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the taste of nashi
(NEW ZEALAND HAIKU)

Pumpkins and pregnancy, tattoos and togs, kayakers and coffins. And shadows and leaves, butterflies and raindrops, moonlight but not-a-frog-in-sight. Dawn to dusk, birth to death, the year turning. 

Here is a unique collection of haiku written by New Zealanders.  Four  experienced and widely published haiku writers selected the haiku from a wealth of submissions. Many of these haiku have been published previously and won awards, including in overseas haiku journals and contests.  

The haiku are in the tradition of Japanese haiku, but show significant departures in form and content. 

Haiku employ the most minimal elements of  poetry, and of  language, to convey their message. No other genre allows readers as much space to make each poem their own. 

the taste of nashi is beautifully designed by Briar Whitehead on high quality paper. It features kanji, the most artistic type of Japanese characters, which were drawn for this anthology by a Japanese calligraphist. You even get a bookmark. 

Press Release (April 2008)

Fresh off the press this month is a publication keenly awaited in New Zealand poetry circles. Entitled  the taste of nashi  - New Zealand Haiku and edited by Nola Borrell and Karen P Butterworth, this book is published by Windrift, Wellington.

A haiku is a short poem based on a traditional Japanese poetic form, which increasing numbers of western poets have adopted with enthusiasm.
The title, the taste of nashi, encapsulates the haiku's Japanese origins and the sensate nature of haiku, and is taken from one of the haiku featured in the book.

standing naked
in moonlight -
the taste of nashi

Sandra Simpson

This anthology is the first national haiku collection to be published since 1998 (the second New Zealand Haiku Anthology NZPS ed Cyril Childs). It includes 60 poets and over 200 haiku.

Many of these haiku have been published in national and overseas journals and have won awards in international contests.

the taste of nashi is beautifully designed by Briar Whitehead on high quality paper. It features kanji, the most artistic type of Japanese characters, which were written for this anthology by a Japanese calligraphist. You even get a bookmark.

The book is the result of an open invitation to NZ writers to submit haiku. Four experienced and widely published haiku writers - Ernest Berry, Cyril Childs, Catherine Mair and Barbara Strang - selected haiku from a wealth of submissions (a limit of ten per poet).

the taste of nashi is dedicated to Jeanette Stace (d 2006), a founding member of Windrift, and also of the planning committee for this anthology.

Windrift is grateful to Jeanette Stace and her family for their generous grant, making this book possible. Windrift also acknowledges support from the Hutt Minoh Friendship House Trust.

Reviews

Reviews have yet to appear, but some respected haiku poets have commented favourably on its contents. E.g.:

the taste of nashi has arrived! It's absolutely brilliant. Stimulating. It's definitely a MUST. CONGRATULATIONS! (Catherine Mair, QSM, originator of the Katikati Haiku Pathway project)

I have read the taste of nashi with the greatest of pleasure and you should be really pleased with your considerable efforts in producing such a beautiful book (Beverley George, Australian haiku/tanka poet and journal editor).

muchas congrats on a highly professional pblctn go2topoclass! (Ernest J Berry, New Zealand's most prolific haiku poet and international prize winner.)

I think the anthology is excellent. I've been poring over it, drinking in the familiarity in terms of New Zealand scenes (Owen Bullock, haiku poet and Associate Editor of Poetry New Zealand).

My personal thanks to you both for a brilliant anthology. (Andre Surridge, playwright and prize-winning haiku poet)

The anthology is a very fine production, beautifully designed  (Robin Fry - poet)

I've read this anthology right through - something I rarely seem to achieve and I still have a mound of reading material to get through!  I've enjoyed it all - I think it turned out really well, so
again - congratulations all round (Tony Chad, editor of Valley Micropress).

TITLE               the taste of nashi
AUTHOR         Various
PUBLISHED    2008
CATEGORY    Poetry. Haiku anthology
FORMAT         Paperback
EXTENT           A5, 125 pages
ISBN                 978-0473-13300-9
PRICE              NZ  $25.00