It’s that time of the year, the time when I start getting tired of watering the yard and I get tired of shutting up the house in the day so it’s not too warm when it’s time to go to bed. The time of year when I stay up too late reading (currently, Martha Wells’ “Murderbot” series) and the backyard birds wake me too early. It’s also the time when I get to feast on blueberries and go without socks and, if I’m very lucky, hear young screech owls begging for midnight snacks from the backyard trees.
It’s also that happy time of the year when Kingfisher is open for submissions! For the entire month of August, I get to read haiku and senryu from around the world. I’m always hopeful when I read a submission that I’m going to find something fresh. I don’t just mean a fresh subject, but a fresh way of sharing what the poet experienced and/or felt. Sometimes this is accomplished through perspective, sometimes through language, and yes, sometimes it’s the experience itself. I want to engage with the haiku, to be an active participant, to be intrigued. I want to sense what’s not being said and to have that much-lauded “ah-ha!” moment when I figure it out. These “ah-ha!” moments don’t have to be jaw-droppingly monumental. They can be subtle, and in fact, some of the best ones are.
For more details on what I’m looking for in a submission (and what I’m not), please check out the Submissions page: https://kingfisherjournal.com/submissions/ Yes, I know there’s a lot of information, but I’m trying to be transparent about the haiku that I’m interested in publishing, and the haiku that are less intriguing for me. Like all editors, I have my own tastes and preferences, so my best advice is to read a previous issue of Kingfisher, then send me your best work. If you’re new to haiku, I’d also encourage you to check out the Resources page: https://kingfisherjournal.com/resources/ It’s got tons of links to other haiku journals, essays, organizations, books, etc.
I’ve sold out of print copies of issue 11, but you can still order a pdf here (scroll down to the sunset photo): https://kingfisherjournal.com/shop/ Print issues 4, 5, 6, and 10 are available at a discounted rate and are a great way to see what the journal looks like in person (and also help me get rid of some overstock).
I look forward to reading your haiku & senryu!