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Journey to the Interior: American Versions of Haibun
The first anthology specifically devoted to original haibun written in English. Collects the work of approximately 25 contemporary North American authors of haibun who explore, in styles ranging from humorous to solemn, such themes as the self, the emotional nature of love, and the sense of dwelling in places both familiar and unknown. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
- GenresPoetry
Paperback
First published June 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 7, 2010
For better or for worse, this is the definitive anthology on haibun. Haibun, which combines short prose punctuated by haiku, has been practiced for hundreds of years in Japan. When Gary Snyder and Jack Kerouac started exploring haiku (and American versions of it) in this country in the 1950s, they also undertook a wholesale investigation of other Japanese literary forms (as well as spiritual practices) including haibun.
While the last 50 years have seen incremental progress in haibun, it is still little-known in all but the most insular haiku circles. Indeed, most people, including writers, know little even of haiku, beyond the bastardized rule of 5-7-5 syllables.
Bruce Ross, a leader in contemporary haiku circles, attempts to push things forward with this first, and so far, largest survey of haiku. One distinction is his long opening essay on the form, in which he traces haibun's historical roots in Japan and the US. Besides that summary, the essay is most helpful by defining haibun as "a narrative of an epiphany," the epiphany being the haiku.
Ross spoils his moment of brilliance by summarizing various haibun--some of which are included in this book, and some which are not. For the pieces in the book, his awkward blow-by-blow descriptions are unhelpful and redundant. For those pieces not in the book, one wonders why not. Ross goes so far as to critique negatively some of the work he selected, which is one heck of a way to disengage the reader from what follows.
Despite that, the work of a few authors shine through: Tom Lynch's vagabond tales from the American Southwest and trans-Canadian road-tripping; William Ramsey's shattering account of the death of a child; Cor van den Heuvel's homey Americana of circuses and cobblestones. Women authors are practically absent; causes for this not mentioned. Haiku master Penny Harter gets 10 pages for a pleasantly rambling account of a Zen retreat.
Two quibbles: the editor who includes himself in his own anthology, and--practically criminal--no bios for the writers included! Ross will continue his efforts by co-editing an annual haibun anthology (with Jim Kacian). He'll implement a steep learning curve on that, too; but on the whole these are important books in the documentation and collection of an emerging art form.
*
WHY I READ THIS BOOK: My time as writer in residence for the Richard Hugo House led me unwittingly to haiku, and from there I learned about haibun when I unwittingly began to write some. Those who knew better told me what I was doing, and I found this book as the most comprehensive summary of the form.
While the last 50 years have seen incremental progress in haibun, it is still little-known in all but the most insular haiku circles. Indeed, most people, including writers, know little even of haiku, beyond the bastardized rule of 5-7-5 syllables.
Bruce Ross, a leader in contemporary haiku circles, attempts to push things forward with this first, and so far, largest survey of haiku. One distinction is his long opening essay on the form, in which he traces haibun's historical roots in Japan and the US. Besides that summary, the essay is most helpful by defining haibun as "a narrative of an epiphany," the epiphany being the haiku.
Ross spoils his moment of brilliance by summarizing various haibun--some of which are included in this book, and some which are not. For the pieces in the book, his awkward blow-by-blow descriptions are unhelpful and redundant. For those pieces not in the book, one wonders why not. Ross goes so far as to critique negatively some of the work he selected, which is one heck of a way to disengage the reader from what follows.
Despite that, the work of a few authors shine through: Tom Lynch's vagabond tales from the American Southwest and trans-Canadian road-tripping; William Ramsey's shattering account of the death of a child; Cor van den Heuvel's homey Americana of circuses and cobblestones. Women authors are practically absent; causes for this not mentioned. Haiku master Penny Harter gets 10 pages for a pleasantly rambling account of a Zen retreat.
Two quibbles: the editor who includes himself in his own anthology, and--practically criminal--no bios for the writers included! Ross will continue his efforts by co-editing an annual haibun anthology (with Jim Kacian). He'll implement a steep learning curve on that, too; but on the whole these are important books in the documentation and collection of an emerging art form.
*
WHY I READ THIS BOOK: My time as writer in residence for the Richard Hugo House led me unwittingly to haiku, and from there I learned about haibun when I unwittingly began to write some. Those who knew better told me what I was doing, and I found this book as the most comprehensive summary of the form.
October 7, 2017
The perfect book for my purposes. I wanted to better understand the haibun form but also to see how others evolved the form. Haibun, as practiced in the strictest sense, has firm guidelines about aesthetics, form, and style. I was interested in how those boundaries could be expanded while still honoring the original spirit of the form. This book provides an interesting assortment of Americans doing exactly that as well as applying the form to subject matter than might otherwise not be deemed appropriate for haibun.
December 19, 2024
A format that seems natural to me. And one that allows for a surprisingly wide scope of subjects.
July 3, 2023
Terrible. The few bookmarks are the only good things.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2008
Some of the pieces in this anthology are really beautiful. However the edit takes up way too much space with his own essay on the form (in which he cites his own work). A good starting place but I'd like to see more of this type of work from a different editor.
March 13, 2010
Menemukan buku ini di tumpukan buku clearance sale serasa menemukan mutiara di tumpukan jerami ;) Untuk pecinta traveling dan puisi, buku ini pantas menjadi teman perjalanan yang berharga.
October 31, 2015
Beautiful poetry for the souls.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews