7 p.m.
It is well known that haiku are very brief Japanese poems, probably the shortest poems in the world. With their simple syllabic pattern and lack of rhyming, they are easy to write—even children can and do write beautiful haiku! Although they originated in Japan, many millions of haiku have been written in various languages in addition to Japanese. Today, haiku truly belong to the world. How and why did haiku come about? Why are haiku so short? Why do they include precisely 17 syllables in a 5-7-5 arrangement? This talk, which presumes no knowledge of Japan or the Japanese language, will answer these questions and more. In an engaging overview of this fascinating topic, Professor Paul Atkins will discuss the origins of haiku in medieval Japan, introduce the major classic poets, and explore the ways in which haiku is linked to other forms of Japanese literature and art. Haiku is not just a poetic genre—it is a way of looking at the world and, for many people, a way of life. This talk will be followed by a moderated roundtable discussion between Professor Paul Atkins, and haiku poets Scott Oki and Mitsuko Miller.