Yu Chang resides with his family in Schenectady, NY. Since 2001 he has been editor of the biannual anthology of haiku and senryu, Upstate Dim Sum (www.upstatedimsum.com). His first collection of poems, seeds, is now available from Red Moon Press.
1) Why do you write haiku?
I don't really know. All I can say is that I like the feeling I get when I write haiku: life is free and simple; I can put mud on my face and laugh at the same time. Maybe that's why I am always looking forward with pleasure to our Upstate Dim Sum monthly haiku meetings.
2) What other poetry forms do you enjoy?
I also enjoy dabbling in haibun, haiga, and renku.
3) Of the many wonderful haiku you've written, what do you consider to be your top three?
Today's choices:
new in town
the scent
of unknown flowers
(1999 Henderson Award)
old passport
the tug
of my father's smile
(Upstate Dim Sum 2001/II)
different pace
at the water's edge
the sandpiper and I
(Acorn 2004)
Thank you so much, Curtis, for doing the series.
Happy New Year!
Yu
If you've been enjoying this weekly series and have not contributed, please consider sharing your response (whether it be for haiku or tanka) to the three little questions that Yu answered. You must be a published poet to participate.
14 comments:
dear yu,
you are one of my favorite
haiku poets!!
jerry ball & i were the judges for the 1999 Henderson Awards and both of us had agreed your haiku:
"new in town"
was quite excellent and was deserving to win
First Place in the haiku Contest!!
hugs, pamela
Love the "new in town" haiku.
I second Pamela's remark! I purchased Seeds, after finding examples of Yu Chang's work on the net and in Upstate Dim Sum (If, as a reader, you haven't had a chance to read either UDS or Seeds, do not deny yourself.) Yu Chang truly has a singular voice and lovely subtle vision. Nothing is too small to escape notice.
Thank's Curtis and Yu Chang for this Sunday morning treat!
Here's another favorite from Yu Chang's Seeds, Red Moon Press, 2009:
blinding snow
there is no need
to understand everything
Not only is Yu Chang a wonderful poet, he's also a great guy. :)
Yu, I loved reading "seeds". I hope it won't be too long before you put together another collection.
good to see you here Yu! I always
enjoyed "new in town" too, but being a bird guy, today, I like "different pace"
Thank you for sharing!
Good to see your wonderful haiku here.
I still remember that wonderful anthology you sent me so long ago, but still treasured. ;-)
all my best,
Alan
Alan’s Area 17 blog
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Dear Yu,
How great to see your photo and to read your excellent poems here! More of your haiku should be out in the world! \o/ Jane
One of the things I love about Yu's haiku is that they are always fresh...you never tire of hearing/reading it over and over again. There's always something hidden and it was his haiku:
almost dusk -
the raspberry stalk bends
with a purple finch
the sparked my snowbird notes. I just had to see if I could capture that image where you have to look to see the finch. Look deeply into his haiku...it always delights.
Yu
It is wonderful to see your work getting the recognition it deserves.
I remember all those years ago when we first met ... on the Shiki listserve.
Now I can say I knew you when!
xxx
Roberta
Dear Yu Chang,
Although I've never had the pleasure of meeting you, I've had so much pleasure from reading your haiku in various publications. You are surely among the best of our poets.
in admiration,
Karen Klein
Can't wait to read your book in California, new to Haiku and poetry.
Dianne
Very interesting !
my favorite of the haiku presented is the passport one :)
"New in town" is a wonderful haiku. I enjoyed that and I am glad to see your work featured here!
I admire your craft.
Raquel D. BAILEY, Founding Editor
Lyrical Passion Poetry E-Zine
http://lyricalpassionpoetry.yolasite.com
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