MITSUAKI KOJIMA

　The skies above many rivers and streams in Japan are teaming with spring insects. Emerging at the end of April, flying insects of the Epiophlebia superstes family are referred to as mukashi-tonbo, ancient dragonflies, in Japan. Dating back millions of years, the genus is an example of a living fossil that can only be found in Japan and the Himalayas. The natural environment along sandy beaches in Kagoshima affords an outstanding habitat for the ancient dragonflies, writes Kyoko Kamata of the Satsumasakura haiku club.

　The dragonfly is generally associated with autumn in haiku, and in Australia it is currently autumn, yet Frank Lees chose to title his poem "Spring Dragon Fly." In addition to the rainbow dragonfly poem featured above, he included the following stanza from a sequence of 10 poems titled "Affection and Love," which spoke of butterflies, blackbirds, ferns, possums, snails, magpies, and the kookaburra. His two lines are followed by a haiku written in Branxton, New South Wales, by Lorne Henry.

　Edward McFadden, a Rhode Island poet, enjoys translating poems by Buson.
　Diana Lynn Grygo, a seed-bead artist in Massachusetts, says, "This Japanese form of poetry seems to be the perfect way to describe my beaded birds and animals."

　Riitta Rossilahti is a haiku poet in Finland. She toured Japan by Shinkansen after receiving a silver medal for poetry entered in the Hekinan haiku contest.

　The Meguro International Friendship Association of haikuists meets every month in Tokyo. Led by Yasuomi Koganei, this month the group wrote about spring dusk and cherry blossom parties held during the time between sunset and full dark. From the locations mentioned in the following poems, Koganei might have spent some time in the hospital and Midori Suzuki may have traveled to Paris.

　Spring dusk and blossoming cherries were also the preferred themes for haiku by Reiko Nishimura in Chiba.

　Mickey Nasu also enjoyed partying under blossoms this spring, but intriguingly he saluted the budding magnolia rather than the cherry.

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The next issue of the Asahi Haikuist Network will appear May 20. Readers are encouraged to mail haiku for the season, contest announcements, and haiku anthologies for review to David McMurray at the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, 5-3-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8011.