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ANNOUNCEMENT

SENRYU IN ENGLISH COMPETITION
R. H. Blyth Award 2003 [WHC]

"My way of joking is to tell the truth. It's the funniest joke in the world."
.................George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950, John Bull's Other Island (1907)

Dear Senryu Lovers of the World,

Like many other things, GBS put in the best way what I want to say, this time about the R. H. Blyth Award 2003: Senryu.

One man's "sense of humour" is another man's poison and humour seldom crosses national, cultural and linguistic barriers. However, when we are in difficulty why not ask the great man himself, Blyth?

"... 'Humour' means joyful, unsentimental pathos that arises from the paradox inherent in the nature of things...Poetry and humour are thus very close; we may say that they are two different aspects of the same thing...Humour is laughing at all things; in Buddhist parlance, seeing that 'all things are empty in their self-nature', and rejoicing in this truth...senryu, like Cassius, 'look quite through the deeds of men'...A really good senryu [...], echoing in the mind 'long after it is heard no more.'..."    ....(Randomly quoted, in a most unacademic manner, from his 'Japanese Life and Character in Senryu')

"...I now think [...] that humour, in its broadest meaning, and as including or rather suffusing poetry, is the real thing..."....... (From the preface to 'Humour in English Literature', 1959)

His classification of different kinds of humour in senryu is one of the best. There can be more kinds added (e.g. current topics humour or satire, lavatory or bawdy humour) but for this competition the Blyth list should be an adequate help (They should be fairly obvious but for detailed explanation read the book itself):

1. Grim Humour

2. Tragic Humour

3. Irony

4. Linguistic Humour

5. Kindly Humour

6. Shakespearean Humour

7. Humour of Exposed Pretence

8. Humour of Indirectness

9. The Humour of Stupidity

10. Parody

This year's R. H. Blyth Award is devoted to senryu but not in the sense it is practiced outside Japan. The details of this important competition will follow. It is a serious attempt with potentially widespread influence but conducted in a humorous manner. For those who may not know exactly what is required, a kind of pathfinder is pasted at the end, though what is mentioned there is not a definitive condition of the contest. Respond to the Blyth Award challenge now with a smile on your face and a twinkle in your eyes, since after all wit is the soul of brevity, i.e. life.  Enjoy. I mean both life and senryu!

Guidelines:

Overview:  R. H. Blyth's appreciation of Eastern sense of humour, particularly that of Japan, was profound. The essence of Japanese senryu is this sense of humour. This year the World Haiku Club presents senryu as the chosen field of the R. H. Blyth Award.

Category: Senryu but not according to any definitions which are postulated outside Japan. Those works which follow them will not be considered. The main feature must be humour in all its manifestations. There is no particular restrictions as to form, style, subject matter or any other conventions so long as humour is the main thing.

Standards & Quality: Highest standards and quality will be sought in this Competition.

Language:  English (senryu written in any other languages must be translated into English. Please, therefore, aim at top-quality translation. Other languages will not be considered)

Eligibility: Open to everybody in the world. Your works must be new, original, unpublished and not being considered elsewhere. By submitting them, you shall be deemed to have agreed to give permission that the works may be published in the announcement, publication or any other use which WHC deem fit, including World Haiku Review. The copyrights shall revert to the authors once their works are published. Any work in breach of these requirements, or of any other normal practice of international haiku contests, including those under WHC, which the organisers deem reasonable, will be rejected and prizes awarded will be rescinded.

Submission of Works and Fees: You can submit up to 10 senryu. The fees
are ? 5, US$ 8, Euro 8 or Yen 1,000 for the first three senryu (it will be
the same if you submit only one or two senryu) and additional: 1, US$ 2, Euro 2 or Yen 500 for each subsequent senryu. No other currencies will be accepted. (e.g. in US$, 10 senryu would be: $8 for the first 3 plus $2 x 7 = $14, making the total fees $ 22)

Payment in cash (sending banknotes by normal letter post) is the preferred
method to avoid high bank commission costs (no problems have been
experienced so far, but make sure to put the banknotes within at least two
sheets of your folded letter paper) but this will be at the sender's risk.
Otherwise, obtain International Money Order in British pounds, or sterling
cheque drawn at UK banks, payable to "World Haiku Festival". (Please make
the denomination in British pound sterling)

Type your works, your first names, your SURNAME (in capital letters),
address, tel/fax, e-mail address, haiku pen name, if any, with a brief bio.
If you add a brief account about each senryu, that would be useful. (How you
lay your poems on paper may not necessarily be observed in the event of
publication for technical reasons.)

Send your works with your payment by snail mail to: Headquarters, The World
Haiku Club, Leys Farm, Rousham, Bicester, England OX25 4RA. In addition,
send the same works also by e-mail to:

Deadline:  to reach us by Sunday 31 August 2003

Judges: TBA

Announcement of the result: The results will be announced either on 28 October, the day of Blyth's death, or on 3 December, Blyth's birthday, or on another occasion if and when it arises. There will be the winner, two runners-up, and seven honourable mentions. No individual enquiries regarding works submitted will be answered.

Award: The R. H. Blyth Award will be conferred to the winner. No prize is considered at the moment for the rest of the best ten, except for the honour of selection.

Publication: The best ten and some other works of merit will be published in World Haiku Review, the WHC's world-wide comprehensive haiku magazine, and will also be widely shown via WHC's lists and other communication network.

***

A PATHFINDER FOR THE R. H. BLYTH AWARD 2003-SENRYU

1) The broadest framework is "humour" in the broadest sense, or in all senses. 

"..., the liveliest effusions of wit and humour are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language." (Northanger Abbey, ch. 5, Jane Austen 1775 - 1817)

2) The FORM can be based on that of existing haiku or senryu, only freer. Broadly, it should be "brief" and have some kind of "rhythm" and "style";

3) The intention is to make someone smile/laugh in various ways;

4) It could be roughly divided into (a) good, elegant and sophisticated humour; (b) low humour; (c) ridicule and mockery, i.e. poignant humour. In each, there can be brilliant senryu or bad ones.

(a) good, elegant and sophisticated humour: witticism, stroke of wit, jeu d'esprit, sally, bon mot, epigram, pun, punning, play upon words, banter, sophistry, all said in a refined, sophisticated and subtle way;

(b) low humour: joke, low joke, broad jest, facetiousness, jocularity, jocosity, jocularity, vis comica, trifling, flippancy, tom-foolery, slapstick, fun, frivolity;

(c) ridicule and mockery: derision, poking fun, mockery, self-mockery, biting wit, cruel humour, satire, scoffing, flippancy, sniggering, crank, quirk, banter, leg-pulling, chaff, buffoonery, clowning, foolery, irony, sarcasm, barbed shaft, backhanded compliment, caricature; "Ridicule is the only honourable weapon we have left." (The Desegregation of Art, 1971, by Muriel Spark (1918 - )

5) SUBJECT MATTER (anything that causes laughter)

1) Human beings: ourselves, others, people, politicians, men in authority;

2) Human behaviours, phenomena and institutions: societies, communities, nation, establishments, tradition and practice etc., etc.;

3) Nature: animal kingdom, natural phenomena

4) Just about anything else where humour is found

Announcement:
The Takashi Hoshino Award at WHC


The World Haiku Club is pleased to announce the creation of a new haiku-related award, called "The Takashi Hoshino Award" at WHC. This follows The R. H. Blyth Award as being among a number of high-standard awards which WHC will be introducing and will aim at becoming one of the most prestigious and important haiku-related awards in the world. The Takashi Hoshino Award will be administered only occasionally.

Takashi, great grand-son of Kyoshi, is a leading Japanese haiku master of the Tamamo School, Editor of the magazine of the same name and a director of the Kamakura Kyoshi & Tatsuko Memorial Museum. He is the master at WHCtakashi.

It is hoped that as many haijin in the world as possible will try their hand on this new competition which aims at significantly high standards, style and quality on a world-wide basis and make their own mark in this very challenging tournament.

The guidelines of the first Takashi Hoshino Award are set out below. Good luck!


From Susumu Takiguchi

14th July 2003

GUIDELINES FOR THE FIRST TAKASHI HOSHINO AWARD 2003


Overview:  A new world haiku award created by The World Haiku Club, following The R. H. Blyth Award, in the name of a leading Japanese master of the Tamamo School. Highest standards and quality will be sought in this Competition. No restrictions as to form, style, subject matter etc., at this time. However, kigo and/or nature references would be preferable and applicants should have some basic training in the traditional haiku. The Award will be only occasional.

Language: English (works written in any other languages must be translated into English. Therefore, aim at top-quality translation)

Eligibility: Open to everybody in the world. Works must be new, original, unpublished and not being considered elsewhere. By submitting them, you shall be deemed to have agreed to give permission that the works may be published in the announcement, publication or any other use which WHC deem fit, including the World Haiku Review. The copyrights shall revert to the authors once their works are published. Any work in breach of these requirements, or any other normal practice of international haiku contests, including those under WHC, which the organisers deem reasonable, will be rejected and prizes awarded will be rescinded. In addition, works posted to WHCtakashi will also be considered (Poets will be contacted if their
works are chosen for final selection to confirm their wish as to whether or
not to enter these works).

How to Submit Works and Fees: No fees unless and until otherwise decided. You can submit up to 10 haiku poems. Type your works, your first names, your SURNAME (in capital letters), address, telephone/fax, e-mail address, haiku pen name, if any, with a brief bio. If you add a brief account about each work, that would be useful. (How you lay your poems on paper may not necessarily be observed in the event of publication for technical reasons.)

Send your works by e-mail to:

Deadline: to reach us by Thursday 25th September 2003

Judges: TBD

Announcement of the result: The results will be announced in November 2003 (exact date to be decided) There will be the winner, two runners-up, and seven honourable mentions. No individual enquiries regarding works submitted will be answered.

Award: The Takashi Hoshino Award will be conferred to the winner. No prize is
considered at the moment for the rest of the best ten, except for the honour
of selection.

Important Announcement:
World Haiku Festival in Holland
12-14 September 2003

The World Haiku Club is pleased to announce World Haiku Festival in Holland, which will take place in Leeuwarden, Provincie Friesland, the Netherlands from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 September 2003. During the three-day event, twenty performing participants and Festival guests will meet each other and the general public, as well as other poets who will attend the Festival, in this beautiful city of leafy streets, rich waterways and bicycles.

Haiku has been popular in the Netherlands, especially since around early 1970s and the haiku population is significant in number. The country has recently celebrated the 400 years of Japanese-Dutch relationship which started with the Dutch ship Liefde (love). The Liefde, though shipwrecked, managed to get Dutch people (and the first Englishman to set foot on Japan, William Adams) to this island of the rising sun. The international nature of the haiku movement in this country is also a significant feature as represented by the well-loved and respected magazine, Woodpecker, which sadly had its last issue in the autumn of 2002.

The first day (Friday) of haiku poets’ meeting and socialisation will be followed by a public haiku event on Saturday at the City’s central park when the general public will enjoy haiku reading, music, talks on haiku and personal views and experiences by performing participants. The third day will be again for haiku poets alone, who will visit a local museum and have a debating session, as well as an optional sightseeing.

All those who really wish to enjoy only the sheer pleasure of haiku and the wonderful things it can do to our lives and relationships without indulging in petty and negative haiku politics are most welcome to attend World Haiku Festival in Holland.

For further details, please contact me or Mr. Milivoj Objedovic, WHC’s Director of World Haiku Festival in Holland, at the addresses below.

Kengin and with best wishes,

Susumu Takiguchi
Chairman, The World Haiku Club
Managing Editor, World Haiku Review
E-mail:

Milivoj Objedovic
Director of World Haiku Festival in Holland
The World Haiku Club
Groningerstraat  19
8922 AR Leeuwarden
The Netherlands

Telephone: 00 31 58 2135442
Fax: 00 31 58 2165918
Email:

New Appointment
Director of World Haiku Festival in Holland

The World Haiku Club is pleased to announce a new appointment of Mr. Milivoj
Objedovic as Director of World Haiku Festival in Holland with immediate effect. This position will terminate at the end of the Festival.

Milivoj is a well-known figure in the international haiku community not only as a haiku poet but also as Editor Eastern Europe of the popular and well-respected international haiku magazine, Woodpecker. Through the magazine, Milivoj has helped its founding editor, Willem Lofvers, in disseminating haiku across the world and contributing to the development of haiku literature world-wide.

Though sadly Woodpecker published its farewell issue last autumn, its admirable influence and friendly spirit will continue to reverberate by the efforts of its many readers and contributors in all parts of the world and by those who worked so hard to get this magazine going, including Milivoj. At the same time, with his colleagues in
Holland, Milivoj has contributed to the development of haiku in the country and helped to raise its profile in the world context.

World Haiku Festival in Holland will take place in Leeuwarden, Provincie Friesland in north-eastern Holland from 12 to 14 September 2003. Milivoj is directly responsible for organising this Festival and in addition to the twenty performing participants, wishes to welcome as many haiku poets as possible from around the world. I hope you will join me in paying tribute to his hard work for the benefit of haiku and of those of us who love the genre.

Kengin,

Susumu

Important Announcement:
WORLD HAIKU REVIEW
Creation of a new world-wide haiku magazine in printed form

The World Haiku Club is pleased to announce our plan to create a new world-wide haiku magazine in the printed form. It will be called “World Haiku Review” at its launch when the current online haiku magazine of WHC will be renamed as “World Haiku Review OnLine”.

The two magazines will work separately and independently. In other words, the new magazine will not be a printed version of the online one, or vice versa. The inaugural issue is targeted to appear in spring 2004 and it will be published twice a year. With the appearance of this new magazine, the current online magazine will have necessary changes.

We are also pleased to announce the creation of a new WHC position for a person who will be directly responsible for the new magazine: Director of World Haiku Review (in printed form) and Mr. Milivoj Objedovic has kindly agreed to take up this post. Milivoj is a well-known international haiku poet and his editorial skills and insight are highly regarded after his excellent editorship at Woodpecker with its founder, Mr. Willem Lofverse (this highly respected and loved international haiku magazine was sadly discontinued last autumn).

Milivoj will also be responsible, as Editor, for covering the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Russia and such countries as Poland. I will function as Managing Editor as well as Editor responsible for covering the rest of the world. There will be other editors, officers and advisors who would make up our team.

This is a very exciting development for the members of WHC and it is hoped that the new magazine will be of some use to, and enjoyed by, non-WHC members at large across the world. The new magazine will aim at the highest standards and quality and at becoming a touchstone against which really good haiku are tested.

The present online World Haiku Review is the only haiku magazine representing the whole world as its terms of reference. The new magazine will also be the first of its kind in printed form. It will be operated not on a national, organisational, regional or cultural level but on a world-wide level. It will be the magazine to which haiku poets in the world are proud to belong. It will also be the magazine which will only be concerned with the development of haiku in the world-wide context without fear or favour, especially against negative haiku politics.

With best wishes,

Susumu Takiguchi
02/08/03

For more World Haiku News, see the Links Pages for URLs and addresses to clubs and organisations, and the Haiku News columns in the World Haiku Review.

Also, see the NewsBoard to browse or add listings of clubs, organisations, journals, contests and other events.

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