Never Say Always


Naviar Records

naviarhaiku471 – Evening sky
Evening sky,
the silhouettes of farmers in their fields
deepen.

(translated by James Abrams)

A wandering poet and ascetic Zen priest, Santōka was a disciple of Ogiwara Seisensui, one of the first poets to discard the traditional use of the 5-7-5 structure in haiku.

Santōka’s poetry emphasizes the necessity of sabi (solitude) in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment and serenity.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 18th January 2023

haiku by Santoka Taneda https://www.chzc.org/Nonin.htm

picture by Mr Xerty https://unsplash.com/@xerty

Evening sky (naviarhaiku471)

Decline (unmaster)

Jacobo (Instrumental)

Naviar Records

￼

naviarhaiku476 – Birds in a bare tree

Birds in a bare tree
Dance on windswept branches
Their waiting ballet…

John Hinks, aka FlownBlue, is a prolific and talented composer, and a regular participant in the Haiku challenge. Aside from his solo project, John is also involved in three improvising duos: ‘Windfall Light‘ (with Jim Tetlow), ‘Abstract Blue‘ (with Kevin Buckland) and ‘Light Fragments‘ (with Steve Escott).

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 22nd February 2023

haiku by John Hinks https://soundcloud.com/flownblue

picture by Robbin Huang https://unsplash.com/@ikarishinjigao

Birds in a bare tree (naviarhaiku476)

naviarhaiku482

dark and light
balanced vernal equinox
marginal breath

Andy Perrin is a writer/photographer/cyclist/teacher who lives in southern Rhode Island in the U.S. He often explores the world around him on one of his bicycles and records moments of inspiration in photographs and words.

Much of his work is rooted in nature and recently that led him to begin to practice haiku. Andy enjoys tight writing that allows the reader to find room for themselves among the words and lines. His poetry and photography has been published by petrichor, Roi Faineant Press, Brimstone & Venus Literary, Full Mood Mag, Spare Parts Lit, Green Ink Poetry, and Quibble Literary Journal.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com

Deadline: 5th April 2023

haiku by Andy Perrin
picture by Wonderlane

Dark and light (naviarhaiku482)

naviarhaiku484

misty daydream
Vikings land on the shore
of my childhood

(Published on “Songbirds Online,” The United Haiku and Tanka Society, 2022)

Michael Dudley was born in downtown Toronto and reared in the Greater Toronto Area.  He later lived and worked for 35 years in rural Southwestern Ontario.  From May 2018 until June 2020 he continuously travelled.  He is the father of three adults and the author of numerous poetry collections, including pilgrimage:  ha!ku selected & new, Red Moon Press, 2017.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit [https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku](https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku?fbclid=IwAR3uqhPraqBn2lAOY6zPwADAr6pwl-3U4bLzuorECEM8B61rKLaqfaLg_zY)

Deadline: 19th April 2023

haiku by Michael Dudley
picture by frame harirak

misty daydream (naviarhaiku484)

naviarhaiku485

The rain is over:
South Mountain puffs out
Spring clouds.

(Tr. Sōiku Shigematsu)

One of the most influencial modern Japanese writers, Natsume Soseki’s literary career started in 1903, with a series of haiku and renga published on various literary magazines. Between 1900 and 1903 he studied at the UCL in London, but this proved to be quite a dramatic experience for the young Soseki:

“The two years I spent in London were the most unpleasant years in my life. Among English gentlemen I lived in misery, like a poor dog that had strayed among a pack of wolves.“

Despite this, when Soseki returned to Japan he exploded into prolific writing activity.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit [https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku](https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku?fbclid=IwAR13scfvxClSzTfbNs1PyRDX65m4R99UML_QBEtUPDsPMit3Jyu6uT0xpvk)

Deadline: 26th April 2023

haiku by Natsume Sōseki
picture by Daniel J. Schwarz

Tension (naviarhaiku485)

naviarhaiku486

Lost in tranquil seas
Where spring feels melancholy
Another sunset

Gary Clarke joined a social media platform to raise awareness about an infrastructure issue in his local area by creating a website at Whaligoe Eye in August, 2021. During this time, he stumbled across a poetry and writing community which provided support and encouragement for his creativity.

Living right on the coastline in the Highlands of Scotland provides Gary with plenty of inspiration for his poetic endeavours, and through moments of sunrise and sunset gracing the North Sea it proves to be a motivational muse.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit [https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku](https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku?fbclid=IwAR0AimmA6Kro24P1MD_WXfL_lTdHa8phf7CHUzwkfo22YAegIs-oLYS3pyU)

Deadline: 3rd May 2023

haiku by Gary Clarke
picture by Lavi Perchik

Lost in tranquil seas (naviarhaiku486)

naviarhaiku487

Sound of mountain
sound of ocean
everywhere spring rain.

Sôen Nakagawa was a key figure in the transmission of Zen Buddhism from Japan to the Western world. Author Sean Murphy, in his “One Bird, One Stone: 108 Contemporary Zen Stories”, tells us an interesting story about the Zen Buddhist master during his time in the U.S.:

“Soen loved to walk around New York City. He’d stare at the lighted skyscrapers, at their tops, he claimed he saw Buddha figures in the lights. “Look at the Buddha,” he’d point, “Shining Buddha!” He’d fill the sleeves of his robes with nuts and berries from Central Park or herbs growing in the sidewalk cracks, and add them to his bowl at the next meal. He loved the musical Fiddler on the Roof, and when asked a question about why some particular point of ceremony needed to be performed in a certain way, he might burst into song, responding “Tradition…!”

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 10th May 2023
haiku by Sôen Nakagawa
picture by Guillaume de Germain

Everywhere Spring Rain (naviarhaiku487)

Naviarhaiku 488

in dream world
was I laughing at a turtle?
winter seclusion

Among the four great masters of Japanese haiku, Kobayashi Issa was the most prolific: during his lifetime he wrote over 20,000 haiku, hundreds of tanka, and several haibun. If you want to find out more about this prolific author I suggest you check out this database of his haiku.

From the Haiku Guy website:

“Perhaps Issa’s dream is symbolic. Like a turtle, he is hunkered inside his shell (hut), waiting out the harsh winter weather. Or, William Nicholas offers a different interpretation, noting that the turtle is linked with good luck and longevity in Japan. In 1812 Issa was still a bachelor; he married two years later. At this point in his life he longed for the good luck of marriage and family life, hence the dream turtle’s teasing laughter?”

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 17th May 2023

haiku by Kobayashi Issa https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/kobayashi-issa

picture by Todd Trapani https://unsplash.com/photos/ymEcUhbjCrI

TO PARTICIPATE

- Make a song in response to the weekly assigned poem (a new poem is published every Wednesday)

- When choosing a title for your piece also include the assignment number, for example “Title of your track (naviarhaiku488)”

To submit your track:

- If you’re a Soundcloud user, upload it on Soundcloud and send me the URL via private message, or tag me in the track.

- If you upload your music on Youtube, Bandcamp or anywhere else, upload your submission and then send me the link by email at marco@naviarrecords.com or contact me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

- If you don’t use any music platform, upload it to this Dropbox folder and I’ll include it in the weekly playlist. If you choose this option, make sure you include your name in the track’s title.

Your track may be included in Naviar's weekly podcasts and free (pay-what-you-want) compilations. If you can, please set the track as downloadable on Soundcloud and allow others to remix/reuse it by using a Creative Commons License.

For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

winter seclusion

Winter Seclusion (naviarhaiku488)

naviarhaiku490

The cold forest flaunts
A newly webbed blanket of
Wood anemones

Pritee Rel is a teacher living in Alberta, Canada, with her husband, two children, a dog, and a cat. Besides reading and writing, Pritee likes going on long walks/hikes with her dog.
Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 31st May 2023
Haiku by Pritee Rel
Picture by Annie Spratt

The Cold Forest Flaunts (naviarhaiku490)

morning glow
buttercups flutter
at the forest’s edge

Catherine LoFrumento lives in Connecticut with her husband and fur babies. Her poetry has been featured or is forthcoming in various journals and anthologies including: Cattails, Modern Haiku, Frogpond, bottle rockets, Chrysanthemum, Hedgerow Journal, Three Line Poetry, and Poetry Quarterly. You can find more of her work on Twitter: @Catherin03 and on Instagram: @Poetrycatt

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 7th June 2023

Haiku by Catherine LoFrumento https://twitter.com/Catherin03

Picture by Alessandro Capuzzi https://unsplash.com/@aleeecap

TO PARTICIPATE
- Make a song in response to the weekly assigned poem (a new poem is published every Wednesday)
- When choosing a title for your piece also include the assignment number, for example “Title of your track (naviarhaiku491)”
To submit your track:
- If you’re a Soundcloud user, upload it on Soundcloud and send me the URL via private message, or tag me in the track.
- If you upload your music on Youtube, Bandcamp or anywhere else, upload your submission and then send me the link by email at marco@naviarrecords.com or contact me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
- If you don’t use any music platform, upload it to this Dropbox folder and I’ll include it in the weekly playlist. If you choose this option, make sure you include your name in the track’s title.

Your track may be included in Naviar's weekly podcasts and free (pay-what-you-want) compilations. If you can, please set the track as downloadable on Soundcloud and allow others to remix/reuse it by using a Creative Commons License.
 
For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Morning Glow (naviarhaiku491)

Desolate street at dawn
Last night’s turmoil
Whispers in the wind

Second haiku written by me that makes it to the Haiku challenge. I hope you’ll find it inspiring.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 21st June 2023

Haiku by Marco Sebastiano Alessi https://www.naviarrecords.com

Picture by K8 https://unsplash.com/photos/vEESxiQXASk

TO PARTICIPATE
- Make a song in response to the weekly assigned poem (a new poem is published every Wednesday)
- When choosing a title for your piece also include the assignment number, for example “Title of your track (naviarhaiku493)”
To submit your track:
- If you’re a Soundcloud user, upload it on Soundcloud and send me the URL via private message, or tag me in the track.
- If you upload your music on Youtube, Bandcamp or anywhere else, upload your submission and then send me the link by email at marco@naviarrecords.com or contact me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
- If you don’t use any music platform, upload it to this Dropbox folder and I’ll include it in the weekly playlist. If you choose this option, make sure you include your name in the track’s title.

Your track may be included in Naviar's weekly podcasts and free (pay-what-you-want) compilations. If you can, please set the track as downloadable on Soundcloud and allow others to remix/reuse it by using a Creative Commons License.
 
For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Whispers In The Wind (naviarhaiku493)

naviarhaiku497

The gate shuts
with a loud groan
The temple sleeps

Hōsai graduated from the Tokyo Imperial University, where he studied law. He got off to a good start but decided to give up his home, family, and business to jump from one militant religion of Japan to the other.

Just like Taneda Santoka, Hōsai abandoned the traditional verse form of his time and mostly looked at the austere confines of his life for inspiration.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku
Deadline: 19th July 2023

Haiku by Hosai Ozaki (Tr. Alex Fyffe)
Picture by Julia Karl

The Temple Sleeps (naviarhaiku497)

lull in the rain…
drifting into the bedroom
a butterfly!

Enomoto Seifu was a female poet born into a samurai family in 1732. She focused on her writing mostly after her husband’s death in the mid-1750s, and later in life, she became a Buddhist nun. Her works were collected and published after her death by her son.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 16th August 2023

Haiku by Enomoto Seifu https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/poet/enomoto-seifu/

Picture by Liviu C. https://unsplash.com/photos/_4CAr6AAF0Y

TO PARTICIPATE
- Make a song in response to the weekly assigned poem (a new poem is published every Wednesday)
- When choosing a title for your piece also include the assignment number, for example “Title of your track (naviarhaiku501)”
To submit your track:
- If you’re a Soundcloud user, upload it on Soundcloud and send me the URL via private message, or tag me in the track.
- If you upload your music on Youtube, Bandcamp or anywhere else, upload your submission and then send me the link by email at marco@naviarrecords.com or contact me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
- If you don’t use any music platform, upload it to this Dropbox folder and I’ll include it in the weekly playlist. If you choose this option, make sure you include your name in the track’s title.

Your track may be included in Naviar's weekly podcasts and free (pay-what-you-want) compilations. If you can, please set the track as downloadable on Soundcloud and allow others to remix/reuse it by using a Creative Commons License.
 
For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Lull In The Rain

Lull In The Rain (naviarhaiku501)

Caterpillar
Opens her new wings
Metamorphosis

According to expert Jane Reichhold, the hai of haiku means “joke, or fun, or unusual”, which is part of the inspiration behind the name halF unusuaL, the experimental electronic music project of Darren Bourne, who also writes haiku and has been published by the British Haiku Society. 

You can find Darren’s music on Soundcloud and Youtube, and check out his website to find out more about his publications and merchandise: https://www.halfunusual.com.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 30th August 2023

Haiku by Darren Bourne https://ffm.bio/halfunusual

Picture by Ray Hennessy https://unsplash.com/photos/qZzJoiKHqmo

TO PARTICIPATE
- Make a song in response to the weekly assigned poem (a new poem is published every Wednesday)
- When choosing a title for your piece also include the assignment number, for example “Title of your track (naviarhaiku503)”
To submit your track:
- If you’re a Soundcloud user, upload it on Soundcloud and send me the URL via private message, or tag me in the track.
- If you upload your music on Youtube, Bandcamp or anywhere else, upload your submission and then send me the link by email at marco@naviarrecords.com or contact me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
- If you don’t use any music platform, upload it to this Dropbox folder and I’ll include it in the weekly playlist. If you choose this option, make sure you include your name in the track’s title.

Your track may be included in Naviar's weekly podcasts and free (pay-what-you-want) compilations. If you can, please set the track as downloadable on Soundcloud and allow others to remix/reuse it by using a Creative Commons License.
 
For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Opens her new wings

Opens Her New Wings (naviarhaiku503)

naviarhaiku506

now it reveals its hidden side
and now the other – thus it falls,
an autumn leaf

Ryōkan Taigu was a Japanese poet and calligrapher who lived during the Edo period. A Buddhist monk who lived much of his life as a hermit, Taigu spent most of his time writing poetry, calligraphy, and communing with nature. His poetry is often very simple and inspired by nature.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 20th September 2023
Haiku by Ryōkan Taigu
Picture by Ormid Armin

An Autumn Leaf (naviarhaiku506)

naviarhaiku517

Early dawn’s pale light:
A gentle start to the day
Two seagulls gliding

John Hinks, aka FlownBlue, is a prolific and talented composer, and a regular participant in the Haiku challenge. Aside from his solo project, John is also involved in multiple projects: ‘Windfall Light‘ (with Jim Tetlow), ‘Abstract Blue‘ (with Kevin Buckland), ‘Light Fragments‘ (with Steve Escott), Szukanie (with Michał Wojciechowski), and Meadowlight (with Emma Reed).

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 6th December 2023
Haiku by John Hinks
Picture by Romello Williams

A gentle start to the day (naviarhaiku517)

naviarhaiku518

dark clouds menacing
– I doubt we shall reach shelter
before the deluge

Raymond Cobley is an experimental composer and regular participant in our Haiku challenge. Now retired, Raymond aims to explore the possibilities afforded by open-source software, which he uses exclusively for creating and editing both sounds & images. All his works are published under a Creative Commons licence, and free for anybody to download or remix.
Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 13th December 2023
Haiku by Raymond Cobley
Picture by Malte Schmidt

Dark Clouds Menacing (naviarhaiku518)

naviarhaiku 521

Among the four great masters of Japanese haiku, Kobayashi Issa was the most prolific: during his lifetime he wrote over 20,000 haiku, hundreds of tanka, and several haibun. If you want to find out more about this prolific author I suggest you check out this database of his haiku.

Seven days to make music in response to the assigned haiku: to participate visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

Deadline: 3rd January 2023
haiku by Kobayashi Issa
picture by Jonathan M. Hethey

My Trashy Hut (naviarhaiku521)

My eyes lift to see
A sky that is entirely
magnolia blooms

This is a haiku taken from Kusamakura (or The Three-Cornered World), a novel by Natsume Soseki I'm currently reading.

A book that transcends the plot development of "standard" Western literature, this is a book about the nature of art and beauty, filled with lyrical beauty and internal monologues on what it means to be an artist.

To give you an idea, here's how the book starts:

“If you work by reason, you grow rough-edged; if you choose to dip your oar into sentiment’s stream, it will sweep you away. Demanding your own way only serves to constrain you. However you look at it, the human world is not an easy place to live. And when its difficulties intensify, you find yourself longing to leave that world and dwell in some easier one—and then, when you understand at last that difficulties will dog you wherever you may live, this is when poetry and art are born.”

One of the most influential modern Japanese writers, Natsume Soseki’s literary career started in 1903, with a series of haiku and renga published on various literary magazines.

Between 1900 and 1903 he studied at the UCL in London, but this proved to be quite a dramatic experience for the young Soseki. Despite this, when Soseki returned to Japan, he exploded into prolific writing activity.

Submission deadline: 17th January 2024
Haiku by Natsume Soseki

Picture by Henry & Co.

TO PARTICIPATE
 
- Make a song in response to the weekly assigned poem (a new poem is published every Wednesday)
- When choosing a title for your piece also include the assignment number, for example “Title of your track (naviarhaiku523)”
To submit your track:
- If you’re a Soundcloud user, upload it on Soundcloud and send me the URL via private message, or tag me in the track.
- If you upload your music on Youtube, Bandcamp or anywhere else, upload your submission and then send me the link by email at marco@naviarrecords.com or contact me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
- If you don’t use any music platform, upload it to this Dropbox folder and I’ll include it in the weekly playlist. If you choose this option, make sure you include your name in the track’s title.

Your track may be included in Naviar's weekly podcasts and free (pay-what-you-want) compilations. If you can, please set the track as downloadable on Soundcloud and allow others to remix/reuse it by using a Creative Commons License.
 
For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

A Sky That Is Entirely (naviarhaiku523)

naviarhaiku524

winter sun -
my own shadow
blocks the way

Murakami Kijo was a contemporary of Masaoka Shiki. Born into a samurai family in a time of social transformation in Japan, Kijo lost most of his hearing at the age of 18, which compromised his studies and professional career.

Widowed young and struggling financially throughout his life, Kijo worked as a scribe to sustain his family. Eventually, he started being regularly featured in the Hototogisu magazine (curated by Kyoshi at the time) and became a distinguished haikuist.

Haiku by Murakami Kijo
Picture by Michael Krahn

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

Submission deadline: 24th January 2024

My Own Shadow (naviarhaiku524)

naviarhaiku525

vernal seas…
all day long swelling, falling
swelling, falling

One of the four great haiku masters, Yosa Buson studied both Japanese and Chinese poetry. He was also an accomplished painter, and most of his poems were accompanied by paintings, resulting in a more diverse and individual set of works than the one by his main historical influence, Basho.

This haiku was translated by Adam L. Kern.

Haiku by Yosa Buson
Picture by Cris S.

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

Submission deadline: 31st January 2024

Vernal Seas (naviarhaiku525)

@voidbornhorde
@rawpinkbmp
@flat-stone
@zuheodosha
@jalastram
@kabomani
@solanmusic
@nobioyet
@0x4B

- Virtual Instruments
- Audacity
- FL Studio 20
- Cubase LE AI Elements 6
- Interface Scarlett 2i2
- Condenser Microphone(CM25)
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50X
- Arturia MiniLab - USB/MIDI Controller
- Nikon D3200
- Adobe Photoshop CS2
- M-Audio Axiom 61
- M-Audio Oxygen 61
- M-Audio Hammer 88
- M-Audio BX5 D3 (Studio Monitors)
- JVC HA-RX330-E
- Native Instruments
- AKG Headphone
- SONY SRS-D25
- Samsung S10Edge
- Xiaomi Redmi 9C
- WaveEditor Record & Edit Audio (Sound-Base Audio, LLC)

https://freesound.org/people/jalastram/

Jesús Lastra

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