My Dear Friends: The Herald, Nov. 7: Irish parliament passes motion that Israel is "perpetrating genocide in Gaza." PA Media, Nov. 9: Thousands participate in Palestinian solidarity march in Dublin: It is the 11th national rally since October 2023 and protesters again demanded sanctions on Israel. And The Hill, Nov. 8: Close to 70 percent of Gaza war fatalities children, women: UN Human Rights Office Nearly 7 out of 10 deaths in Gaza amid the yearlong war in the region were women and children, the United Nations said in a sprawling report Friday that faulted Israel for a devastating atta ..read more

My Dear Fellow Poets: In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent. This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. -- Toni Morrison, "No Place for Self-Pity, No Room for Fear" Poetry is insurrection, resurrection, and insubordination -- against amnesia of every sort, against every form of oppression, dispossession and indifference. And against the drowning noise of other words.   -- Anne Michaels, "Infinite Gradation" And Strive to change the world in such a way tha ..read more

English Original irritating skin rash around the neck am I angry at someone, someone inside me? Gusts, 15, Spring/Summer 2012 Kozue Uzawa   Chinese Translation (Traditional) 這真的很煩 脖子周圍出現了皮疹 是我對某人 生氣了嗎, 還是我內心的某人? Chinese Translation (Simplified) 这真的很烦 脖子周围出现了皮疹 是我对某人 生气了吗, 还是我内心的某人?     Bio Sketch Kozue Uzawa is a retired university professor. She works as editor of the English tanka journal GUSTS. She composes tanka both in Japanese and English. She also translates Japanese tanka into English and co-published Ferris Wheel: 101 Modern and Contemporary ..read more

English Original election day kids in the schoolyard playing tag tinywords, 16:2, November 8 2016 Bill Kenney   Chinese Translation (Traditional) 選舉日 孩子們在校園裡 玩貼標籤遊戲 Translation result紙箱 Chinese Translation (Simplified) 选举日 孩子们在校园里 玩贴标签游戏   Bio Sketch    Born and raised in the Boston area, and living for over 50 years in New York City, Bill Kenney was a professor for many years in the English Department at Manhattan College. He started writing haiku in 2004, a month before his 72nd birthday, and became an active participant in the New York City Spring Stre ..read more

English Original dried blood ... and the nearness of dreams Jack Fruit Moon, 2009 Robert D. Wilson Chinese Translation (Traditional) 乾了血跡 ... 以及夢 的親近程度 Chinese Translation (Simplified) 干了血迹 ... 以及梦 的亲近程度 Bio Sketch Robert D. Wilson is Co-Owner of Simply Haiku ..read more

No More Fairy Tales, XXXVII leafless trees rub against the smoggy sunrise smell of the wind FYI: BBC News, Nov.3: Schools close in Lahore as pollution hits record level Unprecedented air pollution in the Pakistani city of Lahore has forced authorities to close all primary schools for a week. From Monday, 50% of office workers will also work from home, as part of a "green lockdown" plan. Other measures include bans on engine-powered rickshaws and vendors that barbecue without filters... Raja Jehangir Anwar, a senior environment official, said the "biggest headache" causing the ..read more

My Dear Friends and Poets: The U. S. presidential election is in two days and I would like to share with you a set of tanka selected for reflections on this Convicted Felon and Man-Child, Donald Trump, so-called Former president and Republican presidential nominee.  S.U.V. motorcade to Trump-branded airplane to S.U.V. motorcade  to Trump Hotel and Tower ... next, his face in the mugshot with a red tie glistening hair and an icy scowl Donald Trump behind the bars: one poster signed for 2024 dollars my pitbull chasing her Siamese cat ... Trump on TV blasts If you go after me I'm ..read more

English Original boy's deck shoes a paisley tie, pink and torn compression socks thin legs wrapped in loose capris a plainclothes cop in the ladies' room Lorraine Pester Chinese Translation (Traditional) 男孩的甲板鞋 一條佩斯利花紋領帶, 粉紅色並撕破了 壓力襪 細腿裹在寬鬆的七分褲裡 女廁的一名便衣警察 Chinese Translation (Simplified) 男孩的甲板鞋 一条佩斯利花纹领带, 粉红色并撕破了 压力袜 细腿裹在宽松的七分裤里 女厕的一名便衣警察 Bio Sketch Being curious and staying open to possibility is Lorraine Pester’s way of keeping her haikai fresh. She shies from no topic that presents itself. Her deliberate interactions with birds while dog walking is a frequent theme. She ..read more

English Original the child licks a candy skull Day of the Dead Sketches of Mexico, 2012 Marian Olson Chinese Translation (Traditional) 一個小孩舔 一顆糖果頭骨 亡靈節 Chinese Translation (Simplified) 一个小孩舔 一颗糖果头骨 亡灵节 Bio Sketch Marian Olson, non-fiction writer and widely published international poet, was the author of nine books of poetry, including the award winning haiku in Songs of the Chicken Yard, Desert Hours, Consider This, and Moondance. Published in 2017, The Other and Kaleidoscope were her first books of tanka ..read more

My Dear Readers: It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare. -- Brackett, "Halloween," 1978 a skeleton rattles the door ... autumn wind Neena Singh All Souls’ Eve  -- tipping the spirit level this way & that Sandra Simpson halloween night a thin veil between two worlds Bernadette O’Reilly halloween twilight army helicopters fill the sky   Roberta Beary his scythe dripping blood the Grim Reaper has stepped right out of my dreams shrouded head to toe  in red a girl skims ghostlike  through the dark, scything the buzz and flicker of War Cem ..read more