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Welcome to this new Spring/Summer issue of our journal. You will find a lighter tone, overall, rising above the sadness of today’s world, the poets finding beauty in blossoms, birds, nature in general. Some poets deftly express their feelings of loss and grief about the current world issues as well. Bruce Ross, the founding editor of this journal and my husband, recently celebrated his 80th birthday. As you all know by now, he has stepped down since early 2024 due to advancing illness. His involvement with haiku has been life long, he has been an early supporter of international haiku and “revived” interest in haibun. He was president of the Haiku Society of America in the early 1990s. He wrote the seminal anthology Haiku Moment, as well as the haibun anthology Journey to the Interior, which was probably the first of its kind, in the 1990s. He was a co-editor for many years of the yearly American Haibun and Haiga anthology and Contemporary Haibun online journal. In 1997 and updated in 2023, he published a writing guide to haiku and related forms (How to Haiku, updated to Writing Haiku), which is written with beginners and even children in mind. Because of the focus on a younger audience, this book was misunderstood when it first came out. In 2012 he published, together with Kōko Katō, Dietmar Tauchner and Patricia Prime, A Vast Sky, which is probably the largest international haiku anthology to date. The impetus for it arose from yearly Autumn Moon contests, which he founded in the early 2000s and were open to international submissions. A Vast Sky received a few awards and great reviews, but unfortunately it has not sold much, as Bruce had to self-publish it and sell it on Amazon, with very low visibility. After the great reception that A Vast Sky had, Bruce decided, nine years ago, to start this journal that you are reading today. He has always held his work at a high standard, and also this journal has been kept to his high standard for nature-related haiku. Our selection criteria are therefore quite rigorous. This journal is also meant to be a teaching tool for younger writers. Here is a spring haiku from one of Bruce’s poetry collections, spring clouds: steam rising from my favorite tea early spring clouds I will leave the reader to enjoy the haiku moment and nature connection in this meditative haiku. We have many of Bruce’s books at home, including the ones aforementioned, and I have listed them in the “Announcements; Books by Bruce Ross” section above. Please contact me at [email protected] for more information and if you want to purchase any. It would be very sad to throw these books away when Bruce passes on… His has been a labor of love, and I am trying to continue it for as long as I am able. Astrid Andreescu Maine, USA, May 2025 subdued – a moth settles on her old kimono Sheikha A., UAE old pond – a dragonfly catches the last light petal by petal the apple orchard snowing Jenny Ward Angyal, USA waiting for rain . . . the mockingbird’s song awash with sunset night owl – losing her voice to the prairie wind Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA April heat – overflowing the bird bath a flock of sparrows اپریل کی گرمی پرندہ نہان سے چھلکتے ہوئے چڑیوں کا ایک غول spring in the family haveli each blossom unfolds a different memory *haveli: traditional townhouse in the Indian subcontinent خاندانی حویلی میں بہار ہر پھول کھولتا ہے ایک مختلف یادداشت Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan summer garlands the wishes we plant in whistle grass Joanna Ashwell, UK last stop a train car full of sleeping soldiers תחנה אחרונה קרון מלא חיילים ישנים another leap a toddler stumbles following a sparrow דרור מנתר פעוט מועד בעקבותיו Adi Assis, Israel birdsong flickers of blossom in the wild plum sunset cools in cobalt shadows a currawong’s call Gavin Austin, Australia empty house . . . cherry trees in bloom for no one prazna kuća . . . trešne u cvatu ni za koga Katica Badovinac, Croatia tipping marsh reeds the whistlescents of red-winged blackbirds Jo Balistreri, USA afternoon rain i fold my son’s laughter into paper boats Mona Bedi, India spring gusts – fresh horseshoe tracks in the mud summer birthday a child’s handmade mobile of mussel shells Brad Bennett, USA chrysanthemum stone all the years it can take to flourish pierre de chrysanthème les années que ça peut prendre pour s’épanouir Maxianne Berger, Canada day lengthening below the window outside someone is singing Jerome Berglund, USA semper fidelis the paired blossoms of partridgeberry Sally Biggar, USA seeds planted the day blossoms into a starling Shawn Blair, USA a slug hides in a rose tulip –cool spring day Nancy Brady, USA aviary . . . a parrot says I love you to the new bird Ed Bremson, USA wind tossed daffodils her grown-up smile under an umbrella Randy Brooks, USA the barter system water in the birdbath finch song Alanna C. Burke, USA spring . . . and the trees are already missing water Frühling . . . und den Bäumen mangelt es schon an Wasser Pitt Büerken, Germany sharing love poems in the shelter – new dawn condividere poesie d'amore nel rifugio - nuova alba Mariangela Canzi, Italy spring wind – the tree sings another way vânt de primăvară – copacul cântă altfel lavender field – remembering my mother’s perfume câmpul de lavandă – amintindu-mi parfumul mamei mele Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Romania hullabaloo all the bulbuls at dawn Matthew Caretti, American Samoa cherry petals how quickly the truce fell apart hail damage the roofers without an accent Archie G. Carlos, USA bulldozers the pungency of wild sage Bob Carlton, USA surprised by softness pulling lupins through my fingers Louise Carson, Canada even in my dreams the scent of roses tucked behind her ear Ram Chandran, India green meadow spring rain on a spring frog spring time mom’s magic – cherry blossoms 春 母の魔法 桜 haru haha no mahō – sakura Manasa Reddy Chichili, India mountain path – the sky brighter in the peony meadow potecă de munte – în poiana cu bujori mai luminos cerul Mihaela Cojocaru, Romania swishing tails of cattle at the trough . . . summer breeze Ria Collins, Ireland the thunderstorm to come rumour of robins barn owl’s flight the field mouse light as a feather Sue Colpitts, Canada family gathering the scent of the first rose riunione di famiglia il profumo della prima rosa Maria Concetta Conti, Italy green flash the osprey lifting off ahead of a swell Bill Cooper, USA fertility clinic the first cherry blossom unfurls hospice window she says she wants to be that butterfly Sue Courtney, New Zealand blue hydrangea some cuttings before mom’s house is sold Tina Crenshaw, USA April rain how lonely it is under my umbrella ulan sa Abril ang lungkot sa ilalim ng aking payong fireflies for once i forget there are stars alitaptap minsan nakalimutan kong may mga bituin Alvin Cruz, The Philippines moving through the sky geese moving the sky Maya Daneva, Canada opening night the glow of moonflowers Pat Davis, USA writer’s notebook from 3 lines to 3 lines a decade of seasons carnet d’écrivain de 3 lignes en 3 lignes une décennie de saisons Marie Derley, Belgium her first sleep over – all alone in the poplars a pint sized owl Edward Dewar, Canada less wind by the morning the fallen dogwood Carmela Dolce, USA sugar moon ghosts of magnolia blossom smudging the night Rebecca Drouilhet, USA family campfire mosquitoes join the conversation Jane Druzhinina, USA sky full of kites the wind brings home a song Baisali Chatterjee Dutt, India survival – the last lily rising again supravieţuire – ridicându-se din nou ultimul crin Carmen Duvalma, Romania bar-b-que shack wild morning glories spiral the grill early spring redbud bumps waiting to bloom Lynn Edge, USA popping up through the morning sun great crested grebe Keith Evetts, UK spring sunrise birds gather on the tin roof Susan Farner, USA moonlit perfume dusk’s soft light gone too soon wangi rembulan lembayung senja meredup sirna sekejap Nurul Olivia Fathonah, Indonesia cicada wind the song comes and goes Bill Fay, USA inviting friends to tea pollinator garden Barbara Feehrer, USA a sandy bottom the heron wades without stirring Jeff Ferrara, USA the cruelest month falling quietly snow on snowmelt Thomas Festa, USA fragrant rain falling one by one acacia petals pachnący deszcz spadają jeden po drugim płatki akacji Małgorzata Formanowska, Poland undoing the urgency spring sun on the willow a witches hat shell on the sand winter turns into spring Jenny Fraser, New Zealand New England barn a weathervane rusted South Jay Friedenberg, USA spring breeze a barefoot woman begins to dance gibbous moon the sliding note of a guqin Seth Friedman, Canada under the wind the steady plunk! of maple into the bucket Dennis Owen Frohlich, USA bitter cold – not enough hot water to scald off my guilt Joshua Gage, USA here at last the saltiness of our sea ecco finalmente la salsedine del nostro mare Barbara Gaiardoni, Italy spring cleaning behind the curtain chrysalis Mike Gallagher, Ireland the gale – days of Lent in the village el ventarrón – los días de cuaresma en el villorio the old man returns to the battle site – the same breeze ya anciano acude al lugar de la batalla – la misma brisa Rafael García Bidò, Dominican Republic vanishing star – no answers to prayer nestajanje zvijezde – nema odgorova na molitvu Goran Gatalica, Croatia cotton sowing fragile hopes for bridal gowns . . . again, gunpowder сеитба на памук крехки надежди за булчински рокли или отново барут Ivan Georgiev, Bulgaria/Germany sepal to sepal make the spring breeze more drunk cherries in bloom کاسبرگ پشت کاسپرک مست تر می کنند نسیم بهاری را گیلاس های شکوفه پوش Roohallah Ghasemi, Iran at the slightest touch the fall of raspberries Mark Gilbert, UK Lunar craters Her childhood full of Memory gaps Kratery na Księżycu Jej dzieciństwo pełne Pamięciowych luk Anna Goluba, Poland lavender stems her old memories in a drawer steli di lavanda i suoi vecchi ricordi in un vasetto di lavanda Eufemia Griffo, Italy spring moon clouds the barred owl twirls its head spring rain rolls down their coats neighbor and dog Andrew Grossman, USA every moment a hymn of life – blue iris in bloom في كل لحظة - ترنيمة حياة إزهار زهرة السوسن الزرقاء Fatma Zohra Habis, Algeria The cuckoo calls there is no way in the wilderness Niels Hammer, Sweden dew-drenched waves of frogs spread from my footsteps Lev Hart, Canada mountain lake the glacial stillness in a heron’s eye John Hawkhead, UK problems with sunlight the inevitable fading into darkness Patricia Hawkhead, UK moonrise . . . magnolia buds hold dew 月亮升起了… 玉兰蓓蕾 含着露水 fox’s cry . . . moonlight fills the valley 狐狸的叫声… 月光 满山谷 David He, China whispered words a splash of forsythia through the mist fading light watching a moonflower twirl open then shut Deborah Burke Henderson, USA collecting field songs mockingbird Jeff Hoagland, USA rising from earth to flitter and wither this cicada life Ruth Holzer, USA morning dew a fledgling at the front door Frank Hooven, USA rain cascades from the canopy a nurse log’s many saplings midday spring stream all the synonyms of shimmer Lee Hudspeth, USA zazen . . . the silence among moon shadows summer storm the flood forges a new path Matilyn Humbert, Australia serenity the buds grow quietly in the moonlight seninătate mugurii cresc pe tăcute la lumina lunii Mona Iordan, Romania beach day . . . counting the ripples her steps make Samantha Pardo Irigoyen, USA a long pause cherry blossom falls into the silence Erica Ison, UK Central Park no one talks not even to their dog Central Park niko ne razgovara ni sa svojim psom spring whim – sparrows outshout the old gossipers prolećni kapric vrapci nadvikuju stare tračare Dejan Ivanovic, Serbia the newborn twins a million eyes in the starlit sky Lakshmi Iyer, India first butterfly my friend visiting from abroad 初蝶や異国より友きたりけり hatsuchō ya ikoku yori tomo kitari keri Keiko Izawa, Japan giving a voice to quietude – mourning doves gathering a bouquet of wildflowers the bees follow me home Rick Jackofsky, USA Easter weekend a boy scoops up tadpoles to set them free AJ Johnson, USA spring rain the clouds passing over the moon a ladybird on a twig reflecting sunshine spring morning Govind Joshi, India summer solstice . . . in sync with temple bell bellows at sunup ग्रीष्म अयनांत . . . मंदिर की घंटी की ताल में सूर्योदय के समय रंभाहट Monica Kakkar, India Wild roses over the decayed fence in full bloom 破れ垣を覆ひ尽くして花茨 Scarlet peonies – asleep on straw mulch a black cat 緋牡丹や眠る黒猫敷き藁に Satoru Kanematsu, Japan the first bees in the cherry orchard dancing granddaughter pierwsze pszczoły w wiśniowym sadzie tańcząca wnuczka Wiesław Karliński, Poland in fallen blossoms sometimes . . . my lost baby Arvinder Kaur, India sweet scents this spring morning . . . blossom sky Keitha Keyes, Australia statue of liberty coming into view Noel King, Ireland rising above the sandy hole eyes of a crab Ravi Kiran, India two weeks in the wren’s eggs still eggs Kim Klugh, USA silent moth wings . . . the lighted window divides two worlds tiha krila ljiljka . . . osvijetljen prozor dijeli dva svijeta willow catkins – feeling granny’s palm on my hair vrbine mace – osjećam bakin dlan na svojoj kosi Nina Kovačić, Croatia distant barking piercing a tiny hole in the morning fog Jeff Kressmann, USA gone too soon his mother’s bluebonnets Kimberly Kuchar, USA in all these days of rain and grayness – the nod of daffodils Jill Lange, USA our relationship the picnic table’s length ladybug and i Laughing Monkey, USA shrinking pond searching for the moon Barrie Levine, USA white lilacs draping the dusk the loon’s vibrato Kathryn Liebowitz, USA cherry blossoms so close to the sky in my homeland цветови трешње тако су близу неба у завичају Mile Lisica, Serbia which one to praise? a field of endless bluebells Robert Lowes, USA a silent pond with hundreds of eyes – lotuses in bloom occhi a centinaia nello stagno silenzioso fiorisce il loto Oscar Luparia, Italy preserved in a dry tide pool constellation of sea stars Anthony Lusardi, USA close by two clay cups spring breeze Devoshruti Mandal, India summer night the lights of the past in our present letnia noc gwiazdy mrugają do nas swym dawnym blaskiem Urszula Marciniak, Poland cherry blossom petals . . . in her last message a heart still beats petali di ciliegio . . . nel suo ultimo messagio ancora batte un cuore Carmela Marino, Italy pine siskins explode sky washed with wings Beverly Matherne, USA nightfall fog the puffed up sound of one cricket Richard L. Matta, USA courting parrots crisscross the maze forest canopy Jo McInerney, Australia garden stillness where night begins moonflower MJ Mello, USA After making love quiet wash of new rain Jonathan Memmert, USA There were orchards, olive and orange trees here No one remembers Aquí hubo huertos, olivos y naranjos Nadie recuerda Lía Miersch, Argentina my plot next to father’s grave moss on the rock summer solstice morning sickness all day long Rowan Beckett Minor, USA toddler cherry petals in her wake Sarah Mirabile-Blacker, Switzerland white butterflies mark the silence old diary farfalle bianche scandiscono il silenzio vecchio diario all I need is the wind in a meadow of anemones – everything flows mi basta il vento in un prato di anemoni – tutto fluisce Daniela Misso, Italy sunshower the vocalisations of a baby crow ploaie de soare vocalizele unui pui de cioară Mircea Moldovan, Romania from hedge to hedge finches’ repartee I get out of the way da siepe a siepe botta e risposta dei fringuelli mi tolgo di mezzo Luciana Moretto, Italy a fledgling startled from the robin’s nest cell phone camera Wilda Morris, USA short dreams in a long night the birds begin without her first turtles . . . meeting their sparkle with mine Laurie D. Morrissey, USA drifting cherry petals my friend’s funeral tomorrow a warm wind fans the palm grove honking ibis Leanne Mumford, Australia a windless day . . . deep into the forest’s heart old railway tracks o zi fără vânt . . . vechea cale ferată în inima pădurii Florian Munteanu, Romania cuckoo’s call in the still air a bud opens Jiel Narvekar, India white dogwood through light fog – a bluebird preens a ruffled wing Arthur Nord, USA summer road trip out to the desert to revisit the old me Olivia O, Nigeria wildflowers much of my walk spent standing still Nola Obee, Canada twilight creeps across the village graveyard blackbird song mrak se plazi čez vaško pokopališče pesem kosa school’s over the buzz in blooming lindens šole je konec brenčanje v cvetočih lipah Polona Oblak, Slovenia high stepping in the shallows blue heron night rain the ostrich fern unfurls in morning light Helen Ogden, USA summer holidays we part the waves of skylark song Ben Oliver, England, UK rose bush leaves I unfurl into late morning tapping into your sweetness sugar maple Debbie Olson, USA peepers singing in the marsh the smell of rain Nancy Orr, USA the robin sings to us from a flowering blackthorn – seaside stroll Maeve O’Sullivan, Ireland just enough left for the ancestors – vanilla crop Scott Packer, Canada two phoebes nesting under my deck rent free Jimmy Pappas, USA holy week the doxology of daffodils John Pappas, USA riyaaz the deep sigh of our dog *Riyaaz: classical Indian music practice Vandana Parashar, India porch rocking chair the yellow blur of goldfinches M.R. Pelletier, USA under starlight two old friends sip tea . . . white violets Marion Poirier, USA in the meadow the farmer doesn’t work cuckoo flowers snapped twig a jay’s head appears amongst the bluebells Thomas Powell, N. Ireland budding birch some leaves still unfallen Vishal Prabhu, India spring mist rises from the roots of the maple trees graduation day Jude Pultz, USA brilliant night – my summer shawl falls softly notte splendente – il mio scialle estivo scivola lieve Maria Cristina Pulvirenti, Italy slanted sunlight another stack of books grows taller chaos theory . . . there’s something about that butterfly Tony Pupello, USA new nest, mornings begin early, at my window. Vaishnavi Pusapati, England before the blossoms bloom last breath Audrey Quinn, Ireland summer sun the tree stump alive with trumpet flowers Carol Raisfeld, USA by the holy river a smoking pyre . . . dawn birdsong Meera Rehm, India a twinge in the knee that used to just go late summer grasses Sam Renda, South Africa mile after mile old stone fences dividing time Edward J. Rielly, USA mother nudges her fawn . . . sun and shadows Susan Lee Roberts, USA I’ll get there when I get there summer clouds Chad Lee Robinson, USA without knowing they are bound to die blooming lilacs utan att veta att te snart ska dö blommande syrener Daniela Rodi, Finland family reunion – the weight of stones and sphagnum moss tangled roots under the WWII memorial unseen graves Jacob D. Salzer, USA family dispute two herons walk across the field కుటుంబ కలహం పొలం మధ్యలో నడుస్తున్న రెండు కొంగలు the star and I in the dark నక్షత్రం నేను చీకట్లో Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, India sunset companion hanging out in the other boat a brown pelican kasamahan sa paglubog ng araw nakatambay sa kabilang bangka isang kayumangging pagala Ernesto P. Santiago, The Philippines drum circle the pulsating rhythm of heart beats Bona M. Santos, USA night’s dream on the rim of my coffee mug waiting for daybreak রাতের স্বপ্ন আমার কফি মগের কিনারায় অপেক্ষা করে প্রভাত সূর্যের Jharna Sanyal, India to live so fully summer sun shower Kelly Sargent, USA daisy petals the quantum state of our union Agnes Eva Savich, USA embracing me back – the mud on my path Julie Schwerin, USA the morning chickadee practices scales key of chartreuse Ron Scully, USA day-hatched chicks in a cardboard box his favorite flannel Paula Sears, USA cherry petals the softness of a baby’s palm Manoj Sharma, Nepal household chores mom says “hello” to the money plant Richa Sharma, India old boots by the open gate – spring crocus Nalini Shetty, India Early summer breeze – a big river flows gently along the castle 薫風や大河ゆるりと城に沿ひ In the bamboo grove the first voice of a warbler already well-tuned 竹林にはや整へる初音かな Kyoko Shimizu, Japan quaking aspens spinning leaves into daydreams Michael Shoemaker, USA storm ends a crow picks up last of the daylight आंधी थमी… एक कौआ चुनता है दिन की अंतिम किरण dusk deepens . . . a firefly’s glow brightens the night गहराती संध्या … जुगनू की चमक रात रौशन करे Neena Singh, India cancer meds on the kitchen sill – apple’s gone bad Daniel Skach-Mills, USA rainstorm a wren’s morning song quickly forgotten bedroom skylight what the moon knows of loneliness Thomas Smith, USA fire tree dripping parched petals arbol nagtulo giuhawng mga gihay tea solon, The Philippines golden hour the mountain stream glitters Srini, India altocumulus moon my first words in coyote Joshua St. Claire, USA rest area . . . taking the time to gaze at the stars estate sale bluebonnets blanket the pasture Stephenie Story, USA we emerge from hibernation aspen catkins fox den a white feather pinned to the grass Debbie Strange, Canada cooking his favourite scrambled eggs . . . dog’s birthday Neha Talreja, India calculating the weight of a secret . . . spring rain between the end and the beginning . . . summer stars Angela Terry, USA hiking companion for a few seconds banana slug Richard Tice, USA grandpa is gone – in the plum tree he planted a few blossoms bunicul a plecat – în prunul plantat de el câteva flori grandma’s orchard – the scent of freshly mown hay livada bunicii – aroma de fân proaspăt cosit Maria Tirenescu, Romania looking into the mirror reflections of flowers alive and dying Charles Trammell, USA fading sun . . . Buddha’s hand raised in the distance Xenia Tran, Scotland, UK clouds changing shape empty chrysalis canopy of stars the magnitude of not knowing Kevin Valentine, USA on the path back home an empty snail shell filled with rain Joanne van Helvoort, The Netherlands not one crow stands out morning assembly Sathya Venkatesh, India exploring new buds . . . my neighbor’s cat follows me to my garden explorând noi lăstari . . . pisoiul vecinei mă-nsoţeşte spre grădina mea Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania patio lunch my friend’s phone rings in chickadee out of the blue the stilty flamingo lifts a leg Marilyn Appl Walker, USA fat clouds a sparrow swells with song Amy Watson, USA soughing wind a crane becomes part of the twilight sky Joseph P. Wechselberger, USA between the leaves of a Farmers’ Almanac . . . summer flowers Christine Wenk-Harrison, USA a star falls upwards in the midnight sky night flight retreating tide – slivers of moonlight left on the beach Richard West, USA breezes ripple through the soybeans . . . school shooting Elaine Wilburt, USA bees in the lavender . . . my tinnitus has wings helter-skelter up the mossy trunk . . . treecreeper Tony Williams, Scotland, UK sunrise – a flock of redwings takes flight fallen petals – our first spring without you Juliet Wilson, Scotland, UK cloud gazing a scissor-tailed flycatcher cuts the head off a dragon drying my swimsuit on the beachhouse railing double-crested cormorant Amber Winter, USA slowly warming the ice beneath a penguin’s egg sunrise the river sparkles in a fawn’s eyes Robert Witmer, Japan creek crossing our feet find the path the rocks keep grocery cart the warmth of the last shopper’s hands Valorie Broadhurst Woerdehoff, USA community garden one raspberry falling through the fence Alan Yan, USA dawn stars gramma wakes us with a whisper Susan Yavaniski, USA newborn’s breath against my cheek spring breeze Nitu Yumnan, UAE a trace of lava from the dormant volcano – my new haiku ślad lawy z uśpionego wulkanu moje nowe haiku Eugeniusz Zacharski, Poland |
Editorial Staff:
Founder (emeritus): Bruce Ross Editors: Astrid Andreescu Kristen Lindquist Art: Murray D. Ross Archives
May 2025
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