Note: when I was appointed as the first poet laureate for our city, Mississauga in 2015, I designed and implemented a Haiku Walking Tour/Postcard Poems Project in Mississauga. Now my term is up, I am glad that there were many happy memories and creative works shared by participants. In addition, Haiku Canada held the 40th annual conference at Mississauga Campus of University of Toronto (May 19-21, 2017). I have been very privileged to help in organizing this national event. Also my haiku collection: Nightlights was published by Black Moss Press in March 2017.
My special thanks to the city of Mississauga and Ontario Arts Council. -Anna Yin 2017
Haiku Walking Tour/Postcard Poems Project in Mississauga
Purposes:
- Connect residents with the natural environment physically and reflectively.
- Learn how to write haiku/ Postcard Poems and promote local heritage.
- Appreciate the citizens’ surroundings and their pride in their city.
- Promote local poets and elevate the city’s literary profile.
- Create in the future a visual city poetry map
What is haiku?
A haiku is a brief poem that uses concrete images to reflect natural events and human experiences, using a two-part juxtaposition as well as simple and objective language to capture a moment of wonder or wholeness and presents the existence as it is.
Haiku is originally from Japan. It had only 17 syllables, but has changed over time. However, the philosophy of haiku has been preserved: the focus is on a brief moment in time (here and now); a use of provocative, colorful images; an ability to be read in one breath; and a sense of sudden enlightenment or illumination.
Some haiku workshop activities:
What is a postcard poem?
It is a poem in the form and style of a postcard note, keeping the length brief, and giving the recipient a sense of the place you’re visiting or the space you’re occupying. The location from which you write can be imagined or real.
A special poetry video for Mississauga
About this project:
Mississauga residents and visitors are welcome to participate in these free haiku walking tours/Postcard poems events. A regular meeting will be set up at an accessible public place (Celebration Square, art gallery, community center or libraries) on weekends to give participants a short haiku/postcard poetry writing instruction first, then participants will choose to take a walk and observe the surroundings or stay to write their postcard poems with sample works for half an hour, then meet again to share their efforts. These tours can be combined with birdwatching, gallery visiting and heritage tours etc.
Schedule: (will be adjusted as necessary)
- The event will occur on weekends of each month with the exception of Jan, Feb, March and August.
- Please note that during April, special readings will be organized for National Poetry Month and funding might be available through reading programs of the League of Canadian Poets.
Past events for this project
Past Haiku Workshops in 2016
Useful links:
haikubrochure-2022
My poem: A Guide to writing haiku
Some haiku I used for visiting schools :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TJ94Jokszk
More: