Best Anthology, 2010 Merit Book AwardsThe following are comments by
Mike Dillon, judge of the 2010 Merit Book Awards for the Haiku Society of
America. A book I edited, titled Seeing Stars, won the category of best anthology in these awards.
Best Anthology
Seeing Stars, edited by Michael Dylan Welch. Bellevue, Washington: Haiku Northwest,
2009, 20 pages, hand-sewn paperback, 5.5 x 8.5 inches. No ISBN. Not available for
purchase.
This category was a tough call—there were many worthy entries. Any Red Moon Anthology
is the elephant in the room, and White Lies, the 2009 edition, is superb.
But Seeing Stars by the Haiku Northwest group, produced from a retreat in
Seabeck, Washington in October 2009, had enough break-throughs to be an upset winner.
Publishing haiku incubated during a weekend retreat carries inherent dangers: Seeing
Stars, however, which reflects the group’s “galactiku” theme, took chances and
produced fresh surprises.
Full disclosure: I am listed on the
Haiku Northwest roster. I attended one Haiku Northwest meeting several years ago
but otherwise maintain what my dear wife terms my antisocial ways. I publish a group
of community newspapers in Seattle. The first thing editors and writers are told
is: We don’t logroll or do favors for people. I’ve carried that inviolate principle
over into my haiku life and my role as judge, in this case. It was the work itself
in Seeing Stars that carried the day for
me.
your
hands on my body
somewhere
a
sun goes dark
Lana Hechtman Ayers
oyster shell—
one small spot
still luminous
Carole MacRury
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