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An Outline of the San Francisco Bay Area Haiku Season Word Project

Season word use - Yuki Teikei poetic practice
    1. Primarily use is season words from Japanese-compiled saijiki
    2. Secondarily use is season words derived from regional seasonal phenomena
    3. Avoid double kigo, especially conflicting kigo!
    4. Match mood of poem to season, and to nuance of the season word

Hindrances to Season Words Use

    1. Season words are not a world-wide poetic tradition
    2. Japanese and other national and regional seasonal phenomena, and cultural traces, are often not appropriate for other localities and nations
    3. Urban environments where many poets live reduce interactions with the natural world

Suggested Solutions to the Season Word Dilemma

  1.  Some others: give up season words and use other human references - "key       words": historical sites, natural features relationships, global phenomena

    2.
  2. Yuki Teikei group: strengthen the use of season words by local poets, through strengthening this poetic tradition and poets’ sensitivity to local season words

This has led to: 

The San Francisco Bay Area Haiku Season Word Project:

Plan and Status as of January 2003

    1. Determine criteria for season word selection and seasonal assignment – complete, subject to revision
    2. Select a list of season words specific to the SF Bay Area – draft list has been compiled and revised
    3. Write descriptions – nearly all are drafted, and now being edited
    4. Acquire poems – in process, using "Kigo Challenge" in the journal GEPPO, journals, writing at meetings
    5. Acquire photographs – in process
    6. Compile drafts, edit, and distribute the compilation to sympathetic poets – aimed for spring 2003
    7. Collect poems, comments, suggestions – over next few years, revise draft as appropriate
    8. Publish completed collection - when ready!