Poetry Friday--Today Is International Haiku Poetry Day!

Courtesy The Haiku Foundation.
This day of National Poetry Month has been designated International Haiku Poetry Day--a celebration of haiku. Haiku by it's very name implies "international."

Here is the definition of "international" found in the online Collins American English Dictionary:

adjective

1. between or among nations ⇒ "an international treaty"
2. concerned with the relations between nations ⇒ "an international court"
3. for the use of all nations ⇒ "international waters"
4. of, for, or by people in various nations
5. of or having to do with activities or operations carried on in countries other than the home country ⇒ "international sales"

Definitions 1, 3, and 4 are perfect for haiku. Haiku is for everyone from everywhere.

If you thought of haiku as a Japanese invention appropriated for American use only, I'm here to tell you that it ain't so! Haiku is truly an international form! Just click on the Haiku Registry to see haiku poets hailing from the U. S., of course, and also Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philipines, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, and the U. K. Links to foreign organizations can be found here.

While you're in the registry, be sure to click on each name. When you do, you'll be treated to a sampling of the poet's haiku and get a glimpse of how haiku is flourishing.

As part of International Haiku Poetry Day, there is the EarthRise Rolling Haiku Collaboration.

The inaugural EarthRise Rolling Haiku Collaboration begins at 12:01 A.M. at the International Date Line, and rolls throughout the day. You’ll find a "seed" haiku on the blog at that time, on this year’s theme: Light, in celebration of the International Year of Light. Add your poem(s), in response to the previous post, or start a new thread on the topic of light. Ideally we’d like you to do this at dawn wherever you are, but we’re flexible--do it when you can, and as often as you like. The results will become a permanent archive on the THF site.

The rolling has already begun here, so I hope you'll be inspired to participate. The "seed" haiku:

will anyone
not be taking up his pen?
tonight’s moon

Onitsura (1660 – 1738)

Many haiku events have been planned for today or on the weekend. Click here to see if there are any taking place in your area.

Have a happy Haiku Poetry Day!

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

I'm celebrating "National Haiku Poetry Day" at Kurious Kitty with some recommended book titles. And, haiku poet, Robyn Hood Black, is coincidentally today's Round-Up host!