The Haiku Society of America’s NYC Metro chapter hosted the Society’s National Meeting. Held in a modest community room of a local West Village Arts center, perhaps 22 people gathered in the space. Forty chairs had been set in a twin series of rows flanking an aisle. Track lighting illuminated a performance space at the head of the chairs. A small kitchenette lay at the back of the room. Across from it, spread out on tables, were multiple haiku journals.
David Lanoue, that year’s President, gave a presentation, and led a discussion, on his new book about Issa and animals. Miriam performed three flamenco dances, and then led a Q&A about her art. We wrote haiku, competed for three prizes. I shook NYC poet and famed haiku editor Cor Van den Heuvel’s hand.
How can I describe an afternoon spend with other haijin? It was a homecoming, a reunion with a tribe of poets whom I had never met.
Indian Summer reading Van den Heuvel’s haibun
Photo by Vitor Pinto
first published in Image Curve, July 23, 2020
for dVerse Poets’ Open Link Night #270 (pubtended by Mish)
The Pub is open! Come join us!
Frank J. Tassone 
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