Category: The Haiku Foundation

Grateful

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tulip_field

Thanks for all your kind comments, and I’m enjoying your blogs as well. This is a special week for me, as I am almost finished with good drafts of Haiku Lessons, for the elementary grades, which will be offered for free at The Haiku Foundation. Jim Kacian is the Editor.

One of my strengths when I was in the academic world was being able to integrate various sources in research papers. My dissertation at Northern Illinois University in 1987 was based on the effective instruction literature. Some things do not change, and I also have spent countless hours reading and studying this year (2012 and continuing in this lovely new year) to update my knowledge in education and to learn more about haiku.

I learn a lot daily at The Haiku Foundation (THF). I even entered their current HaikuNow! International Contest, in the Traditional Haiku category. The other two categories are Contemporary Haiku and Innovative Haiku. Please see their website for rules and the deadline for entering the contests. http://thehaikufoundation.org. I have not been in the habit of entering contests, but thought it would be fun to participate–and it is free. THF is non-profit.

I left teaching almost 20 years ago, the same year I earned tenure at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. Beautiful, difficult, blessed, wonderful years were ahead of me. My story is written here on this blog now, and I’ll let new posts and poems arrive as they wish — a few posts per week, I imagine!

Cold days in the warm house give time for reflection–and immense gratitude.

You will be one of the first to know when the free Haiku Lessons are available at The Haiku Foundation. This will be later this year, as the various stages of editing and publication proceed. All good and in due time.

Grateful for your encouragement. Learning every day…

“Tulip Field:” courtesy of wpclipart.com.

More poetry updates

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bird-images-63

1. On Christmas Day, Aubrie Cox posted the free download of the collection she edited:  Fool’s Paradise found poems.  Her current challenge features doodles by HM Yuan, which are lovely drawings.  Many poets are posting poems in the comments.  Here’s Aubrie’s link, if you wish to read her guidelines, participate, and/or simply read and view the drawings.  http://yaywords.wordpress.com

I wrote this poem for Fool’s Paradise, and am honored that Aubrie included it in her online book, which features many artists.

beautiful child –
I sing for the things
that made me stronger

“Beautiful Child” by Stevie Nicks.
“I Sing For The Things” by Stevie Nicks.
“That Made Me Stronger” by Stevie Nicks.

The lyrics to Stevie’s songs are available at her website:  http://www.nicksfix.com.  She is one of the most enduring and generous artists I know — more beautiful and gifted in her 60s than in her youth.

2.  Tom Clausen, a friend I’ve known through haiku and tanka for many years, posts a haiku every day at Mann Library, at Cornell University.  He features one guest author per month.  There is an extensive Archive at this site now.  http://haiku.mannlib.cornell.edu.

3.  The January Per Diem at The Haiku Foundation is edited by Cherie Hunter Day, and it features bugs!  Jim Kacian introduced this month’s poems in his December 31, 2012 post on troutswirl, The Haiku Foundation Blog.  http://www.thehaikufoundation.org/blog

Yesterday in the comments there I wrote:

summer rain
light catches
the spider webs

4.  TINYWORDS haiku & other small poems:  Editors Peter Newton and Kathe L. Palka are accepting submissions through January 20, 2013, for the next issue.  I sent a few poems for review.  Here’s their link, if you wish more information about the guidelines:  http://tinywords.com.

5.  I also am enjoying the new Video Archive at The Haiku Foundation.  I am learning so much.  Sometimes when I need a short break, I simply watch a video or two.  http://www.thehaikufoundation.org

Image: http://reusableart.com.

Inspired to write

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This post is inspired by Symanntha Renn’s post yesterday, June 4, on her blog “Failing at Haiku.”  I loved her title the second I read it, probably several weeks ago.  It speaks of both humility and courage to me.  http://failingathaiku.wordpress.com

Symanntha posted a lovely haiku about the sunset, “the sun dies slowly,” and mentioned our common themes as writers.   Melody Lowes, another new friend, added more thoughts in the comments, as did I.  I’ll let you read their thoughts and poems at the original sites.  Melody’s link is http://melodylowes.com.

I mentioned that my goal is to try to express in words images that have sustained me for years.  The country roads I know so well now hold so many memories — new beginnings, loss and heartache, new joys and dreams.   Just like the seasons.

many seasons
home again
many more
Lord willing

finding their way
into their own poems

fields, rivers
lakes, wildflowers

of Wisconsin

Great to read your blogs and appreciate the visual arts too.

All the many arts . . .

Each unique.

Update:  As I mentioned in the Comments, another encouraging post I read recently is by Carol J. Garvin.  “What if we all believed we were gifted?”  This is the title of her June 1, 2012 post; on her blog “Careann’s Musings.”  http://careann.wordpress.com.

I also am continuing to read the blog and Haiku Registry at The Haiku Foundation.  http://www.thehaikufoundation.org

Time Of Singing is now on Facebook.   http://www.facebook.com/TimeOfSinging

old photos

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June2011Flowers 009

old photos
on my desk —
bleeding hearts in bloom

Published first in Time Of Singing (1994).

Time Of Singing has a page on Facebook.

This haiku also appears on my poet page on the Haiku Registry at The Haiku Foundation (THF).  And it was selected for THF Haiku App.

My page on the Haiku Registry may be read here.

The Haiku Foundation is non-profit.

I mentioned I am reading through the Haiku Registry, which is edited by Billie Wilson – a wonderful education.  So many poets familiar and new, worldwide.

Photo by Karl (2011).

Post updated on September 3, 2015.

Ellen Grace Olinger

many forms of poetry

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Just some thoughts
and to be continued —
why we need poetry!

 

winter becomes spring
once again
poetry

sunset becomes night
dawn, then day
poetry

despair becomes hope
once again
poetry

the mind settles
into a new peace
poetry

words find their
shape on a page
poetry

Image courtesy of Dover Publications.
From Dover’s Greatest Clips.

The WordPress tag for National Poetry Month is growing rapidly.  So many good ideas, for all ages.

Also, I was just at The Haiku Foundation website–they are supporting a National Haiku Poetry Day on April 17.  http://www.thehaikufoundation.org

Winter Reading

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Winter is here and I am reading more than writing these days.  The winter poetry journals are arriving, and I have new books by my side as well.  One is Desire To Inspire by Christine Mason Miller in California.  I am enjoying it very much.  www.christinemasonmiller.com

The Haiku Foundation, founded by Jim Kacian, has a registry of poets worldwide.  This weekend I began reading it, from the beginning. There are short biographies of poets, along with some of their haiku.  This will be a good winter project and a great education.  www.thehaikufoundation.org