Author: Ray Rasmussen

Ray lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He's a writer and photographer. He's been editor of a number of haiku and Haibun journals. He enjoys wilderness hiking and canoeing. His collection "Landmarks: A Haibun Collection" is available on Amazon.

China’s Shakespeare, the Poet Du Fu (712-770)

~ Ray Rasmussen ~ 5 Comments

In Brief: painting of Du Fu This post explores Du Fu's poem "Day's End" in terms of the key characteristics of contemporary English-language haibun composition. It also explores the value of modelling the work of writers whose poetry touches you as a way of expanding your writing repertoire. Introduction Some years ago, I was interested … Continue reading China’s Shakespeare, the Poet Du Fu (712-770)

English-language Haibun

~ Ray Rasmussen ~ 1 Comment

Basho by Sugiyama Sampu Basho's contribution to English-language haibun and a definition and examples of Contemporary Haibun with comparisons to other short genres including memoirs, journal entries, travel journals, personal essays and flash or short fiction. . . . Continue reading . . . -> English-language Haibun

Basho’s Haibun “Hiraizumi”: A Commentary

~ Ray Rasmussen ~ 2 Comments

Field at present day Hiraizumi ruins site, Japan . . . all that remains of soldiers' dreams. Bashō's travel journals, purportedly the earliest examples of haibun, are accounts of his late-in-life walking journeys through Japan. They are often cited as important reading for serious students of the form. More generally, they are held up as … Continue reading Basho’s Haibun “Hiraizumi”: A Commentary

Billy Collins & The Writer’s Gaze

~ Ray Rasmussen ~ 3 Comments

What the oven is to the baker, and the berry-stained blouse to the dry cleaner, so the window is to the poet.                                          ~ Billy Collins fall morning / a nuthatch outside my window / inside my poem This essay-haibun is and exploration of a poem by Billy Collins, past Poet Laureate of the U.S., about … Continue reading Billy Collins & The Writer’s Gaze