Haiku Society of America
Merit Book Awards for 2007
Ed Markowski & Yvonne Cabalona, Judges
How to pick the ripest apples from a bin of ripe apples? This was the task we faced as we reviewed the 31 books entered in the 2007 Merit Book Awards. After careful review and consideration, we independently compiled lists of the ten best presentations. Our lists were remarkably similar. At this point the judging became considerably more difficult, as the degree of separation in terms of artistry and craft diminished. We then discussed the merits of each book based on originality, creativity and a continuum of consistency. Another question we factored into our decision making process was, which of these books best presented haiku and the haiki arts to the general public.
Congratulations are due all of the authors who participated in this year's contest. The 31 entries form a composite mirror that reflects a small portion of the vast amount of talent contained within the international haiku community.We are pleased to present the following awards and special category honorable mentions.
First Place:
Jeanne Emrich, Editor. Reeds: Contemporary Haiga. Edina, MN: Lone Egret Press, 2006.
In her introduction to Reeds, Jeanne Emrich writes, "and it is the hope of this editor that the haiga within these pages will be a source of inspiration to present and future poet-painters." Beautifully arranged, this collection of haiga from 35 contributing poets and painters delivers inspiration, surprise and delight from cover to cover. As one traverses the pages of Reeds, they are greeted with one eye-popping moment after another. Graphics are presented in a variety of media including, sumi-e, watercolor, pencil, pen and ink, collage and computer imagery.
In addition to the individual and collaborative works, Reeds features an outstanding essay on Yomeiride by Stephen Addiss, and an interview with Ion Codrescu in which Mr. Codrescu provides valuable insights on both the present and future of haiga. In the interview Mr. Codrescu asks, "Why don't TV channels include a haiga moment in their broadcasts? A TV haiga? Why not? Thirty seconds of paintaing, calligraphy and haiku would be very good for people." We heartily agree, but until that actually happens, we'll have to be content with outstanding productions like Reeds.
Second Place:
Water Lines by Carolyn Hall. Water Lines. Liverpool England: Snapshot Press, 2006.
the long night
a kaleidoscope of moth parts
in the overhead lampThis poem by Carolyn Hall which illuminates page 38 is typical of the excellence that shines throughout the author's first collection, Water Lines. Experiencing Carolyn's poetry is akin to sailing on a clear day with a perfect tail wind. From first poem to last, one is taken on a smooth journey marked by ordinary scenery that becomes extraordinary by virtue of the poet's keen and guiding eye.
The poet addresses aging and the passage of time with humor...
cumulonimbus—
just guessing at
the true color
of my hairand an enlightening sense of seriousness...
so suddenly winter
baby teeth at the bottom
of the button jarWhen one considers how difficult it is to write a "good" haiku it's staggering to note that all of the poems in Water Lines were written between 2000 and 2005. We may never know the true color of Carolyn Hall's hair, but we're certain that it's luminous.
Third Place:
Paul Miller [paul m.]. Called Home. Winchester, VA: Red Moon Press, 2006.
fog on the bridge
this small truck
for all our belongingsThis poem, the first in called home, immediately evoked images from John Steinbeck's masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath and serves as a bellwether for this fine collection by paul m.
The poet then takes us on a cross country journey from the saw-tooth peaks of a California mountain range to the woods of New England. Along the way, paul m. provides us with directional signs and maps that indicate connections to place, and the perils and uncertainties of relocation.
as if
it had spilt the boulder
pine seedlingmeeting the neighbors
the shapes of things
hidden by snowPaul m.'s poems are simple and expertly crafted. One can literally slip into the author's emotional longings and expectations as they travel down the highway of called home...
California behind us
my feet dangle off the edge
of the motel bed
Fourth Place:
Vincent Tripi. Paperweight for Nothing. Greenfield, MA: Tribe Press, 2006.
In paperweight for nothing, vincent tripi challenges both the reader and the boundaries of English language haiku. Tripi's poems cover a broad spectrum of style, from the traditional...
monarch
with no one else riding
autumn solitudeto the experimental...
snail horns even
the moment, haikuto the whimsical...
Why not
just cry out to Venus
We're all homesick!Ultimately, this is a book that addresses questions of spirit and the renewal of spirit from the standpoint of mankind's inseparability from nature. vincent tripi's sensitivity and avoidance of cliche in embracing these issues elevates many of the poems above "genre." This finely hewn, thought provoking collection can well serve as a signpost for both beginning and established haiku poets.
Special Category Honorable Mention For Haibun:
David Cobb. Business in Eden. Essex, UK: Equinox Press, 2006.
David Cobb's Business in Eden begins with a long haibun titled, A Spring Journey To The Saxon Shore and ends with another long haibun titled, A Day In Twilight. In between, Mr. Cobb takes us on shorter journeys to a school Christmas show, a cemetery, and a "priest hole." Methods of travel include bicycles, taxis and a Danish freighter. Each and every trip is well worth the rigors of travel. The author's prose is clear and clean. His haiku and senryu are well placed and serve to sharpen his expertly rendered tales.
Special Category Honorable Mention for Anthology:
Beary, Roberta & Ellen Compton, Editors. Fish in Love: Haiku Society of America Members’ Anthology 2006. Haiku Society of America, 2006.
If fish in love is indicative of the current wealth of talent within The Haiku Society of America, then one can reasonably conclude that the state of this union is prosperous indeed. Roberta Beary and Ellen Compton did an excellent job of editing. Those HSA members who contributed to this celebration of haiku and senryu should feel equally proud. fish in love is an anthology to return to time and again.
Special Category Honorable Mention for Best International Collaboration:
Jim Kacian. Presents of Mind. Translation into Japanese by The Kon Nichi Haiku Circle, Kumamoto University. Winchester, VA: Red Moon Press, 2006.
From the first moment one opens Presents of Mind, they may feel as though they have been transported into Japanese culture. The translation of Jim Kacian's haiku are from English into Japanese. This book is formatted as books are formatted in Japan, and thus the English speaking reader is provided with an approximate sense of "reading Japanese." Jim Kacian's poems are solid throughout. They are presented in English, Kanji and Romanji. Presents of Mind is a unique and fascinating presentation.