Dear Readers and Followers,
Although this general writers’ blog has been running for 12 years, The Daily Haiku has been in existence for six years this month. We have followers from 60 countries, and it’s great to hear various voices and perspectives. Of course, we welcome the work of haikuists we’ve never run before, work previously published in haiku journals. You are welcome to contact me personally at c-books@hotmail.com. Please send no more than three haiku at a time, and space your submissions out to three months. This is a volunteer effort, and we try to do the best we can, so your help is appreciated in not flooding the email box.
I’d like to call your attention to my upcoming poetry workshop, free and open to all.
Charlotte Digregorio will give a ZOOM poetry workshop, (open to all from everywhere), sponsored by the Winnetka (IL) Public Library. “Write & Publish Great Poetry” is slated for Sunday, April 18, 2 to 3:30 p.m. (USA–Chicago Time). For information and registration, click this Library link:
https://winnetkalibrary.libcal.com/calendar/events/?cid=3782&t=d&d=2021-04-18&cal=3782&inc=0. Some haiku and tanka will be included, but it’s especially useful for those who’d like to branch out into writing/publishing other poetic forms. You may contact Charlotte, c-books@hotmail.com, with questions. She is the author of two poetry reference books: Ripples of Air: Poems of Healing and Haiku and Senryu: A Simple Guide for All.
For those of you who are thinking of becoming writers–and many of you who follow this blog are– get the courage to write. That means just putting pen to paper. It’s not brain surgery, it’s like carpentry, a skill you get better at through reading a lot of the genres you enjoy. You become better at them through practice. Writing and getting published is personally rewarding, and most people have a need to be creative at something, be it writing, playing a musical instrument, cooking, photography, flower arranging, or whatever. Just get something down on paper, no matter how rough it is. It can be revised. Thoughts come in and out of your brain, so always carry a pocket notebook with you. The only way to write is to write! And, the only way to publish, is to submit your work!
If you’ve read this far, we have a question for all our readers and followers: Covid has been around for most of us for almost a year. What do you miss doing as far as simple pleasures? I miss, for example, going to the coffee shop and lingering. I used to sit down and write at the local coffee shop. You may share your comments on this post below, and of course, we welcome comments on all posts.
Grateful thanks for reading this blog! We appreciate you.
Charlotte Digregorio
About Charlotte Digregorio
I publish books. I have marketed and/or published 55 titles. These books are sold in 46 countries to bookstores, libraries, universities, professional organizations, government agencies, and book clubs. In 2018, I was honored by the Governor of Illinois for my thirty-eight years of accomplishments in the literary arts, and my work to promote and advance the field by educating adults and students alike. I am the author of seven books including: Haiku and Senryu: A Simple Guide for All; Everything You Need to Know About Nursing Homes; You Can Be A Columnist; Beginners' Guide to Writing & Selling Quality Features; Your Original Personal Ad; and my latest, Ripples of Air: Poems of Healing.
The first four books have been adopted as supplemental texts at universities throughout the U.S., Canada, India, Pakistan, and Catalonia. They are sold in 43 countries, and are displayed in major metropolitan cultural centers. These books have been reviewed, recommended, and praised by hundreds of critics, librarians, and professors worldwide.
I am also the author of a poetry collection: "Shadows of Seasons: Selected Haiku and Senryu by Charlotte Digregorio." Two of my books have been Featured Selections of Writer's Digest Book Club. I am regularly interviewed by major print, radio, and television organizations throughout the U.S. I regularly sign books at libraries, chain bookstores, and university bookstores, and do poetry readings at art centers, cafes, tea houses, and galleries.
I was recently nominated for two Pushcart Prizes in poetry. I have won fifty-nine poetry awards, writing fourteen poetic forms. My poetry has been translated into eight languages. I do illustrated solo poetry exhibits 365 days a year in libraries, galleries, corporate buildings, hospitals, convention centers, and other venues. My individual poems have been displayed at supermarkets, apparel and wine shops, banks, botanic gardens, restaurants, and on public transit.
I have been nominated and listed in "The International Authors and Writers Who's Who" in Cambridge, England and in the "Who's Who In Writers, Editors & Poets U.S./Canada." I hosted my own radio program, "Poetry Beat," on public broadcasting. My poetry has been featured on several library web sites including those of Shreve Memorial Library in Louisiana and Cornell University's Mann Library.
My background includes positions as a feature editor and columnist at daily newspapers and as a magazine editor. I have been a public relations director for a non-profit organization. I am self-employed as a public relations/marketing consultant, having served a total of 118 clients in 23 states for the past several decades .
In other professional areas, I have been on university faculties, teaching French, Italian, and Writing.
I regularly give lectures and workshops on publishing, journalism, publicity, poetry, and creativity to business and professional groups, and at writer's conferences, universities, literary festivals, non-profit organizations, and libraries. I have been a writer-in-residence at universities.
There have been about 400 articles written about me in the media. I have served on the Boards of writers and publishers organizations. My positions have included Board Secretary of the Northwest Association of Book Publishers. I served for five years as Midwest Regional Coordinator of The Haiku Society of America, and for two years as its Second Vice President.
Charlotte Digregorio's Writer's Blog 
I miss riding my bicycle around the river drives in Philadelphia. That’s how I used to get many of the ideas for my haiku. Hopefully, that time will come again. Congratulations on your 6th anniversary!
Thanks, Barry. And yes, we often get ideas for poems when doing simple, ordinary things.
Charlotte, thanks for the nice post, and I did register for the April Zoom too. As for Covid life changes, yes there have been many in mine this last year! Coping has been difficult for my me as my wife and I have taken masks and social distancing very seriously. And, of course, our family gatherings, social/restaurant outings have become memories. However, I do love and prefer nature and solitude for my haiku moments so this is a blessing! I guess if this change is permanent, I will be okay with it… just turned 80 recently and enjoy the peacefulness and quiet!
Al, thanks for registering for the workshop! I look forward to seeing you. Congratulations on your 80th! We should hope for better times, when some of the simple things we did, are possible again. I like solitude, but sometimes too much of a good thing, gets pretty old.
aloha Charlotte. i miss creating and seeing smiles on the faces of people i don’t know.
Rick, are you doing much art at home? I know the outdoors gives you much more inspiration. I hope things get better for you. Peace . . .
aloha Charlotte. i seem to post less, December through January most years. altho i continue daily with at least writing (and reading). i have studio space where i live. and a yard. so i still have my outside space/time, altho maybe not the full range i might like. i was painting small things last summer/autumn until about November (which i haven’t been showing yet—they are quirky, among other things). I’m itching to get back to that, altho i have a few more hurdles to cross first. i hope things get better for everyone. lightness and ease energy on all. and fun too. aloha rick
I wish you much creative inspiration, Rick. Your work is lovely.
thank you Charlotte. good creative energy on all of us. and laughter too.
Yes, we all need laughter!
Thank you for your work, Charlotte! You gave me confidence, the first time you posted a haiku of mine. What I miss? I am alone and I miss distant friends, I miss my sister in Italy, I miss the hugs, I miss going to the cinema, to the theatre, to a museum and I miss like you going to the coffeshop and lingering.
Thanks, Anna Maria, for your comments. Take care!
Dear Charlotte,
Congratulations on the 6th anniversary of The Daily Haiku! Maureen and I both enjoy reading it and have learnt so much along the way, to the benefit of our own poetry.
Now then…
A simple pleasure that Maureen and I have missed through lockdown has been having a bag of chips each to eat in the car one evening a week in one of two locations with turbulent histories – Flint Castle or Wepre Park.
13th century Flint Castle, overlooking the Dee Estuary, was built by King Edward I during his subjugation of the Welsh and not only saw bloodshed during those medieval wars but also 400 years later during the English Civil War, when held by the Royalists.
And the ancient forest of Wepre with its 12th-13th century castle was where the Battle of Ewloe was fought in 1157, when Henry II’s Norman-English army was defeated by the native Welsh forces of Prince Owain Gwynedd (“Owain the Great”).
Oh boy, how we enjoyed those steaming hot chips doused in vinegar! And hopefully will again someday…
Maureen joins me in wishing you all the very best,
Take care,
Paul
Thanks to both of you for your good wishes. And, thank you for the interesting bit of history. I’ve never had chips with vinegar, by the way.