books

2008. Regards de femmes – haikus francophones. AFH, Lyon & Adage, Montréal

Second printing available since mid-June 2009.

Direction of JB. Collection of 283 previously unpublished haiku and tercets by 86 French speaking women authors and of 14 illustrations by various women artists. A world-first because it is the only book giving voice to French haiku women poets. Topics: friendship, family, the passages of life, society, the future of the planet.

A study by JB precedes the main body: Francophone et féminin, le haïku (Haiku, French and female) which is a brief history of haiku written in French by women since the beginning of the XXth century. The study ends by a proposition of androgynous writing.

2006. L’Erotique poème court / haiku. Biliki, Brussels

Co-direction by JB and Micheline Beaudry. Collection of 77 French-speaking poets and 182 of their previously unpublished short poems; 9 illustrations by Line Michaud. A world-first: haiku in French, original language, perpetuating the traditional Japanese theme of eroticism. Finalist for the Belgian Literary Prize, The Salt of the Readership, an award granted to works to which traditional media pay little attention.

2003. Humeur… Sensibility… Alma… – haiku / tanka.

Please, read the details in the Sappho section.

feature articles

2008. February. Haiku Canada Review

Canadian Haiku Women Pioneers From Sea To Sea (1928-1985)

Portrait of 12 women pioneers of haiku in Canada and their achievements: Simone Routier, Claire Pratt, Joan Giroux, Catherine M. Buckaway, Mildred A. Rose, L. Pearl Schuck, Betty Drevniok, Margaret Saunders, Jocelyne Villeneuve, Ruby Spriggs, Ava Kar (Anna Vakar), Dorothy Howard.

Translation from French by Dorothy Howard in PDF

William J. Higginson, Worldfield Haikai Pub, USA

2007. Winter. Haiku Canada Review

Penny Harter, American Poet and Haikuist – in her Own Words

Interview focusing on basic rules of haiku – rules formulated for teachers by the poetess in 1985 in her text « A Lesson Plan That Works » which appears in William J. Higginson’s book for which Harter collaborated: « The Haiku Handbook ». Does the poetess still follow these rules, a few decades later?

2006. Spring. Fredericton. Revue Ellipse Mag 77

JB, guest editor of the Section, Written in the feminine. Some definitions (haiku, senryu, tercet) and presentation of 6 women poets (isabel Asúnsolo, Blanca Baquero, Micheline Beaudry, Anne-Marie Labelle, Angèle Lux et Monika Thoma-Petit) and of some of their previously unpublished haiku; plus, 16 haiku by JB.

Translation from French mainly by Jo-Anne Elder.

presentations

2009. May 15-17. Vancouver. Haiku Canada

Annual Weekend Conference at the University of British Columbia (UBC)

Presentation: Haiku Women connected through Inner Life

Abstract: Themes favoured by haiku women, whether they are French, English or Japanese, are recurrent. The talk concentrates on the intimate thoughts of women poets while being busy with everyday tasks. Relevant haiku accompany the presentation – those in French, read by Micheline Beaudry and Diane Descôteaux.

Translation from French by Dorothy Howard.

2008. May 16-18. Ottawa. Haiku Canada

Annual Weekend Conference at the Carleton University

Presentation: Women’s Writing and Haiku – Thematic Evolution

Abstract: What are the characteristics of women’s writing? The most recurrent, those defined by Western women theorists since 1974, are examined: first person subject, one’s own body (often dealt with humour), the everyday, and the mother-daughter relationship. There are also newer themes of friendship, environment and society. Presentation concludes by submitting that the concept itself of women’s writing is constantly evolving, giving way in some instances, to androgynous writing.

Translation from French by Dorothy Howard.

2007. October 8-22. Tokyo

Three organisations, three presentations of the same paper: Canadian Haiku Women Pioneers From Sea To Sea, 1928-1985 :

Meguro Haiku International Circle led Yasuomi Koganei(October 13);
Modern Haiku Association ed by Toshio Kimura (October 14);
and Meiji University, Center for International Programs for Prof. Yoshikazu Obata’s classroom (October 17).

Translation from French into English by Dorothy Howard in PDF

My deepest thanks go to poet and translator (from English to Japanese), Ms Emiko Miyashita, who also served as interpreter for the first two activities.

2007. August 15-19. Winston-Salem. Haiku North America Conference

Presentation: Canadian Haiku Women Pioneers From Sea To Sea - (1928-1985)

Abstract: Some women pioneers devoted a great part of their creativity to writing haiku and to publishing their texts; others devoted their creative energy to promoting haiku by writing critical studies, publishing literary reviews, mentoring or being elected executives the national association, Haiku Canada.

Translation from French by Dorothy Howard in PDF