Haiku Canada Archives: Nicholas Virgilio and Michael Dudley

 Hi All,

Vicki reminded me that I'm slowing down with my donations, so I thought I'd better get these two important collections in the mail asap  ;  )  

The first is the Selected Haiku of Nicholas Virgilio published in 1988 by Canadian presses Burnt Lake Press and Black Moss Press. The intro is by Canadian haijin Rod Willmot. Virgilio was one of the most influential earlier English language haijin. His classic haiku is:

Lily:
out of the water ...
out of itself


The second donation is series three through six in a limited first edition of 125 copies published by Wind Chimes Press in 1986.

There is an interesting dedication to me dated 4 October 1986 The Fallout Shelter

To Chris,

among flickering
but distant light -

with warmest wishes,
Michael

We must have done a group haiku reading that night in Toronto, although my memory is vague on the event. It was an extremely busy and "crazy" time for me with projects and dealing with my starter house in Toronto.

my memory was jogged by Michael memorializing the event by burning the bottom corner of the page in a candle flame  


the first haiku of his series "On Strike"

broken hockey stick
shaft
of a strike sign



off to the post office on this rainy spring day -

 

spring cleaning

more books

off to the archives

 (for Vicki, Heather, KJ, and Lara)

Chris/cricket

1980s/90s correspondence to Haiku Canada archives

 
A major part of my donations to Haiku Canada will be correspondence. While searching through ancient boxes I found several folders full of old haiku letters, mags, flyers, posters, reviews, and even a few old haiku newsletters and assorted memorabilia. I think it's key to get this material into the archives asap, as these papers would likely be among the first to be recycled or even burned when I leave this sphere - sad, but true. My good friend and executor is a self-proclaimed redneck, without any interest or knowledge of their value in literary and haiku communities.  

To start the process I've been sorting the letters by the names of my correspondents, including both letters to and from me. As it's interesting to give a quick glance through my back pages while sorting, I hope to include occasional brief notes as I prepare items for mailing. As I begin this process, I hope to refine and simplify it as much as possible. This basic cataloguing should help professional library archivists if they chose to refine the cataloguing, and also to give some guidance to anyone interested in researching or just browsing. Pages paper clipped by correspondents.     

Marco Fraticelli: early/founding member of Haiku Canada; editor/publisher haiku friendly mag The Alchemist
2 letters from Marco to me and a card
2 letter from me to Marco
copy special haiku limited edition the Alchemist #47 of 100

Dorothy Howard: early/founding member HC, co-edited and  published early bilingual anthology with Andre Duhaime, edited/published  mag raw nervz, HC archivist, etc. etc.!    
approx. 10++ letters from both of us, including some still in envelopes

Hans Jongman: longtime membership secretary for HC
envelope with 2 cards

Michael Dudley: early/founding member HC
1 letter from me and card ad for his collection  Man in a Motel Room

Leroy Gorman: early/founding member HC; coordinator HC member broadsheets
1 letter from each of us

George Swede: founding member HC; too many roles and projects to list
2 letters from me; also includes 2 drafts of my review of Eric Amann's Cicada Voices: Selected Haiku of Eric Amann 1966 - 1979, edited by George Swede; for High/Coo Press

                                                                ~    ~    ~

Chris, it's fantastic that you have these early correspondences to donate!

Best wishes for 2023 to all!

Vicki
(Head archivist Haiku Canada)