From HNA Conference Anthologies
It has been my privilege to edit and design all of the anthologies for the biennial Haiku North America conferences, an event I cofounded in 1991, and to publish each of these books with my press, Press Here. The following are selections of my poems from these anthologies, including a new poem for the 2015 anthology, Fire in the Treetops, that celebrated HNA’s twenty-fifth anniversary. For sample poems by numerous other contributors to these anthologies, see the Haiku North America section of the Press Here page. You can also see photos of the 2009 conference that took place in Ottawa, Ontario, in album one, album two, and album three. Also see photos from the 2011 conference in Seattle, Washington in albums one, two, three, four, and five. See also my Photographs page for additional HNA photo albums.
old folks’ home—
the square of light
crosses the room
low summer sun—
the shadow of an earring
on your cheek
landing swallow—
the ship’s chain
dips slightly
summer solstice—
a rack full of hats
at the barbershop
sidewalk sale—
a corner bent over
in the used paperback
spring thaw—
the old scarecrow
a little taller
afternoon hike—
the pussy willows dwindling
from my handful
there, under the awning,
the man who stole
my parking space
fading sunset—
still the shine
on high-tension wires
Valentine’s Day—
a few clicks
of the swans’ beaks
a show of hands
in the jury room . . .
winter light
a hand sticking out
from the balcony below . . .
small rain
pumpkin weigh-in . . .
the judge’s motion
to lift off hands
woods walk—
I catch the cobwebs
that miss my son
end of the year—
the swing’s muddy underside
reflected in a puddle +