Lishanu • an interlingual haikai journal
Welcome to Lishanu Lishanu is an online haikai journal, presenting work across the haikai range - haiku and renku, haibun and haiga - with a significant difference: the journal is interlingual. This means that every item is published bilingually - in English and at least one other language. At a time when freedom of expression is under threat from more than one quarter, it is increasingly important to foster the voice of the 'other': to take a step outside our own parochial boundaries (regardless of how big our parish), and breathe in the heady air of foreign, even conflicting, approaches to haikai poetry, art and life. Lishanu means 'tongue' in the language of ancient Babylon, where, according to the story of the Tower of Babel, all humanity once 'spoke with one tongue'. Among the journal's chief goals is to foster intercommunal understanding and communication among haikai poets and readers from differing linguistic backgrounds. It is a space for us to read and share haikai from divergent environments, breaching linguistic and cultural barriers. Lishanu can be a place where we all learn from each other, as every exposure to new approaches and styles can only serve to stimulate us, as poets and readers, and to increase our understanding of each other. It is our hope that Lishanu can be a vehicle promoting haikai in a truly international way. While no timetable has been established for publishing further issues of Lishanu on the internet, it remains our intention to proceed with publication as time allows, as well as to utilise Lishanu to promote a variety of other interlingual and intercultural projects. To date, such projects have included: An Indian Kiyose Radio Haikai
If you have a proposal or idea, or wish to contact us for any reason,
please email us at: lishanu2000 -AT- gmail -DOT- com Norman Darlington
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What some people have said about Lishanu:
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