Today is National Haiku Day!  If you’re not familiar with this very short form of poetry, here’s a helpful link.

If you’re lucky to be in the vicinity of Mineral Point (some call it the “Cradle of American Haiku”), then stop into Foundry Books tonight to hear some of these short, sweet poems.  Here’s the press release:

April 17, National Haiku Poetry Day, is a celebration of the genre of haiku, a kind of poetry whose origins date back a millennium in Japan; and more specifically, of English-language haiku, which has now been written for more than a century. The celebration occurs in the heart of National Poetry Month in the United States, under the auspices of The Haiku Foundation. NATIONAL HAIKU POETRY DAY will be celebrated in our area in Mineral Point,  WI with a HAIKU reading at The Foundry Books, 105 Commerce Street in Mineral Point. The reading begins at 7:00 PM. Featured readers will be Francine Banwarth of Dubuque, IA, who is the editor of FROGPOND, the journal of the Haiku Society of America, and Charlie Baker of Mineral Point, a Haiku poet who combines his etchings and engravings with his haiku (Haiga). Other poets are encouraged to bring haiku to read. Each poet can bring five to seven haiku to read. Beginning haiku poets are encouraged to come and read, listen and learn about haiku. Refreshments will be served.  For more information, please contact Gayle Bull via email at info@foundrybooks.com or phone 608-987-4363.

Gayle’s enthusiasm for haiku will surely be on display tonight as it was when she was interviewed last summer by PBS host John McGivern (note:  Gayle’s 1 minute of fame begins 9 minutes and 45 seconds in.)

So, come to Foundry Books for some haiku entertainment on this rainy Wednesday night – National Haiku Day!