bringing this poem into the 20th Century.

Alan Summers (2009)

THE FOUR SEASONS OF HAIKU

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email: info@4seasonshaiku.com

URL: http://www.4seasonshaiku.com

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Welcome
How to join
Rules

WELCOME

Carrying on with the tradition of the seasonal haiku blog, that began in the spring of 2006 and managed with the help and inspiration of a number of talented poets, each one bringing his particular gift to the season's chapter, we would like to thank all previous administrators: Alison, Matt, Isabel, Ashi, Mandy, Sangeet, Paul, Steve and Rachel, the many contributing poets -by far too numerous to name them all, and last but not least, our readers. A warm welcome to the poets and readers to our new permanent website.

The Four Seasons is open to all haiku poets. Please submit your family-friendly, haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga, or haibun.

Beatrice van de Vis
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TO JOIN THE FOUR SEASONS OF HAIKU, PLEASE SEND:

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
YOUR NOM DE PLUME
A LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE OR BLOG

TO info@4seasonshaiku.com

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RULES

The Four Seasons is open to all haiku poets. Please submit your haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga, or haibun, which may include artwork, photographs or drawings.

If using images which are not your original work, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have permission to do so.

ALL POSTS WILL BE BOLD AND DARK. If you decide to use another colour, please make sure that your text is visible on this background. As we have an Author Archive -instead of labels, YOUR NAME MUST BE ADDED TO LABELS/TAGS, on every posting, which will ensure readers can see all your work together.

The only requirement for posting is that work should be suitable for all ages and that there is a Seasonal theme.

Postings per day: 3 maximum

Spammers or comment abusers will be removed.

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The Poets Online

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Listed alphabetically by nom de plume or first name

Alan Summers http://withwords.org.uk/
Alan.Segal.http://oldpajamasfromthedirthut.blogspot.com/
Alison Williams http://haikusoup.blogspot.com/
Angeliki Korre http://theflowerandwillowworld.blogspot.com/
Ashi http://ashi-words.dk/
Beatrice V http://owlnight.com/
Bhalachandra.Sahaj.http://haikuforlife.blogspot.com/ http://enlightenedpoetry.blogspot.com/
Bubba http://mobilehaiku.blogspot.com/
Carlos Gesmundo http://blueposts-by-agcarlos.blogspot.com/
Chevrefeuille http://bashorevisited.blogspot.com/ http://chevrefeuilleshaikublog.blogspot.com/
David Loffman http://conjuringsunlight.blogspot.com/
Damien Gabriels http://haikus-au-fil-des-jours.wifeo.com/
Dennis.Tomlinson..http://dennistomlinson.wetpaint.com/
Diana L. http://root-of-the-shoots.blogspot.com/
Diana Teneva n/a
Diane Mayr www.randomnoodling.blogspot.com
Gemma W. Wilson http://word4wordpoetry.blogspot.com/
Gen (Gennady Nov) http://haikublog-gen.blogspot.com/
Gerald England http://ackworthborn.blogspot.com/
Gillena Cox http://myblog-lunchbreak.blogspot.com/
Gina Pereira (Kilauea Poetry) http://inthepacific.blogspot.com/
Isabel http://booksandotherstuff.blogspot.com/
J..Andrew.Lockhart http://jamesalockhart.blogspot.com/
Jack Galmitz
Jake Salzer http://haikusessions.blogspot.com/
Jem http://soundofsplinters.blogspot.com/
Jenniffer Jilks http://myreflectionsmusings.blogspot.com/
Jenny Ward Angyal http://grassminstrel.blogspot.com/
Jim Tantillo http://huntinghaikudaily.blogspot.com/
John McDonald http://zenspeug.blogspot.com/
Juliet Wilson http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.com/
Kelly M. http://haikusimple.blogspot.com/
Kelly Shepherd http://kellyshepherd.com/
Kristin Riggs http://softspokenkr.blogspot.com/
Laure Krueger http://www.laure02.blogspot.com/
Liza Lee Miller http://www.egretsnest.wordpress.com/
Lightfoot http://feelgoodtechniques.blogspot.com/
Lulubelle B. http://lulu-haiku.blogspot.com/
Magical.Mystical.Teacher http://magicalmysticalteacher.wordpress.com
Mandy Smith http://mandysmeanderings.blogspot.com/
Martin.Gotttlieb.Cohen..http://tinywords.com/author/martin1223/
Maya Lyubenova http://haikuandhaiga.blogspot.com/
Megan.Arkenberg http://whitecherryblossoms.blogspot.com/
Melanie Bishop http://cassiopeiarises.blogspot.com/
Möme http://mommelonorsu.blogspot.com/
Nancy.Bea.Miller.(Genre.Cookshop) http://www.genrecookshop.com/
Nora Wood http://haikuaday.blogspot.com/
P. K. Padhy http://www.pkpadhy.blogspot.com/
Pamela.A..Babusci http://www.haigaonline.com/issue9-2/pb/entry.html
Paul Smith http://tanka-papermoon.blogspot.com/
Pearl Pirie http://pagehalffull.com/pesbo/
Phoebe Lake http://phoebelake.blogspot.com//
Poet in Residence http://poet-in-residence.blogspot.com
Prof. R.K. Singh http://rksingh.blogspot.com/
Rachel Green http://whenthedogsbite.blogspot.com/
Reihaisha http://ihojin.blogspot.com/
Robert Ian http://spinglespong.wordpress.com/
Ron Eklof http://myhaikutoday.blogspot.com/
Sarvananda.Bluestone http://sarvananda.blogspot.com/
Shanna..http://hawaiian-poet-tree.blogspot.com/
Shelley.Krause http://butwait.blogspot.com/
Steve Miller http://southernhaiku.blogspot.com/
Tatjana Debeljacki (Serbian language magazine editor) http://www.poetabg.com/
Ted van Zutphen http://theartofhaiku.com
Tumblewords http://firsttumblewords.blogspot.com/
Vic Gendrano http://haikuharvest.blogspot.com/
Wahyu Basjir http://drifter-haiku.blogspot.com/