Prior to this coronavirus outbreak in Arizona, the Mini Time Museum of Miniatures, 4455 E. Camp Lowell, had scheduled their annual Children’s Day doll display for April 7 to May 17, 2020. However the Tucson Mayor’s E.O. has postponed non-essential businesses to stay closed till April 17. AZ Governor then issued a new proclamation for business closures till April 30. I just got notification that this exhibit is unfortunately now cancelled.
Regardless, you an still fly your koinobori (koi wind kites) on May 5, 2020 to celebrate Children’s Day and Boy’s Day in your family. Honor the boys and children in your family, Japanese style even during this unprecedented time. Happy Children’s Day/Boy’s Day 2020.
“Will you write haiku with us? April is National Poetry Month, so we have a haiku challenge for you! Each week this month there will be a different topic to write haiku poems about. You don’t have to write one every week.April 2-10: Write Haiku about this weird new normal we’re all adjusting to.April 11-19: Write haiku about spring in the Sonoran Desert.April 19-25: The third week of April is National Library Week, so our theme is books and reading and libraries.April 26-30: And for the last week of the month, we want you to share haiku about your furry and feathered friends.
RULES
Post your poems as comments to poetry posts on PCPL’s social media accounts on either Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Haiku should be original, that is to say, written by you or someone in your family. If you find one by someone else that you love and absolutely must share, please credit them in your comment.
No prizes, but your poems will be compiled at the end of the month in a blog post on our website.
What’s a haiku? Haiku are non-rhyming poems that are only 3 lines. The first line is 5 syllables, the second is 7 syllables, and the last one is 5 syllables.
The Arizona Matsuri in Phoenix sponsors an annual Haiku Contest (now in 6th year), open to all students and adults, plus a Japanese Language category. Here’s the information on who won in Southern Arizona, published on their website in the 2020 E-book:
High School Haiku category –Outstanding haiku on page 17 of 2020 E-book:
Raquelle Wuollet, BASIS Oro Valley, Tucson
“Falling desert snow
A fleeting gift from winter
Granted once a year”
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College & Adult Haiku category
Carolyn Sugiyama Classen (aka Carolyn Classen), Editor at SAJCC’s website and founding SAJCC member won an Outstanding haiku in this category. This is her first win in a haiku contest. Her haiku was on display on Feb. 22 to 23 at the Arizona Matsuri festival’s haiku booth. Page 21 of online 2020 E-book.
SAJCC Editor Carolyn Classen
(Issei are first generation Japanese Americans, who emigrated from Japan. Shikata ga nai means “It cannot be helped”, which was what the Japanese Americans used to say about the WWII Internment camp evacuation).
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Japanese Language Haiku category
SAJCC Council member Miki Pimienta
Miki Pimienta, active SAJCC Council member & volunteer, past winner of several AZ Matsuri haiku (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) , on page 28 of 2020 E-Book
“Hana kaoru Habarina yoru no Enkai da
Fragrant flowers Javelina evening Feast”
Congratulations to all the 2020 Haiku contest winners.
3/11/20 notice from Yume Japanese Gardens Facebook page:
“GARDEN VISITS, EVENTS & CLASSES WILL BE SUSPENDED BEGINNING MARCH 14 TO SAFEGUARD THE HEALTH OF VISITORS & MEMBERS
CLOSURE IS TEMPORARY AND WE WILL REOPEN AS SOON AS PRUDENT”
This includes following events:
March 21 Two tea ceremonies
March 26 to 28 Enchanted Evenings
April 4 “Little One Inch” puppet play, and Butoh performance
www.yumegardens.org
Carolyn’s note: One case of corona virus (COVID 19) in Pima County to date, but 8 others in Pinal and Maricopa Counties up north. Stay tuned for further updates. Check our Calendar for event cancellations.
A Haiku Writing Walk with world renowned haikuists Yukihiro Ibuki and Danny Bland Friday, March 13, 1 pm $25 Space is limited. Please call 520-303-3945 to reserve your spot.
” A haiku writing walk is a time to observe, reflect on, and collect perceptions and images both of nature and life which are used in the appreciation and creation of haiku, the iconic Japanese short poem.
In this 2-hour workshop, we will begin with the reading of haiku (in English and Japanese) and a discussion of the history, form, characteristics and dynamic of haiku, led by haikuists Yukihiro Ibuki and Danny Bland. We will then spend a quiet time in the gardens to read haiku placed in various locations and to gather our own personal images and impressions. An informal time then follows where we will enjoy, appreciate, and share our impressions and haiku together.
Yukihiro Ibuki was born in Kyoto, Japan and has composed Haiku since high school, belonging to the Haiku association “Kyo-kanoko.” His poems were selected as Outstanding Haiku at the Arizona Matsuri Haiku Expo in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Danny Bland is a novelist, a haikuist and a tour managerist (manager). He is the author of two volumes of haiku titled, “I Apologize In Advance For The Awful Things I’m Gonna Do” and “We Shouldn’t Be Doing This” (Stabby Crow Press). You can read a new haiku everyday on his Facebook.”
