We’re not sure whether this is weblog Sweeps Week, but f/k/a is hereby making a blatant attempt to woo a younger, hipper audience by focusing on a computer game. Naturally, it’s not just any-old new computer game. Instead, it’s Haiku Journey. Here’s the description from producer Hot Lava Games:
Haiku Journey Escape to picturesque and pastoral Japan at the foot of Mount Fuji in this new word puzzler. The unique experience of Haiku Journey is part logical mindbender and part relaxation therapy! Build words to gain inspiration and reveal/solve original Haiku. Collect ancient artifacts along the way to power up your abilities. Includes two modes of play and a tranquil screensaver.
There’s a detailed description and rave review of the game at GameZebo. You can get a free trial of Haiku Journey by clicking PLAY NOW and find system requirements here. According to our Honored Guest poet Alice Frampton (who wrote to say that the game is a prize for winners of the upcoming Vancouver Cherry Blossom haiku invitational), Haiku Journey features 540 English-language haiku by 45 poets around the world, selected by Michael Dylan Welch. Michael was the second Honored Guest Poet featured here at f/k/a, and we thought we’d use this occasion to reprise a handful of his haiku that evoke the journey theme.
after the quakea hobodirecting traffic
first on the trail—
the pull of a spider’s strand
across my face
the pull of a spider’s strand
across my face
gridlock
on the freeway–
the skywriting drifts
pausing on the trail—
I run my hand
through brush grass
I run my hand
through brush grass
at the trail’s end,
the way we sit
beneath the redwoods. . . . . by Michael Dylan Welch“gridlock” – from Open Window – click here for orig. photo & poemothers from Thornewood Poems, and TAO
Of course, haiku Master Issa knew a thing or two about journeys in Japan:
back from his journey
into the saddle…
rice-planting horse
is today a good day
to journey too?
returning geese
will these old knees
journey on?
autumn wind
the calf begins
his journey…
autumn rain
off on a journey
I’m not alone…
first inn of the year
dancing butterflies–
my journey is forgotten
for a while
. . . . . . . by Kobayashi Issa, translated by Daniel G. Lanoue– find these and more “journey” haiku by Issa here –
p.s. Alice Frampton wants you to know that the 2nd Annual Vancourver
Cherry Blossom festival will happen this Spring, and the festival is again seeking haiku inspired by the cherry tree. You can find submission details at http://www.vcbf.ca/ by following the
link for haiku.
In case you need some ideas, f/k/a featured cherry blossom haiku last year, in a posting about the Vancouver Festival and one about the D.C. Festival.
Comment by David Giacalone — November 13, 2006 @ 6:38 pm