Exhibit and Workshop Slated for Haiku Enthusiasts

Charlotte Digregorio of Winnetka, author of Haiku and Senryu: A Simple Guide for All, knows the simplicity, yet elegance, of Japanese-style poetry. She will have an exhibit of this short poetic form combined with art throughout March and give a haiku workshop from 2 to 3:3o p.m., Sunday April 29 at the Northfield (IL) Public Library, 1785 Orchard Lane.

Haiku originated in Japan in the 1600s, and Digregorio says, "They capture the moments of our lives and often evoke our deepest emotions that we may have difficulty sharing with even those close to us." Her haiku exhibit is illustrated with graphic art and Japanese brush stroke paintings of black ink.

The author loves to engage the public in her poetry through artwork, thereby bringing poetry into the mainstream. People who don’t normally read poetry will often be attracted to it through paintings, Digregorio
believes.

Haiku can be written about anything, but often include nature scenes. They are becoming a worldwide fad, Digregorio says, as the poems are written in about 56 languages. Sometimes haiku are written about homelessness, loneliness, aging, illness, and death. They are therapeutic in our complex and chaotic world, she adds.

Digregorio loves to teach young and old about the beauty and joy of writing haiku. "Written in simple language with literary techniques, they express so much in so few words," she explains.

The author's workshop will introduce attendees to the healing and insightful nature of haiku. Usually written in one to four lines, haiku are relevant today because they allow people to capture life's sad and happy moments in affirming and rewarding ways.

"Whatever one's personal, educational, or professional background, they can be creative and write and publish haiku," Digregorio says.

The workshop will include discussion of haiku's content and style; a brief history of it; sample poems to review/analyze; publishing tips; and writing of one's own haiku with prizes awarded for the best ones.

The author, who has won 46 international poetry awards for various forms, has amassed a private collection of her framed haiku that is illustrated by professional artists in the Chicago area. Most of the framed pieces were gifted to her by organizations that had given her poetry awards.

Digregorio was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She served the Haiku Society of America in executive positions for many years. Her poetry has been translated into eight languages, and she hosted her own radio program, "Poetry Beat," on public broadcasting.

Further, Digregorio's poetry is regularly exhibited at botanic gardens, art galleries, apparel stores, wine shops, restaurants, banks, and on public transit.

Author of five other award-winning books, she speaks at national writer's conference, is a writer-in-residence at colleges, and judges writing competitions.

For more information, contact the Northfield Public Library, 847-446-5990.