Yesterday, an afternoon of gifts for autumn fireside reading!  Zen Women arrived by post followed closely by Haiku: An Anthology of Japanese Poems by Stephen Addiss, Fumiko Yamamoto and Akira Yamamoto.

Stephen Addiss is an amazing teacher of calligraphy and haiku, professor at the University of Richmond VA, and just an all-round generous person.  His books on Zenga are beautiful and gently instructive.  Stephen doesn’t overwhelm you with his obvious scholarship; he invites you to share in his passion for that turn of phrase or shift of the brush tip.  The Art of Zen is the usual collection of zenga trotted out by critics and fans but my favourite book is 77 Dances. He is also the editor of South by South East: Haiku and Haiku Arts, a little publication of haiku submissions from colleagues and students.

from Haiku: An Anthology of Japanese Poems

Autumn wind —
in my heart, how many
mountains and rivers

Kyoshi

Dusk —
while the earth and I talk
leaves fall

Issa

The pine wind
circling around the eaves —
autumn deepens

Basho

Thank you for practising,

Genju