the grave of Matsuo Basho at Gichu-ji, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
"Basho's Day, basho-ki, On the 12th day of the 10th lunar month of
1694 (25 November, Gregorian), Basho, the founder of haikai and
haiku as we know them today, died. He was at a stopover midway on
yet another journey, in Osaka, and attended by a number of
disciples. Still observed according to the lunar calendar, which
varies considerably from year to year with respect to the
Gregorian, the date is associated with the characteristic early
WINTER DRIZZLE. In Japanese the name of an important figure
followed by ki means the person's death anniversary. In English,
we have sometimes used "remembered" to suggest this... In haikai
the Master's Day or Master's Anniversary (okin no ki) always refers
to Basho's Day."
Haiku World: An International Poetry Almanac by William J. Higginson
BASHO-KI (Specialized: Forms: haiku, Japanese forms, Subject: frogs)
5008 Flagstone Drive, Fort Worth TX. 76114. (817) 624-8803. Website:
https://cliffordroberts.tripod.com/bk.htm. E-mail: Vanpire13@aol.com.
Established 1998. Webmaster: Cliff Roberts.
Website Needs: basho-ki means Basho's Day, the anniversary of master
Matsuo Basho's death on the 12th day of the 10th lunar month of 1694
(25 November, Gregorian)
basho-ki is also an annual webzine dedicated to publishing haiku,
senryu, tanka, rengay, tan-renga, renga, haiga and haibun to honor
the master Basho who was 46 when he wrote the following hokku which
was pubished in Spring Days (Haru no Hi) in 1686:
furuiki ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto
old pond . . .
a frog leaps in
water's sound
(tr. William J. Higginson)
basho-ki encourages submissions from children to seasoned haiku writers.
basho-ki has made special pages for classroom submissions.
basho-ki encourages submissions from children to seasoned haiku writers.
basho-ki has made special pages for classroom submissions. basho-ki has
published haikai by Lynn Abbey, Piers Anthony, an'ya, Dennis McKeirnan,
Marlene Egger, Helen S. Jones, Pamela Miller Ness, Tom Painting, Bruce Ross,
Charles Trumbull, and Michael Dylan Welch.
basho-ki is published exclusively online with occasional haiga graphics.
How To Submit: Send up to 5 frog themed haiku or related forms: senryu,
tanka, rengay, tan-renga, renga, haiga and haibun. Accepts previously
published if noted as such (include when and where each poem was
originally published). Accepts submissions by postal mail but encourages
e-mail submissions with the author's name and haiku pasted into body
of message. No attached files unless is is a haiga in .jpg or.gif
format. I accept sumbissions from November 26 (the day after basho-ki)
to November 1 of the next year. Each year's page is posted by November
15, several weeks before basho-ki. Responds in two weeks to e-mail
submissions, up to 1 month for postal mail submissions. No payment.
Works will be archived online. All rights revert to the author.
Advice: "Learn about the tadpole from the tadpole and the frog from
the frog -- the haijin should detach his mind from self . . . and enter
into the frog . . . so the haiku forms itself when haijin and frog
become one."
(with apologies to Basho)
In honor of basho-ki I have created the basho-ki pages with frog
haiku contributions from willing haijin.
The submissions have ranged from the silly to the sublime,
and I love them all.
I have left all of the haiku forms as they were sent to me, whether
they were centered, staggered or left hand flush. I have kept original
punctuation and titles as well. I tried to leave signatures as they were
sent to me.
I appreciate the enthusiasm everyone has shown and the honor you all
have bestowed in Basho's memory.
leaping into the sound of haiku
kawazu
basho-ki pages
basho-ki 1998
basho-ki 2000
basho-ki 2001
basho-ki 2002
basho-ki 2003
basho-ki 2004
basho-ki 2005
basho-ki 2005 gabi
basho-ki 2005 Susan Vogal Taylor
basho-ki 2006
basho-ki 2008
basho-ki 2011
basho-ki 2012
basho-ki specialty pages
margaret-ki 1999
arthur-ki 2007
helen-ki 2009
coke-ki 2010
basho-ki 2001 Mrs. Jones Class
basho-ki 2003 Mrs. Jones Class
basho-ki 2007 Mrs. Jones Class
basho-ki Basho page
LINKS
FROGS
by clicking on the mail eating frog