In honor of
International Haiku Poetry Day, I’m pleased to present Amy Losak of
Teaneck, NJ. Amy is—well, why don’t I let her introduce herself?
I am a highly experienced public relations professional
specializing in healthcare. I have developed a love for writing short poetry,
notably haiku and senryu, and have published them in Failed Haiku, Prune Juice, hedgerow, Under the Basho, the Asahi Haikuist Network and The
Daily Haiku. I also expects my poems to be published this year in Newtown Literary, Modern Haiku and Pulse – Voices From the Heart of
Medicine.
Wow! That’s a whole lotta
haiku! What can you tell us about this day?
In April, National Poetry Month, April 17
is International Haiku Poetry Day, according to the Haiku Foundation.
How were you drawn to this poetic form?
I write haiku and senryu. I’m
not very good, but I'm slowly improving as I continue to read the work of
gifted haijin (haiku poets) and write them myself. I enjoy the process. I
started on this unusual (for me) journey several years ago, thanks to my mom,
Sydell Rosenberg (1929-1996), a charter member of the Haiku Society of America.
HSA was established in NY in 1968 and next year, it will celebrate its 50th
anniversary.
As a result of my efforts to revive and preserve some of her literary legacy, Syd's themed haiku and senryu picture book will be published by Penny Candy Books in spring of 2018. I also have a successful partnership with a New York nonprofit arts education organization, Arts For All. Mom's micro-poems are used in one Queens and one Bronx public school to teach the basics of painting, drawing and collage; and music and theater. They are like miniature stories in some ways, with characters and plots, and they are very visual.
Congratulations, Amy and Sydell! What a
wonderful way to honor your mother’s memory and talent.
What can you tell us about haiku? The economy but endlessly
evocative qualities of haiku -- saying a lot with few words and in few lines;
leaving things out so readers can "fill in" their own meanings -- is
what makes this poetic form challenging, sometimes frustrating, and ultimately
rewarding. For me, a haiku poem rarely occurs in a flash of inspiration -- a
"Eureka" moment that needs no revision. A short haiku can take a long
time to polish. And for me, it may never be "perfect." I am rarely
satisfied with my work.
And I’ve learned that’s okay.
Haiku is about more than craft and the end product put down on the page. Haiku
impels me to slow down, take a breath, be in the moment and observe my
surroundings, in order to capture my impressions and ideas succinctly. It is an
act of both focus and flow. While writing haiku takes practice and discipline,
it shouldn’t be intimidating. As we observe and write, it’s fine to allow
ourselves to “play” too.
If you want to learn more about
haiku, a wealth of online and social media resources are at your fingertips. So
I hope you will haiku, too. Enjoy!
I do haiku. It one of the few forms of poetry that I feel comfortable attempting. I love the ones yo have shared here, Amy. Ty for sharing your journey and the photo of you and your poetess mother.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Kathy. I think Amy is much too humble when she says she's not very good. It is a form that can take a lifetime to master, though.
DeleteThank you Jane, for having Amy as your guest. I enjoyed learning more about haiku and reading Amy's poetry. She is very good
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, Life's Beautiful Path. I agree that both Amy & her mother are very good.
DeleteAmy: as usual, I am inspired by your efforts to honor your mom and her work. Based on your work shown here, your have obviously followed in your mom's thoughtful and talented footsteps. Great interview Jane and thank you for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words, Tracy, and thanks for leaving a comment. I'm glad you find Amy's work as inspiring as I do.
DeleteI really love these examples. Reading and writing haiku makes me stop and pause, brings me great joy. Have a nice day.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping & pausing to comment here, Karen. Yes, aren't these good? We would all do well to stop and pause, look and see what might be haiku around us.
DeleteI love these haiku, and I love how Amy is honoring her mother. I was in Teaneck not so long ago, and I was thinking of you and your haiku, Amy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, Ellen. I agree with you about Amy's haiku and how she is honoring her mother.
DeleteI want to take a moment to thank Jane again -- and all of you -- for your lovely words. I'm truly honored and overjoyed. My mom is the reason I do this and it's been so satisfying. Thank you , all -- and Ellen, next time you're in my neck of the woods, perhaps we can meet at Bischoff's for ice cream!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful way to keep your mother's work and life alive and to share her with us, Amy.
DeleteHaiku is a way of life. When I exp experience "life block" along with writer's block I can still haiku.
ReplyDeleteI had not thought of it that way, PJO, but you are absolutely right. Haiku is a way of life and a state of being. Thanks for your comment!
DeleteLovely haiku and work honoring a mother. The photo of mother and daughter makes them both look dreamy, as if they are forming words. I write haiku, too. One will be published soon by Frameless Sky. The haiku is so pared down, there is no room for fiction. It's best if you are at the pond, hearing the frog leap.
ReplyDeleteBrenda, thanks for your insightful comments. Congratulations on your upcoming publication!
DeleteBrenda, Frameless Sky is a wonderful journal. Congrats and I'm delighted to be acquainted here, thanks to Jane!
DeleteI do haiku! I remember hating having to write haiku in school, but few good things come from being forced! I rediscovered a love of haiku during a recent trip to Japan, and now I can't get enough.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you gave haiku another chance, Jane! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI do haiku. I am always learning each time I sit down to write one. It seems like three short lines would be so easy, but I find it incredibly challenging to write a haiku I'm pleased with. I love reading them, too, and learning more about them.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Kay. Those 3 little lines look deceptively easy. To get the "aha" response a writer wants, though, is very difficult and requires patience and skill. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteThanks for the introduction to such an interesting haikuist (is that a word? haikuet? haikuer?) Whatever it is, I aspire to be one, too. Love the pairings of words and images.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great question, Mary Lee! This haiku glossary says "haijin" https://terebess.hu/english/haiku/glossary.html. Thanks for your comments. We'll be watching for your haiku!
DeleteMary Lee, yes ... "haijin" and I've heard "haikuist" used as well. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteSharing an Interview with Leonardo da Vinci (imaginary) http://stenote.blogspot.com/2018/03/an-interview-with-leonardo.html
ReplyDeleteSharing A Haiku for Leonardo da Vinci in https://youtu.be/udvnkgmjuQI
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