Contemprary Tanka Poet Mariko Kitakubo.
お知らせ
On June 24, an online poetry journal "Scarlet Dragonfly Journal" published "Sachet." It is an English linked verse with Ms. Sigrid Saradunn, Ms. Kath Abela Wilson, Ms. Taura Scott, Ms. Jackie Chou, and myself.
My sincere thanks to the editor, Ms. Kathleen Trocmet.
https://scarletdragonflyjournal.wordpress.com/.../sachet/
Sachet
sunrise wedding
by the sea
wisteria bouquets
for bride and attendants
mother weeps at the sight
— Sigrid Saradunn, USA
does wisteria
weep as it droops
lavender tears
I catch in my hand
for my faraway friend
— Kath Abela Wilson, USA
draping
over the archway
wisteria blossoms
caress my face
as I walk by
— Taura Scott, USA
again and again
the same walk just to feel
wisteria
it’s silky touch its sachet
stays in my heart
— Kath Abela Wilson, USA
by the cloister
my mother was young
violet strands
how many springs ago
wisteria
— Mariko Kitakubo, Japan
strolling through
a wisteria trellis
alone . . .
my mind somewhere
beyond my own reach
— Jackie Chou, USA
Monday, June 27, 2022
On June 23, a poetry video journal "Frameless Sky" published "Stormy."
It is an English tanka & haiku sequence I created together with Ms. Deborah P Kolodji, my best friend haiku poet.
My sincere thanks to the editor, Ms. Chrissi Villa.
Stormy
spring snow
or petals of sakura
falling falling
like ashes
in Ukraine (M)
trains going west
a child’s stuffed bear
stares out the window (D)
whose uniform. . .
a sunflower sprout
comes out
of the camouflage
pocket (M)
the caws of crows
footage of survivors
underground (D)
searching for
better days...
repeated invasions
in our layered
past (M)
petal storm
is there a chance
for peace? (D)
— by Deborah P Kolodji, USA / Mariko Kitakubo, Japan
Friday, June 24, 2022
On June 23, an online poetry journal "Scarlet Dragonfly Journal" published "Under the Sun." It is an English tanka & haiku sequence I created together with Ms. Debora P. Kolodji, my best friend haiku poet.
My sincere thanks to the editor, Ms. Kathleen Trocmet.
https://scarletdragonflyjournal.wordpress.com/.../under-the-sun/
Under the Sun
early heat wave
the shade tree not yet
leafed out (D)
road mirage,
the wait for thunder–
ordering
a scoop of pistachio
ice cream (M)
earth baked
by relentless sun
my wide-brimmed hat (D)
high tide
tomorrow always
comes
the shiny edge
of the field of vision (M)
aloe vera
the cool rub down after
of a heated argument (D)
the thorns
were young green
never-ending
vacation
in Mallorca (M)
— by Deborah P Kolodji, USA / Mariko Kitakubo, Japan
Thursday, June 23, 2022
On May 28, an online poetry journal "Scarlet Dragonfly Journal" published "Lego Box." It is an English tanka & haiku sequence I created together with Ms. Debora P. Kolodji, my best friend haiku poet.
My sincere thanks to the editor, Ms. Kathleen Trocmet.
Lego Box
tiny pieces
become
our world. . .
picking up only
innocent elements (M)
kaleidoscopes
of brightly colored pieces
Starry Night in 3-D (D)
passion
of the vortex
still there
in the deep sky
Vincent Van Gogh (M)
swirling blocks
in circular patterns
childhood artist (D)
release
from a spiral
labyrinth
a flying ladybird
summer morning (M)
follow
the yellow brick road
Lego box (D)
— Mariko Kitakubo, Japan / Deborah P Kolodji, USA
<Message from Ms. Deborah P Kolodji>
Collaborative poetry has been especially fun and inspiring during this pandemic/post-pandemic age we have been living through, isolated from everyone. Since Covid hit in 2020, I've been writing tanka/haiku sequences with my good friend, Mariko Kitakubo, from Tokyo.
She writes tanka and I write haiku and we inspire each other. Due to the time difference, it is often very late at night either here in LA or in Tokyo when our creativity blossoms. She might write a tanka before she goes to bed, then I see it when I wake up. When I'm about to go to bed, we're at our most productive since it's in the middle of the afternoon (tomorrow) in Tokyo at that time.
Last summer, I went to the Lego art exhibit, "The Art of the Brick," at the California Science Center with Yvette and sent Mariko some photos. She was inspired to write a tanka, which inspired me to write a haiku and the rest is history. "Lego Box" was published in the Scarlet Dragonfly Journal yesterday:
https://scarletdragonflyjournal.wordpress.com/.../lego-box/
Sunday, May 29, 2022
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May 18, 4:00 p.m. PST (May 19, 8:00 a.m. JST), I participated in the Wednesday Poetry Zoom Meeting hosted by Ms. Kathabela Wilson from Karuizawa where the leaves are bright green. I was fortunate to spend a rich and inspiring time enjoying improvised poems with everyone and presenting my new English tanka poems at the meeting. |
Thursday, May 19, 2022
Ms. Chúc Mỹ Tuệ, founder and editor-in-chief of SHABDA PRESS, announced that they will be publishing a collection of English tanka and haiku sequences created by myself and Ms. Deborah P Kolodji.
I am very grateful and honored by their announcement because SHABDA PRESS publishes one book of poetry a year in print with their goal to produce beautiful, high-quality, well-designed poetry books.
I will announce the details of the publication at a later date.
Ms. Chúc Mỹ Tuệ, thank you very much.
* Photo above shows "INDIGO" (Tanka poetry collection by Mariko Kitakubo published) and "highway of sleeping towns" (Haiku & Senryu collection by Debora P Kolodji) both published in 2016 from SHABDA PRESS.
Friday, May 13, 2022
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From 4 pm PST 2022.4.27 (8 am JST 2022.4.28), I participated in the Wednesday Poetry Zoom Meeting hosted by Ms. Kathabela Wilson and read a new piece of English haiku and tanka sequences that I had composed with Ms. Deborah P Kolodji. I was also happy to have an opportunity to share with today's participants some of the collaborative works that we enjoyed in our previous poetry reading. Thank you all for a rich and inspiring time. |
Thursday, April 28, 2022
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From 4:00 pm PST on April 20 (8:00 am JST on April 21), I participated in the Wednesday Poetry Zoom Meeting hosted by Ms. Kathabela Wilson. We created a piece of English tanka sequence and another sequence of poems about wisteria flowers together with everyone. It was an exciting time, as we were inspired by each other's unique expressions, which developed in a flash. Thank you very much for everyone! |
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
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On April 19 at 7:30 pm PST (April 20 at 11:30 am JST), I participated in the Poetry Zoom event, Cobalt Poets Reading, presided at by Mr. Rick Lupert. Ms. Chúc Mỹ Tuệ was today's featured poet. She had made great efforts in the publication of "INDIGO" from Sabda Press. It was an enriching time for me. Her powerful and positive poetry based on her own history drew me into her world. I presented a reading with Ms. Deborah P Kolodji of our 23rd English Haiku and Tanka sequence. |
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
The 36th issue of KOKAKO, a New Zealand poetry magazine, was delivered safely across the equator and through the sea where the first typhoon of this year moving northward.
It is a very precious thing in recent days when travel between countries is so difficult.
The fact that Ms. Deborah P Kolodji, an American Haiku poet, and myself, a Japanese Tanka poet, jointly created this sequence with the subject matter of Inokashira Park near my home gives this sequence a rich local and international flavor.
My sincere thanks to the editors, Ms. Patricia Prime and Ms. Margret Beverland.
Inokashira Park
empty swan boats
cherry blossoms
floating (D)
whiteness
of the new canvas
blank
to paint our time
spring again (M)
morning sun
sparkles on the lake
ducks gather (D)
soon
they will fly to
Kamchatka
skies and water
waterfowl (M)
cloud cover
we cross the bridge
into silence (D)
tell me
your folklore
newborn water
hidden spring
in the park (M)
Deborah P Kolodji & Mariko Kitakubo
Monday, April 18, 2022
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