Contemprary Tanka Poet Mariko Kitakubo. Reading Performance.
Tanka reading performance oveseas.
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June 11, 4:00 p.m. PDT (June 12, 8:00 a.m. JST), I participated in Friday Poetry Zoom Meeting presided at by Ms. Kathabela Wilson. The meeting was held in memory of our good friend, Mr. Robert Stewart, an excellent photographer, painter, and poet, who passed away suddenly. |
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It was a time of remembrance. Each one of us shared our memories of him, his achievements, and his warm and sincere personality. I shared a photo of my hands playing percussion that he had taken in 2012. I performed improvised reading of tanka inspired by the photo imagery presented by one of the participants. May his soul be filled with peace. |
Saturday, June 12, 2021
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May 28, 4:00 p.m. PDT (May 29, 8:00 a.m. JST), I participated in Friday Poetry Meeting presided at by Ms. Kathabela Wilson, and performed reading of my new Tanka sequence both in Japanese and in English. |
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I was fortunate to be able to interact with poets from English-speaking countries after a long time and to receive fresh inspiration. Thank you very much to the organizer and all participants. |
Saturday, May 29, 2021
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May 7, 4:00 p.m. PDT (May 8, 8:00 a.m. JST), I participated in Friday Poetry Meeting presided at by Ms. Kathabela Wilson, and performed reading of my new Tanka sequence both in Japanese and in English. |
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Although I am in the middle of composing new Tanka for a Japanese publisher on a commission basis, I was very happy to have an opportunity to get inspired from another angle by English-speaking creators. It's been a while since I attended the meeting last time, but it was a fruitful time for me. Dear Kathabela, and everyone in the meeting, thank you very much. |
Saturday, May 8, 2021
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April 16, 4:00 p.m. PDT (Apr. 17, 8:00 a.m. JST), I participated in Friday Poetry Meeting presided at by Ms. Kathabela Wilson. Ms. Deborah P Kolodji and I performed reading together our latest English Haiku and Tanka sequence. |
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With the PowerPoint presentation provided by Ms. Debora, all participants enjoyed our presentation. I'm really happy about this. |
Monday, April 19, 2021
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April 7, 4:00 p.m. PDT (Apr. 8, 8:00 a.m. JST), I participated in Wednesday Poetry Meeting presided at by Ms. Kathabela Wilson. |
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The meeting featured Deborah P Kolodji's visit to Japan in 2019, and we presented a joint reading performance of our triptych, "MEIJI-Jinguu", "ASAKUSA", "INOKASHIRA-PARK". It is a great honor for me to support her presentation. Ms. Kathabela and Ms. Deborah, thank you very much for those unforgettable and happy moments.。 |
Thursday, April 8, 2021
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April 6, 7:30 p.m. PDT (April 7, 11:30 a.m. JST), I participated in Cobalt Poets Poetry Reading event presided at by Mr. Rick Lupert, and performed English-Japanese bilingual Tanka reading. It is a great honor to be invited to the event as a featured reader. |
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Mr. Rick Lupert, thank you so much for the great opportunity. |
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Click below to watch the event video.
My reading performance, including Mr. Lupert's introduction about me, starts at about 33:20 and runs through to 55 minutes.
Cobalt Poets presents Mariko Kitakubo + Open reading
Cobalt Poets Website posted a beautiful broadside for my performance.
(Click the image below to view in large size and/or download it.)
Let me introduce some of the comments made while my reading performance.
| 20:10:20 | Lisbeth Coiman | I am tripping over this. |
| 20:11:45 | Nathaniel Horowitz | nice |
| 20:12:13 | Nathaniel Horowitz | riverside strong wind that night I escaped from suicide |
| 20:21:29 | Seretta Martin | everywhere is autumn color me too please |
| 20:23:14 | Cynthia Anderson | "by the misty pond a glimmer of hope" |
| 20:25:01 | Nathaniel Horowitz | density of sunlight |
| 20:27:36 | Cynthia Anderson | "snowflakes have their own endings" |
| 20:28:46 | Tara A. Elliott | Wonderful! |
| 20:29:06 | Tara A. Elliott | Stunning. |
| 20:29:09 | Deborah P Kolodji | Beautiful, rich, wonderful reading! |
| 20:29:15 | Sigrid Saradunn | WoW ! |
| 20:29:23 | Sigrid Saradunn | Thank you so very much |
| 20:29:32 | Lob | wow.. so wonderful! thank you so much |
| 20:30:20 | KenScott | The entire work resonated with me. The mood was sublime. Thank you for this wonderful performance! |
| 20:30:23 | Rick Lupert | Download the broadside for Mariko’s poem here http://www.poetrysuperhighway.com/cobalt/broadsides.html Check out Mariko’s most recent book “Indigo” on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3rVIuy3 Visit Mariko on the web here: https://www.en.kitakubo.com |
| 20:30:48 | Lisbeth Coiman | That was so beautiful. The imagery of nature, the ritualistic aspect of the reading. I am so happy I came to see you, Mariko. Delightful |
| 20:31:06 | Dig Wayne | “…a dark hollow of me…” |
| 20:31:26 | Seretta Martin | Another stellar broadside. So perfect for her! |
| 20:31:28 | Lisbeth Coiman | Ahh. I receive your gift |
| 20:31:33 | Salvatore Roseo | stunning work |
| 20:31:42 | KenScott | Thank you, Mariko, for blessing us with your presence and spirit! |
| 20:32:44 | Karen Scott | Thank you, Mariko, for that lovely presentation! |
| 20:33:04 | Crystophver R | Monumental Mariko! |
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
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April 2, 4:00 p.m. PDT (Apr. 3 8:00 a.m. JST), I participated in Friday Poetry Meeting presided at by Ms. Kathabela Wilson, and performed improvised reading of tanka both in English and in Japanese. |
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The meeting featured a collaboration of English Haiku and photos taken by Ms. Deborah P Kolodji, my best friend, when she came to Japan in April 2019. It was a wonderful time for me to be able to relive the days when she stayed at my house. |
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Thank you very much, Deborah. I sincerely hope that the days will come back soon so that we can travel back and forth between our countries. |
Saturday, April 3, 2021
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March 26, 4:00 p.m. PST (Mar. 27 8:00 a.m. JST), I participated in Friday Poetry Meeting presided at by Ms. Kathabela Wilson from Inokashira Park where cherry blossoms are in full bloom. |
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Accompanied by Mr. Rick Wilson's Shakuhachi flute play, I was able to present my bilingual tanka reading in a gorgeous atmosphere. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude toward my dearest Mr. & Mrs. Wilson. |
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This meeting featured Ms. Yvette Kolodji, an English Haiku poet and an artist. Appreciating her creative and innovative art surrounded by Japanese cherry blossoms which she loves was a precious time for me. Thank everyone for all. |
Saturday, March 27, 2021
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March 2nd, 7:30 p.m. PST (Mar. 3, 12:30 JST), I participated in Cobalt Poets Reading Zoom Event presided at by Mr. Rick Lupert, and performed bilingual reading in Japanese and in English. The piece I presented was "Meiji Jingu", which is the sequence Ms. Deborah P Kolodji and I created together. |
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Mr. Hiram Silms was the feature poet in this event. His poems led me into his distinctive and unique world, and inspired me a lot. |
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I would like to express my gratitude toward Mr. Rick Lupert and everyone in the meeting. |
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
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February 25, 1:00 p.m. PST (Feb. 26 6:00 a.m. JST), I participated in Thursday Poetry Zoom Meeting presided at by Ms. Kathabela Wilson. Ms. Deborah P Kolodji and I performed reading of our new English Haiku & English Tanka sequence which we created together. It is the tenth sequence we created together. I once again realized that how happy I am to be able to collaborate with a poet being in tune with each other. |
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Participants from the U.S., Canada, Japan and France gathered and had active discussions. This international meeting inspired me a lot. For everyone in the meeting, thank you very much. |
Friday, February 26, 2021
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