Acorn . . . a journal of contemporary haiku Acorn is a small biannual journal dedicated to publishing the best of contemporary English-language haiku. In particular, it showcases the individual poem and the ability of haiku to reveal the extraordinary moments found in everyday life. A.C. Missias, founder See also other redfox press publications. Submission guidelines: Original, unpublished haiku, not under consideration elsewhere, are welcomed from all writers, and should be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE); send to Carolyn Hall, editor 26 Buena Vista Terrace San Francisco, CA 94117 (Appearance in an edited on-line journal or 'zine constitutes prior publication.) Payment will be made upon acceptance; all copyrights revert to author upon publication. Submissions via email also acceptable (with subject line "acorn" and complete mailing address included) at: acornhaiku@@mac.com (remove second @ before sending) -- be sure that haiku are in the body of the message, formatted as plain text, to ensure that poems are readable. Authors who have not previously published in a specialized haiku journal, or are new to the genre generally, may want to consult the following introductory essay, which gives some ideas of our editorial outlook: Contemporary Haiku: Origins and New Directions (by A.C. Missias). Sample poems from recent issues are also given below. Acorn publishes in October and April; submissions are due by the end of August and February, respectively. Ordering information: (US funds only) Individual issues or Supplements: $6.00 ($8 overseas) Subscriptions: 1-year (2 issues) US = $12 Can = $13 elsewhere = $15 2-year (4 issues) US = $23 Can = $25 elsewhere = $29 Subscriptions and renewals can be sent to the editor address listed above, payable to redfox press; if starting a new subscription, please specify the issue with which you wish to start. (When not specified, we will try to start with the more timely choice.) Order on-line from the US using PayPal to send payment! *Be sure to include your mailing address,* and purchases will be in the mail as quickly as we can get through our email. (Note: multiple items should be combined into one PayPal order; just specify what you're ordering in the comment section, and be sure to total carefully.) * If renewing via PayPal, please add $1 to offset processing charges.*

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Sample haiku from recent Acorn issues:

Issue #19, Fall 2007: a wooden slat falls from the shutter--- the heat Ruth Holzer drop by drop onto the old lantern December rain Bruce Ross

Issue #20, Spring 2008: remembering a lost childhood autumn drizzle Gautam Nadkarni stone dust rising from the mason's hammer butterfly Jack Barry

Don't miss the Acorn Supplements!

Supplement #1: In Due Season, a discussion of the role of kigo in English-language haiku. Spring, 2000. 68pp., saddle-stitched. (This volume was released in conjunction with Acorn #4 but may be now be purchased separately.) This volume examines the role of seasonality in the Japanese poetic tradition and its adaptability into the equivalent English forms; various viewpoints and approaches are discussed and compared. How to utilize season words is the biggest quandry to face the evolution of our concept of English-language haiku since the discussions of form which occupied the first few decades of its existence. With essays by Jim Kacian, Dhugal Lindsay, Jane Reichhold, Charles Trumbull, and Michael Dylan Welch, this volume is sure to become a critical reference book for students and writers of haiku in the new millenium. "This is a timely publication of a collection of essays on kigo from leading thinkers and writers in haiku. . . . an important contribution to the debate that deserves a wide audience." New Hope International Review ". . . highly recommended." Modern Haiku An HSA Merit Book Award winner, for theory

Supplement #2: New Moon, an introduction to issues in contemporary American tanka. Fall, 2001. 56 pp., saddle-stitched. (This volume released in conjunction with Acorn #7, but may now be purchased separately.) Tanka is a poetic genre closely related to haiku (and preceding it historically); haiku writers and readers often bump across it, but without any real understanding of the criteria by which to judge this longer form. Guest editor Kenneth Tanemura presents some contemporary tanka, which show the range of subject and expression of today's English-language writers, and also starts some discussions aimed at exploring the ways in which haiku and tanka differ and how each offers unique challenges and opportunities. A rare theoretical resource on contemporary tanka, a genre of widening current popularity.

Supplement #3: In Good Company, an exploration of haiku-related linked forms. Spring, 2003. 71 pp., saddle-stitched. Descriptions of renku, rengay, haibun, and a host of newer related genres/forms that involve haiku linked with each other, with prose, or with other types of art. The book offers technical and artistic considerations for approaching these genres, as well as explorations of their relationships with haiku, discussed by some of their outstanding practioners and theorists. Don't miss this inspiring volume! (Released in conjunction with Acorn #10, it may be now be purchased separately.)

Supplement #4: Not available.

Supplement #5: A Loose Thread, selected poems from 10 years of Acorn, with commentary. Spring, 2008. 51 pp., saddle-stitched. Poems chosen by Acorn founder A.C. Missias from the first 20 issues, presented with an editor's commentary on what makes each successful and/or personally enjoyable. Worth reading for the outstanding haiku and for the insights into how an informed reader sees the elements working together; also a good introduction to the genre for those who may not have previously appreciated the depth of such simple poems. Includes ink drawings by Philadelphia artist Janice Merendino. (Released in conjunction with Acorn #20, it may be now be purchased separately.)