Michael Dylan Welch

Poet, editor, writer, publisher of haiku and other poetry. Proprietor of National Haiku Writing Month at

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

@EverettPolice Stop

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

A death poem (jisei) by Toko, who died in 1795 at the age of 86:

death poems
are mere delusion—
death is death

@bigheadhq @nodefemme #haiku #jisei

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

A death poem (jisei) by Shuho, who died in 1767, age unknown:

cicada shell—
little did I know
it was my life

@bigheadhq @nodefemme #haiku #jisei

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

A death poem (jisei) by Kafu, who died in 1784 at the age of 36:

if I must die
then let me die before
the winter comes

@bigheadhq @nodefemme #haiku #jisei

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Do birds on wires look like musical notes? Have you written a haiku about that perception? https://t.co/rVnUA4BYCY

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

This short essay discusses Shiki's haiku about a firefly resting on a temple bell as an allusion to Buson's haiku about a butterfly resting on a temple bell, inviting you to judiciously write similar poems as allusive variations of existing haiku. https://t.co/FRoxCXkoVT

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

The Unbroken Circle: Spontaneous Similarity https://t.co/s1BEF5BYmC

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

"Honkadori, or Allusive Variation" provides an overview of a kind of allusion that dominated Japanese poetry centuries ago and is still being used today in haiku and tanka poetry. It can be used in English equally well as in Japanese. https://t.co/c1n8YtsKwO

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

"Dying to Visit a Graveyard" explores similar haiku, tanka, and two longer poems about the "dash" between two dates on gravestones, and how such a simple mark represents an entire life. https://t.co/CkZjYUMWZw

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Watching Haiku: People
These haiku celebrate people watching people who are often watching something else. This is a surprisingly common topic in haiku. See lots of examples here. https://t.co/xoV7XrErv2

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Watching Haiku: Other Creatures
People watching other creatures that are watching something else is more common as a haiku topic than you might think. This essay explores a generous selection of such poems. https://t.co/Rn1TmI7vhe

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Watching Haiku: Cats
Check out this survey of haiku about watching cats watching something else, celebrating how common these poems are. https://t.co/6vvtmiMa5p

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

I'm confused. You got third place last year, not this year.

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Today is the 19th anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the Tanka Society of America, convened by Michael Dylan Welch on April 14, 2000 in Decatur, illinois. Happy anniversary, TSA!

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Haiku Chronicles has just posted a video featuring Ruth Yarrow giving a nature walk at the 2014 Seabeck Haiku Getaway. Check it out at https://t.co/m7LPKsloXj -- and please consider joining us for this year's getaway,... https://t.co/m7LPKsloXj

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

The Tanka Society of America is pleased to announce that Alexis Rotella will edit the 2019 TSA members' anthology. The submission window is slightly different this year -- July 15 to... https://t.co/2CDRIjihiw

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Haiku Northwest meeting 7pm this Thursday at the Bellevue Library. Please join us! There might be cookies...

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Almost all the renewed member's journals are on their way! Best renewal rate ever thank you! Now working on 2018 members not yet renewed or not sure! If you are not sure please write to Kathabela ... this is a beautiful issue !

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Tanka Monday Call for Proposals

The Tanka Society of America is pleased to announce that it will have another tanka conference immediately after Haiku North America, this year in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Tanka... https://t.co/ccd4Y2AZFZ

[Michael Dylan Welch @CaptainHaiku]

Happy Day! I was just told to order RIBBONS, Winter, 2019 #1
it usually takes a week to 10 days to arrive so you can imagine me mailing by Feb 28! I will let you know and start preparing your mailing envelopes!!