Selected Workshop Leader experience
CURRENT (2009)
Japan-UK 150 renga poetry residencies (2009 ongoing)
Writing Events Bath: 'How to write a Haiku Journal' July 2009
Check with: www.writingeventsbath.co.uk/
Wolds Words Festival, Lincolnshire, October 2009
The 1000 Verse Renga Project: With Words in partnership with Bath Libraries (October - November 2009)
Writers in Conversation: Tracey Kelly & Alan Summers
Bath, B&ANES 25th November 2009
December 2009: Editing 1000 Verse Renga eBook; editing new haiku anthology; editing draft of children's novel
Spring: various workshops and ongoing work on novel.
Spring 2009 Residential Tutor, Claridge House, Surrey
Writing Poetry the haiku way Re-booked for April 2010.
PAST EVENTS
Spring Programme 2008 Visiting Tutor, The Poetry School
Three Asian Forms Workshops:
1. Haiku & Senryu
2. Korean, Japanese & Chinese Forms
3. Renga
Summer 2007 The AppleHouse Workshops, Kent
A Long Poet's Guide to Haiku
with ginko haiku walking/writing sessions.
Spring Programme 2007, Visiting Tutor, Poetry School
Introduction to haiku & senryu 2007
Autumn 2006/Summer 2007
Bath Spa University Student Development workshops
Haiku poet residency with Bath Spa University graduate development project run by student organisation ambidextrous.
"I found it very inspiring."
Abby, Bath Spa University, third year student.
July 2006
BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE (BSL) HAIKU FESTIVAL
First ever British Sign Language Haiku Festival, organised by the University of Bristol in 2006. I gave a talk & workshop; organised a ginko (haiku writing walk) and judged and presented The Basho Award.
"Thank you very much for your support and participation to our festival. It was a brilliant idea to organise a haiku walk. Everyone enjoyed it immensely."
MICHIKO KANEKO, BSL Haiku Festival 2006 Organiser
Centre for Deaf Studies, University of Bristol
2006
Haiku poet-in-residence, Oppo} City Centre Cafe
Regular lunchtime haiku workshops and other activities.
The residency was mentioned in Lonely Planet Guide to Great Britain.
2004
Haiku Poet-in-Residence, Bristol Festival of Nature 2004
The U.K.'s largest natural history festival where Alan was sponsored by BFN2004 & Norwich Union to undertake haiku workshops during October & November 2004 through Bristol and S.W. England schools.
Poetry Can, the S.W. England poetry development agency, also sponsored Alan at BFN2004 to take adult and family workshops at Bristol Zoo, and a ginko (haiku writing walk) and workshop with The Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project.
QUOTES
"I saw a healthy stream of people at the haiku table."
Heidi Potter, Director, Japan Society (2008)
"astonishingly moving haiku"
YOMIURI SHIMBUN January 2005
"widely known haiku poet...as dry as vintage champagne"
YOMIURI SHIMBUN September 2002
(Japan's largest national newspaper with over 14 million readers.)
"...humanises the city."
Takashi Nonin, MAINICHI DAILY NEWS, Japan
"...you are one of the poets I have been most interested in. When I began composing haiku, I studied about English language haiku through your descriptive literature in the website. I love your haiku style."
KEIKO IZAWA, musician & haiku poet, Yokohama, Japan
"Alan Summers...has now taken it upon himself to keep the magic alive."
THE GUIDE: Surrey & Sussex Newspapers
"Many, many thanks for coming to Kingsfield. All the teachers involved in the workshops have said how much they enjoyed them and how valuable they were for the pupils."
"Alan's Haiku went down well with the Yr 7s, and we were impressed at how the sometimes turbulent Yr 10s tackled them."
Tim Anderson (Teacher/Governor), Kingsfield School, S. Gloucestershire
"You have a very gentle and encouraging way with the students -- and you have been generous with your time in giving them deep and positive comments!"
Isabelle Prondzynski, CMS Ireland Associate Mission Partner 2007
This was one of the best haiku outings I have ever had. I enjoyed teaching the young upcoming haijin as well as writing my own haiku and I won second prize in the Adults Category. Alan-san, that was a fabulous effort and opportunity for all of us. Please keep up the great work!
Patrick Wafula, Community Based Organization (CBO) Teacher, Nairobi, Kenya, Africa 2007
"I don't think I've been commended for anything before-so thank you. It's a new strange and positive experience."
TIANE MOXON-RIEDLIN: parent, and runner up, in the 1st With Words haiku competition at my Oppo} Cafe (Bristol) haiku residency* JULY 2006
(*mentioned in Lonely Planet Guide to Great Britain)
"Quite upset at having had to miss it...we hope that we will be able to repeat it again...so maybe I'll get to make it then!"
Meet the Expert: Wild haiku Event May 2005
Dr Lorraine Coghill,
SCIENCE LEARNING & PROGRAMMES OFFICER, AT-BRISTOL
"...haiku workshop was greatly received...very very impressed by the standard" Bristol PRIMARY SCHOOL
"Thanks for a stimulating, informative, and productive workshop...please let me know of any Asian poetry happenings"
Dorothea Smartt, poet (Brixton Market's first Poet-in-Residence)
"beautiful, atmospheric description of landscape and birdlife"
Juliet Wilson, POETRY ASSOCIATION SCOTLAND
"Clear, minimalist, calm"
JIM McNEIL, South West storyteller, poet and singer-songwriter
"Just a few minutes of looking at your website has told me more about how to write a haiku than I ever knew before. Great stuff." CATHERINE EDMUNDS - novelist and poet.
"ultra-crisp poetry" BRISTOL EVENING POST
"retelling the Japanese genre" DeCode, Bristol & Bath mu
"You can see the broad smiles on the faces of the haijin and myself as we don the magnificent badges. Thanks a million, Alan Summers. The Haiku badges triggered such enthusiasm! Much Love from us here in Nairobi."
Kayole Schools Kukai Meeting at Kayole II Community Social Hall, Nairobi, Kenya (2008).
Selected Books & Pamphlets
Sundog and Selected Haiku Poems 1992-1999
Summer 2009
sundog: an australian year
Sunfast Press (1997) second print 1998
Moonlighting
British Haiku Society
Intimations Pamphlet Series (1996)
Joint Editor
Parade of Life: Poems inspired by Japanese prints
ISBN: 09539234-2-8
Part of Japan2001 Festival (events from April 2001 to April 2002).
In Bristol over 300 local schoolchildren and adults wrote more than 400 poems inspired by art at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery's 'Parade of Life' Japanese Print Exhibition which became this book.
(Bristol Poetry Festivals 2001 & 2002).
Parade of Life Book launches: Bristol, U.K. & Akita, Honshu, JAPAN
" 'Parade of Life' is very impressive."
Hiroaki Sano, Japanese Embassy (London)
Poetry Editor
The Poetic Image - Haiku and Photography
National Academy of Writing / Birmingham Words Pamphlet 2006.
Alan has also appeared in over 75 poetry and haiku anthologies.
Japanese newspapers that have printed his haiku include:
Yomiuri Shimbun (14 million readers); Mainichi Shimbun; Japan Times; and The Mie Times.
Memberships - haiku & general
The British Haiku Society (former General Secretary)
Foundation Member of the Australian Haiku Society
Haiku International Association, Japan
Haiku Society of America
Irish Haiku Society
NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education)
Life Member, The West Country Writers' Association
Life Member, Fellowship of Australian Writers, Queensland