The Akita Association of English Studies (AAES)(秋田英語英文学会), was established in 1954 at Akita University(秋田大学) in Northern Honshu, Japan, aimed at promoting deeper understanding and further studies on the cultural backgrounds of English as the international language, and at providing chances to share and exchange information and ideas on English and English education for the members who are interested in these fields.
AAES President, professor Akira Murakami at Akita University(秋田大学教授村上東会長), gave a symposium titled “俳句 and Haiku : The short forms of literature and English Education”, on November 27, 2010, at Akita University.
The participants also enjoyed writing haiku in English and selected their favorite haiku each other. The prizes were awarded for the two best haiku.
Here I refer to the points taken up in the symposium, and post haiku written by some of the participants there.
First of all, here is a notice about the symposium in Japanese.
As the notice shows, Professor Emma TAMAIANU-MORITA, Ph.D. at Akita University gave a lecture, whose title is “Why ‘Less’ is Not ‘More’ in Foreign Language Teaching: Some Reflections from a Linguist’s Perspective.”
Secondly, I report the main points taken up by three presenters in the symposium.
1 Haiku in English
a) Differences between haiku in Japanese and in English
b) “17 syllables” question
c) Seasonal words (kigo 季語)
d) International Haiku (国際俳句)
and
Professor David McMurray at the International University of Kagoshima
(マクマレイ・デビッド鹿児島国際大学教授)
2 Haiku in English education
a) The Haiku in the school textbook ‘Sunshine’
by Emeritus professor Minoru Kono at Akita University
(幸野稔秋田大学名誉教授)
b) Haiku and haiga by junior high school students in Akita
c) Haiku by senior high school students in Akita
d) Haiku by students at Akita International University (AIU)(国際教養大学)
3 Haiku contests
a) Earthday Haiku Contest
b) AIU Haiku Contest
4 Haiku ― its future in English education
Viewpoints by Dr. Akito Arima, President of Haiku International
Association(有馬朗人国際俳句交流協会会長)
Last of all, I post haiku written by some of the participants after the symposium.
Hidenori Hiruta 蛭田 秀法
Old bookworm
ponders between lines… 雪国や行間に住む本の虫
snow country
(prize-winning from Akita International Haiku Network)
Yasushi Sato 佐藤 康
With shorter days
Moslems hurriedly walking 短日や祈りに急ぐ回教徒
to go to pray
(prize-winning from Akita Association of English Studies)
Neko Murakami 村上 猫
A sunny day nap
Bombardment of ginkgo nuts 銀杏の音に目覚める猫の夢
Wakes up the kitty
Minoru Kono 幸野 稔
Indian summer –
A one-year old boy 小春日や小(ち)さき手を振る一歳児
Waving to me.
Peter Hook (Anonymous) ピーター・フック(匿名)
Autumn rain
The roof of the on-sen 空覗く温泉の屋根秋の雨
Open to the sky
Anonymous 作者不明
[今朝、小春日和の中、バラの木を見て]
Sleek on the stems
Thorns of roses バラのとげ健(けな)げに小春陽(ひ)を映す
In the hazy sunlight
Seisaku Chiba 千葉 星作
how soon by blizzards
Akita will be blanketed あきたんぼ[秋田んぼ]
stay tuned! ふぶきの毛布ぐぐと来い!
Happy Sun
A peninsula
Set off a skyrocket
One’s love for one’s Country
Masanori Watanabe (渡邉政徳)
Practicing an interview
A student tells her dream
Glowing with hope
Anonymous
Sarah, My Dog
You Bring Me the
Joy of Living
“Banana Man” Peter Hook
Spring wind –
Kids on bikes
Scattering laughter
Anonymous 作者不明
Thin ice
Cleaning Japanese radishes 薄氷大根洗う木漏れ日に
Sunlight through the trees
Lazy Cat MURAKAMI
Nowhere to lay eggs
Two dragonflies disappear 赤とんぼ稲なき田より飛び去りぬ
Paddies without rice
Junko Masuda 桝田 純子
Winter sun beam
has come into the shrine 幸せを祈る本堂冬日さす
praying happiness
Katsuhiro Adachi 安達 勝裕
Since then
I’ve never cured あの時から癒えぬままの私の心
My mind
T. NIMURE 二牟礼 勉
A hurried man
through colored leaves 帰路急ぐ紅葉の中陽を浴びて
in the sun
Yoshiyuki Sugawara 菅原 芳行
The partner in the crime
happened to close the door; 共犯者ドアを閉めたら逃げられず
locked in the room.
Anonymous 作者不明
My love fall
has run away まちわびた秋足早にすぎさりて
so fast
Ayako Watanabe(渡部アヤ子)
Happy four-leaf clover
Shines in my hands
With gratitude to Prof. Saibyo
Ueno Murakami
“Fly”
Bat away your fear,
Your anxiety playground,
On dragonflies wings.
Miyake Yoshimi
Stopt driving
On the way to lunch
Red burning Taiheizan
Anonymous
Secrets heard
From your eyes, deep inside
Obsessed by memories
Anonymous
Shining Star
Light in the black
Comes to heart
Anonymous
The king of drink
superb and sparkling
splendid juice
Anonymous
Fallen leaves
Here, there, and everywhere
Under a clear sky
Anonymous
How powerful
A new –born grandson
could curve the disease
It is rare to write haiku in a symposium, but the participants at the symposium found it very interesting and exciting to write and share haiku with each other, and to exchange comments among them.
In my opinion, writing haiku is helpful to express ourselves and to learn how and what to express, and at last makes it easier for us to speak in communicative situations in our daily lives too.
Haiku could be a good topic in our conversation, about which we easily talk with each other.
In other words, haiku could help us gain a better mutual understanding beyond the gaps of cultures.
We sincerely hope that you will get more interested in writing haiku, and that you will contribute your haiku to our network.
The next posting ‘Haiku by Seisaku Chiba in Japan’ appears on January 22.
― Hidenori Hiruta
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