One Thread: Zoka in Contemporary Haiku

Japanese haiku master Basho wrote “one thread runs through the artistic Ways. And this aesthetic spirit is to follow the creative, to be a companion to the turning of the four seasons … follow the creative, return to the creative.” The creative is a translation of the Japanese word zoka, the dynamic spirit that transforms the natural world and the inner workings of the cosmos.One Thread: Zoka in Contemporary Haiku explores five questions: What is zoka? What does it mean to follow the creative, follow zoka? What is the thread that runs through the artistic Ways? Is it as relevant to modern poets as it was for Basho who lived more than three hundred years ago? If so, what potential does it hold for deepening modern haiku? These questions are answered by 1) briefly following the thread of zoka to poets and artists who were valued by Basho then leaping through time to ancient wisdom texts and 2) making a deep dive into the perspectives of contemporary haiku poets.Twenty-six poets from around the world share their perceptions of what zoka is and how it connects to poetry. The poets are artists, meditators, martial artists, and more. Some contributing poets reveal how the energies were impacting them and their work long before becoming aware of the Japanese concept. Others grew up where zoka was baked into the culture. The commonality is that all find it relevant for their work.Each poet offers an essay and a dozen haiku. Essays focus on personal understandings of what zoka is and the relevance of zoka for poets’ lives and other creative endeavors. Each poet selected haiku that illustrate and reinforce their perspectives.There is no single correct answer to any of the questions explored in this book. All of the poets have their own answers. They offer perspectives that are relevant in their own lives, their own work – perspectives that may ignite something in readers of One Thread: Zoka in Contemporary Haiku. Read more