NEW HOPE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW ON-LINE

This is precisely the sort of publication that should be sought out by readers interested in haiku and other East-Asian verse forms, and the often international communities supporting their proliferation. Membership to the group is low-cost, details for the group's many activities are included clearly within the publication itself, and there is a wide range of those facilities and editorial features that have contributed to the burgeoning success of this poetic tradition's appeal. For example, some of the regular features of the NEWSLETTER are a brief editor's column summarizing the nature of the work ongoing; a short workshop column, matching submissions to feedback; a minute report from the society's president; and a similarly tiny discussion of a favourite haiku. All of this, although miniature in scale, is appropriate and helpful to readers. Certainly less important to the wider readership is the proportionately longer section devoted to various REGIONAL REPORTS on the group's activities in Canada. While no doubt servicing the needs of the main constituency, nevertheless these too clearly reflect a tone of address reminiscent of a parochial town council meeting. Perhaps another venue might be sought for this information.

Still, most importantly, the NEWSLETTER contains a wealth of original and well-made poetry, and it is an altogether pleasurable read. Here are a handful of the most striking poems, together with the names of their authors:

	no new moon
	yet still she stirs the water
	searching for sparkles

	Naomi Wakan

		breeding
		in the dusty soil
		fleas

		Stephen Addiss

	impatient
	beside the white peonies
	young girl in black

	 Angela Leuck

		in my hand
		the Fall leaves—
		discoloured

		Patrick Campbell

	mother & daughter
	in shape in step — autumn's
	clear cut sunlight

	bruce roxburgh

The temptation must be when publishing haiku to fit in as many as possible because they are so short. However this can lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed and means that individual haiku may not be fully apprecaited. Haiku Canada Newsletter is to be commended for resisting this temptation and giving us instead a smaller, well chosen selection of haiku, allowing us time to savour each haiku moment.

The main selection of haiku cover seasonal and nature inspired themes, many worth a second reading. My personal favourites are two haiku that really achieve that which all haiku aim for — encapsulating a specific moment, whilst conveying so much more than just the moment. The two are: elehna de sousa's beautiful evocation of a moment of wonder shared with a loved one:

	lunar eclipse
	orange moon framed in fir
	the warmth of his hand

	sunlit puddles
	hold last night's storm —
	scattered petals

There is also a haiku sequence by Matt Morden, which contains:

	autumn dusk
	following a poet's car
	to the rainbow's end.

As well as haiku, the newsletter also contains haibun — short pieces made up of prose and haiku. Melissa Dixon manages to combine the traditional nature imagery of haibun with a more contemporary environmental awareness in RIDING WITH THE WIND. The narrator sees dead Monarch butterflies in amongst a living flock and her meditation on the threats posed to this species, take her back to the 1960s when her five year old son wandered into a field of milkweed, which was

flooded with color — the glorious orange of Monarch butterfly wings! ... my son slowly rises — young eyes filled with wonder...

	A slight breeze...
	the sound of birds 
	rearranging leaves.

	deertracks
	around the snowman
	his carrot nose gone.

Included in this issue of Haiku Canada Newsletter are also five single sheet collections, offering a chance to get to know a little more of the work of the featured poets: Haiku Canada Sheets from: Allan Brown (A WAY OF WALKING) and elehna de souza (HAWAII AND BACK). pawEprints from: LeRoy Gorman (STONES and REHEARSALS), Ed Markowski (GAMES).

HCN is a good read for all haiku fans and for those who would like to become better acquainted with this fascinating form.