~ This poem/haiga is dedicated to all who have struggled with cancer. ~
~ ~
A wonderful surprise email told me that a haiga of mine had been selected as an “Honorable Mention, Mixed Media** Category” in the Jane Reichhold Haiga Contest sponsored by two wonderful senryu journals:
Failed Haiku, A Journal of English Senryu Volume 1, Issue 11, edited by Michael Rehling
Prune Juice – A Journal of Senryu, Kyoka, Haibun and Haiga, Issue 20, November 2016, edited by Steve Hodge
The Judges of the contest were: Kris Kondo, Ron C. Moss, Michele Root-Bernstein
Michele wrote the commentary on my haiga:
“With the sparest of words and imagery, this haiga lays bare the essence of life in the face of death. If the poem skirts the uncertain boundary between haiku and senryu, just as certainly the picture skirts the shadowlands of mortality, its single image illuminating the darkness with a pulsating light. So well integrated are text and image that the associative leap between the two has the power of metaphor: the shaved skull is the incubating egg, never mind the incongruity. Avoiding the maudlin and the sentimental, this haiga speaks simply, honestly, of the beauty to be found in the ordinary, ordinarily hidden from view.”
This competition was in honor of the late Jane Reichhold who was such a brilliant poet, teacher, editor and mentor to so many who write haiku, senryu, tanka and other small form poems. I never had the honor of meeting her, but her main book on haiku has been a bible for me and so many others.
**Mixed Media, which can be any combination of traditional and photographic, or computer generated images and text.
A Poet in Time 
Congratulations, Mary. I can totally understand how your piece was noticed and honored. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thanks so much, Suzanne. 💙
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My heart beats faster as I read your haiga. My twin sister and a my younger sister has cancer.
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I’m so sorry to hear that. My prayers and wishes are with all
of you. I’m in a similar position watching several people dear to me struggle with this. It’s never easy, is it? Sending light and love your way. ♥️🙏🏼
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Mary, This is a lovely poem—and for such a good cause! I met Lenard Moore this weekend—He taught a seminar on haiku at the NCWN conference—wow—talented artist himself and a gifted teacher. I feel much more confident about writing haiku now and hope to continue to learn more in the writing and study of this lovely form—of which you are a master! Warmly, Joan
Joan Leotta Author, Story Performer “Encouraging words through Pen and Performance” Giulia Goes to War, Letters from Korea, A Bowl of Rice, Secrets of the Heart. now available from Desert Breeze Publishing Simply a Smile–collection of Short Stories WHOOSH! Picture book from TheaQ All are on Amazon in paper and e-form Free mini-poetry book to download http://www.origamipoems.com/files/Books%20/2016/Joan_Leotta_-_Dancing_Under_The_Moon_2016R.pdf http://www.joanleotta.wordpress.com 910-575-0618
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Thanks so much, Joan.
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Devistatingly good work.
Best to you, Mary.
JAN Benson
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Thank you so much, Jan. Your words mean a lot to me. 💛
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very well deserved Mary congratulations!
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Thank you dear Rachel. 💛
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Congratulations Mary!
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