Escapism, and So On

Post date: Oct 23, 2020 11:50:16 PM

I’ve had the privilege of presenting my “Going Nowhere” essay as a PowerPoint show to many haiku group meetings and conferences around the world this year (via Zoom, that is). At the recent Japan Writers Conference, a stimulating discussion emerged regarding the notion of escapism and the haiku poet’s possible responsibility towards social activism in haiku. New to “Going Nowhere: Learning Haiku from Pico Iyer,” available through the Essays page, is a substantial new postscript that seeks to address these issues. Elsewhere, on the Haiga page, look for “12 neon buddhas,” featuring a dozen of these poems presented with my photographs, all recently published in Wales Haiku Review. And on the Poems About Haiku page, please find two pieces by Mark Young, an untitled crossword-style poem and “Day five.”