DEKALB, IL–I was privileged to play a role in a unique event organized by musician, author and poet Regina Harris Baiocchi, in collaboration with the Northern Illinois University (NIU) School of Music. Haiku contributed by poets from around the world were transformed into Haiku-length morsels of music by a diverse set of composers. The Haiku compositions were part of the two-day 9th NIU New Music Festival.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only three of the featured Haiku poets could attend the event in person, so the fourteen poems and original compositions were introduced by three of the poets: myself (James Morehead, Poet Laureate – Dublin, CA), Angie Trudell Vasquez – Poet Laureate – Madison, WI, and festival organizer Regina Harris Baiocchi. You can enjoy each of the performances and the Haiku below:
Haiku Set 1 Performances Narrated by James Morehead
Turn Over the Earth (Haiku: Lisa Marie Simmons, Music: Brian Penkrot) Turn over the earth There drop seeds in small holes dug Ecstatically Petals (Haiku: James Morehead, Music: Yuko Asada) still draped in pink no skin exposed as nightfall draws petals evanesce she lies still dreaming petal canopy above on damp prickly grass Mallards, Museums, Hot Rods (Haiku: Renée Moore, Music: Kayla Bivin) mallards float to shore museum trembles in their wake hot rods cruise the lot The Call (Haiku: John S. O’Connor, Music: Elena Stavropoulos) call to prayer the bell of a tulip Little Crow Hop Hop (Haiku: Meg Wilhoite, Music: Melissa Wang) Little crow hop hop Guardian of the sidewalk As I pass, “squawk, squawk”
Haiku Set 2 Performances Narrated by Angela Trudell Vasquez
Loving Sun (Haiku: Regina Harris Baiocchi, Music: Mikaela Jackson) red rising sun translates lovemaking into music Spring Blossoms Below (Haiku: Samuel Barbour, Music: David Maki) Dead leaves on branches Stubborn refusal to fall Spring blossoms below Spring Returns (Haiku: Angie Trudeau Vasquez, Music: Kyle Anderson) Red breasted robin bathes in its blue eggshell bath sings migration songs Sunshine Sweeps the Floor (Haiku: Laurie Shoulter Karall, Music: Kayla Bivin) sunshine sweeps the floor dust motes lazily drift down the cat, undisturbed Celebration Will Go On (Haiku: Hifsa Ashraf, Music: Daniel Burke) tumbaknari beat echoing through the valley monsoon rain droplets
Haiku Set 2 Performances Narrated by Regina Harris Biaocchi
Faster than Light Thoughts (Haiku: Michael Watson, Music: Emily Brown) faster than light thoughts blackness beyond the present heralds a new world The Misfortunate Monarch (Haiku: Lisa Marie Simmons, Music: Ethan Featherly) captured there in the middle of the net butterfly in trouble Turn (Haiku: Marilyn Allen, Music: Ben Wahlund) Why kill anyone Breathe life into those you meet Honor your family Do Not Tire (Haiku: Khari B, Music: Ben Heppner) There R those who did a lot more with a lot less 4 a lot longer
NIU New Music Ensemble
- Abria Shaw, soprano
- Anya Newsome, mezzo soprano
- Amos Egleston, trumpet
- Mitchell Garcia, clarinet
- Melissa Milford, viola
- Dayoung Park, cello
- Elena Stravropolous, piano
- David Czechut, percussion
- Yuko Asada, piano on “Petals”
Two stanzas from the poem I contributed, petals in haiku, were set to music as part of the program; here is the full poem:
petals in haiku by james c. morehead she lies still—dreaming petal canopy above on damp prickly grass cherry blossoms fly in full bloom, singing springtime dancing on the breeze soon all depart, the tree left bare only to watch her buried below still—draped in pink, no skin exposed as nightfall draws petals evanesce
