distant sail
a breeze lifts
the hairs on my neck
“Chuck Brickley is a North American haiku poet. A native San Franciscan, he experimented with the venerable Japanese form in high school, but did not discover its potential to express natural epiphanies until he moved to rural British Columbia in 1971. Inspired by small town life and the wonders of the Pacific Northwest, he took to heart Basho’s directive: “Don’t follow in the footsteps of the Masters; seek what they sought.” In 1978 his first published haiku appeared in Modern Haiku; the following year he became Associate Editor of Modern Haiku, under the editorship of Bob Spiess. The next several years saw many published haiku, book reviews, a few awards, some translations. By 1986 Brickley, finding it increasingly difficult to balance work and family responsibilities with a “haiku way of life,” dropped out of the EL haiku scene. Ironically it was not until he returned to San Francisco (for family reasons) in 2006, that he dropped back in. Communing with nature in both urban and wild areas along the California coast has re-invigorated his haiku practice. Furthermore, after having written in relative isolation all those years ago, he is now enjoying the fellowship of the haiku community – especially as a member of the Haiku Poets of Northern California. His poetry has appeared in numerous anthologies and collections. His first book of haiku, earthshine, won a THF Touchstone Award for Distinguished Books 2017, and a HSA Merit Book Award 2017 Honorable Mention. His haibun Is Where The Car Is was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.”