The waves charge and crash
then they return again and
again and again
This is the first haiku we share which was written by a Native American writer. Of mixed Yuki and Filipino heritage, William Oandasan was a member of the Yuki tribe of Round Valley, California. An advocate for Native American writers, he founded A Press in 1976 and edited A: A Journal of Contemporary Literature. He is the author of the poetry collections Taking Off (1976); Sermon & Three Waves: A Journey Through Night (1978); Moving Inland, A Cycle of Lyrics (1983); Round Valley Songs (1984), winner of the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation; Round Valley Verses (1987); and Summer Night (1989). Oandasan died in 1992.
Haiku by William Oandasan
Picture by Ant Rozetsky
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: 11th October 2017