Michelle Hyatt has been spending time with haiku since 2014. She appreciates the depth and mystery haiku carry, and how they create a space for her to tune into the senses; to feel, and feel, and then feel some more.
Michelle writes haiku for the simple, sheer, creative pleasure. It is truly one of her greatest joys, having also brought healing, growth and friendship. Her haibun, haiku, tanka, rengay and renku have appeared in the International Women's Haiku Festival, Contemporary Haibun Online, Drifting Sands, Scarlet Dragonfly, Modern Haiku, Frogpond, moonbathing: a journal of women’s tanka, Ribbons, Under the Bashō, and Eucalypt: a tanka journal, and the international publications Yanty's Butterfly Haiku Nook: An Anthology, Half a Rainbow: Haiku Nook: An Anthology and Desert Rain: Haiku Nook: An Anthology. She is also co-author of Echoes: A Collection of Linked-Verse Poetry with Jacob Salzer.
Soulcraft is expressed in many of Michelle's passions, some of which include reading, painting and drawing, creating Nature arts and crafts, gardening, running, archery, being in her paddleboard and kayak in summer, or on cross-country skis and snowshoes in winter, playing guitar and the frame drum, singing and dancing, yoga and other forms of meditation, and spending time with family and friends. Michelle is a certified health and wellness coach, yoga and meditation teacher. She lives in breath-taking Northeastern Ontario, Canada with her devoted husband, brilliant children, and gorgeous dog.
"This is how you change the world, the smallest circles first… That humble energy, the kind that says, ‘I will do what I can do right now in my own small way,’ creates a ripple effect on the world."
~ Richard Wagamese, One Drum: Stories and Ceremonies for a Planet
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Jacob D. Salzer has been writing haiku and related forms since 2006, when he took a haiku class at The Evergreen State College: The Way of Haiku and Haibun taught by Kate Crow. Since that time, his haiku, tanka, and haibun have been published in numerous journals and solo collections.
Jacob served as the managing editor of three Haiku Nook anthologies: Yanty’s Butterfly: Haiku Nook: An Anthology (dedicated to Yanty Tjiam), Half A Rainbow: Haiku Nook: An Anthology (dedicated to Rachel Sutcliffe) and Desert Rain: Haiku Nook: An Anthology (dedicated to Martha Magenta and the 600+ million people who don’t have access to clean water). Jacob is also an active member of the Portland Haiku Group, where he served as the managing editor of the Portland Haiku Group anthology, New Bridges, dedicated to haiku poet Johnny Baranski.
Jacob enjoys spending time with his friends and family and has several interests, including: painting, drawing, photography, music, poetry, meditation, exercise, nutrition, neurobiology, medical coding, reading, editing, professional networking, and social activism. As a musician, he enjoys playing piano, guitar, and tabla drums from India. He frequently utilizes the Americans of Conscience checklist (https://americansofconscience.com/) to advocate for a better U.S. and world.
Jacob is the founding editor of the Haiku Poet Interviews blog: https://haikupoetinterviews.wordpress.com.
He also serves as a commentator for the Haiku Commentary blog with Nicholas Klacsanzky and Hifsa Ashraf, featuring excellent haiku: https://haikucommentary.wordpress.com
Jacob is the co-author of Echoes: A Collection of Linked-Verse Poetry with Michelle Hyatt (Lulu, 2020). His most recent solo collections are Mare Liberum: Haiku & Tanka (Lulu, 2020) and Unplugged— Haiku & Tanka (Lulu, 2022) inspired by Mother Earth, Indigenous Peoples and Michelle Hyatt.
