Chris L. Terry

The latest haiku collection BLACK CARD by Ban ya Natsuishi leaves no doubt in our minds that the poet is successful in confronting the inner and external realities. These poems reveal the bitter truth and realities of the new millennium. Ban ya as a haiku poet is not confined and restricted to nature and season-word. Ban ya aptly remarks: I believe that haiku poem can be written well without season words, written well in free form and not only in 5-7-5 syllables. Sayumi Kamakura too points out that sincerity of emotion is more important than using season words: Season words are still merely words. As long as they are words, then the emotions the author attempts to convey with them should take precedence over the words themselves. The Japanese haiku that has touched me are those where the author’s true sentiments burst from the words. What is most important in haiku is how much true feeling is included in the poem＂.