Majorkowo

2025-09-28

Samobor 2025

spots of sunlight
on the mossy jetty
smell of calamus

a tiny garden
over the neighbor's fence
clematis in bloom

yellowed leaves
in a rainwater barrel
a toy boat

carnival show
sparks from flaming torches
hiss in the snow

Samobor Almanac issue 32, April 2025; editors Zvonko Jurčević , Tomislav Maretić, and Jadranka Brnčić; translation into Croatian: Tomislav Maretić

2025-09-20

kick the clouds

The first English-language anthology edited by me (together with Robert Kania): The fourth Haiku Foundation Volunteer Anthology - Kick the Clouds

EDITOR’S PREFACE

Growing up is a unique journey — one moment you’re a carefree child, and before you know it, you’ve stepped into adulthood. We've all experienced this transition, which brings both joy and nostalgia.

Robert and I believed that the theme of "back to childhood" might encourage our authors to open up and share their vulnerabilities. We were optimistic that this would resonate well and allow the poets to express themselves freely, and thankfully, it did! The nearly 100 poems in this collection showcase a wonderful variety of experiences — some joyful, some melancholic, and some a bit painful — and beautifully capture memories of people, places, objects, smells, and tastes in all their richness. We had a great time reading each poem, and we're truly grateful for the trust placed in us.

The theme is perfectly tied to the volume’s title, inspired by a lovely line from Adelaide B. Shaw’s haiku: "kick the clouds."

Let’s take a moment to enjoy this shared journey into our childhood memories.

We sincerely thank Theresa A. Cancro and Robin Smith for their dedication and support, along with all the volunteers who made this anthology possible.

— Marta Chocilowska & Robert Kania
THF Volunteer Anthology Editors

kick the clouds, The Haiku Foundation, Winchester, VA, 2025.