The yearly pamphlet Akita – the Land of Poetry『詩の国秋田第６号』, whose 6th volume is posted as an e-pamphlet, features haiku special from the English haiku submitted to the 3rd Japan-Russia Haiku Contest in 2014.
A great number of haiku fans willingly sent their haiku in English to the contest from 46 countries including Japan.
Let me take up the following haiku here.
RADHEY SHIAM（INDIAN）
deserted barracks
shall be I hear
sounds of boots
This haiku was sent on June 30, 2014.
Mr. Sri Radhey Shiam, one of the greatest haikuists, wrote it at the age of 92.
But, to our great surprise, and to our great sorrow, we found that he passed away on April 18, 2015.
My dear friend Rama Kant says in his e-mail as follows.
Dear Sweet soul
My dear father Sri Radhey Shiam breathed his last on Saturday in night on 18th April 2015 late evening after a brief spell of illness. He was 93.
His way of life was influenced by a Danish Saint Mr. Alfred Samerson (nicked name Sunya Bhai) who lived in India many years. After meeting with founder of Indian Haiku late Dr. Satya Bhushan Verma JNU, he started haiku writing, and within a few years, his haiku started appearing on international forum. His all literary work was the shadow of Sunya Bhai and Satya Bhushan Verma. He was the torch bearer of these two grand souls.
After a hip replacement operation in 2001 my father was mainly confined to home but was always busy writing, until even before getting admitted to hospital on 17th April. For the last fifteen years you have been the companion of my father inspiring him to write. I am grateful to you as you have provided company to my father from thousand miles away from his home.
He left us with a lot of unpublished work to keep his soul alive in Haiku world.
He was of great help to all of us. I pray God to bless him for all the good he did in this world.
My dear friend Hiruta I have no right to submission my father entry despite of I have lot haiku, my conscious not allow to do this, if in name of My father entry could be accepted so I can provide you, you have to write Late Shri Radhey Shiam, if this possible for you, so you accept following entry in above contest
The haiku will appear in the article “Haiku Special from the 4th Japan – Russia Haiku Contest” at the website in 2016.
Wish you best of health and good cheer
Rama Kant S/o Late Shri Radhey Shiam 184/2 Sheel Kunj I.I.T. Roorkee Campus Roorkee247667 INDIA https://purehaiku.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/some-sad-news/
http://patriciaspork.com/blog/tag/song-of-life-by-radhey-shiam
The newspapers says as follows.
Lastly, I would like to refer to Late Shri Radhey Shiam, sending my sincerest condolences.
Brief Biography of Radhey Shiam
- Born on Jan. 14,1922, inherited love for literature, Gandhian way of life, universal brotherhood and human religion, influenced by Danish saint Mr. Alfred Emanuel Sorensen popularly knows as ‘Sunyata’ and American artist-cum-philosopher Mr. E.Brewster both friends to Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. Contribute articles and poems in English, Hindi and Urdu languages to Indian and foreign magazines. It is He, who started writing Haiku songs, Haiku riddles, and Haiku Ghazals in Hindi and Urdu.Contributes Haiku, Tanka, Articles and Poems in English, Hindi and Urdu to Indian and foreign magazines
Haiku Publication in – WHC(World Haiku Club) Showcase, Ambrosia Journal, Aashi, Zen Space, Haiku News, Revista, Haiku Xpression, Jennie Towsnsend, Kukai Kigo, Chrysnthemune, Stylus Poetry Journal, Lyrical Passion Poetry e-Zine, Mac, Poetry Scotland, Moonset, Haiku Pix Review, A Hundred Gourd,SLG -Seasons Letter Greetings,Germ,White Lotus, Time Haiku,Haiku Times
2. Awards/Honour’able Mention
- Columbia River Readers Haiku contest 2009 USA
- The 15th Mainich Haiku Contest Japan
- The Saigyo Award for Tanka 2009 – Honourable Mention USA
- Certificate of Merit fine work for being outstanding tanka poet by the Japan Tanka Poets Society in 6th International Tanka Festival Tokyo 2009
- Certificate of Merit Excellent work for The Japan Tanka Poem’s Society – the 7th International Tanka Festival Shonan 2012
- Revista Haiku Acorda Diploma – 2nd Award May, 2014
- Third Prize – The10th Pumpkin Festival Ivanic grade Croatia
3. Publication – Song of Life, Published by Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai
4. Contributor to – First Hindi Haiku Anthology India 1989
First HayNaku Anthology USA 2005
We are now holding the 4th Japan-Russia Haiku Contest.
Readers are invited to send haiku about “lake” to Hidenori Hiruta at the Akita
International Haiku Network by e-mail to (shhiruta@nifty.com).
By Hidenori Hiruta
Akita International Haiku Network 