Saturday, July 18, 2009

Sad news - D. Claire Gallagher

D. Claire Gallagher
Deborah P Kolodji notified me of this very sad news:

"I don't know if you heard that haiku poet D. Claire Gallagher passed away yesterday afternoon."

Here are a few poems from this remarkable lady and poet:

blowing out
one birthday candle:
the whole family

Second Place 1998 Gerald Brady Memorial Award Collection


Mars watch
the seeded star
of a cross-cut apple

The Heron's Nest - Volume VI, Number 1: January 2004


A-bomb day—
I fill my mesh bag
with onions

Modern Haiku - Volume 36.2, Summer 2005


autumn breakers
the laughter of old friends
with new hips

The Virgil Hutton Haiku Memorial Award Chapbook Contest Winner 2001 – 2002


Please join me in extending our sincere condolences to the family and friends of D. Claire Gallagher.

[Photo by Carolyn Hall]
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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 18, 2009 at 6:44 PM

    I'm very sorry to hear about Claire's passing. I did not know her well, but I always enjoyed seeing her at HNA's, and I admired her work.

    Here is a picture of Claire from HNA 2005:

    http://www.haikunorthamerica.com//00113/hna2007_arc/images/2007/claire_boat.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pamela A. BabusciJuly 18, 2009 at 8:17 PM

    this is very sad news. i meet claire and her husband many years ago in NYC at a HSA regional meeting. she was a lovely woman & excellent haiku poet. she will be greatly missed.

    god speed claire! love, pamela

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  3. Area 17July 18, 2009 at 8:36 PM

    Wonderful poet, one of my favourite writers. You will be greatly missed by me.

    Dave's link again: D Claire Gallagher

    all my best,

    Alan

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 19, 2009 at 12:32 AM

    Here are few more photos of Claire at HNA 2005:

    http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/galleries/hna_05_gallery_1/muses_3.jpg.html

    http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/galleries/hna_05_gallery_1/boat_claire3.jpg.html

    http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/galleries/hna_05_gallery_1/claire_ruth_carmen.jpg.html

    http://www.haikunorthamerica.com/galleries/hna_05_gallery_1/muses_4.jpg.html

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  5. UnknownJuly 19, 2009 at 1:07 PM

    After years of learning to love and respect Claire through her poetry and e-mail correspondence, it was a blessing to meet her and her husband Patrick in Carolyn Hall's garden last August. Meeting any haiku poet is a rare treat for me, and the privilege of meeting Claire is a treasured memory. I have many favorites among her haiku, including this one:

    the line
    between sky and ocean —
    I sign my name

    Frogpond 25:2 (2002)

    Claire "signed her name" upon the heart of everyone who knew her, and we in the haiku community are blessed to have the legacy of her work and the memory of her presence.

    With such sadness,
    Billie

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  6. UnknownJuly 22, 2009 at 9:24 AM

    I never had the privilege of meeting Claire and I believe that we may have had two email
    correspondences over a decade. We have lost a few posts over the past 12 months, some of which are very dear friends. Everyone leaves behind something. One day, a person will find a book, or poem of Claire's whose knowledge of haiku is very little, pick up pen and never stop writing.

    I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the Gallager Family, the haiku community,
    the world.

    Sincerely,

    Gene

    ReplyDelete
  7. Area 17July 22, 2009 at 5:14 PM

    Claire was a favourite of mine, her haiku warmed my heart because they were well crafted and a real effort was made to warm my heart.

    I second Gene's comments.

    ReplyDelete