Enchanted Garden SUPPLEMENT: Interview with Barbara Anna Gaiardoni

  

Enchanted Garden Haiku Journal,

Issue 4: Sparkles – Supplement

INTERVIEW with 

Barbara Anna Gaiardoni

 

Q1. Who are you and what is your currently occupation?

A: I’m Barbara Anna Gaiardoni. I was born in the 1967 and I live in Verona (Italy), with Andrea my life partner. I’m a pedagogist and author, also of stories dedicated to childhood.

  

Q2. How did you fall in love with haiku? Since when do you write haiku? How did you begin to learn about it?

A: I write haiku since 2019. Writing poetry in Japanese - style relaxes me.

 

 Q3.Do you have any mentor? Does your family support you?

A: No, I don’t have a mentor. When I write, I usually compare me with who knows more than me. I learn by writing and publishing. I also learn from publishers' rejection. My partner has never had a problem with what I do.

 

 

Q4. Haiku at breakfast, lunch or dinner? Is haiku an appetizer or a consistent meal for you? (does haiku occupies a large part of your time or do you write occasionally?)

A: I write every day. I'm most productive in the morning so I'll get up early and write as much as I can before midday, but this rule cannot always be applied.

 

 Q5. When and where do you write the most time? Do you need a special mood to write or do you write anywhere, anytime? What does inspire you?

A: I’m inspired by everyday life. My haiku are the product of listening and from observation. There is no firm moment, they can crop up at any time or anywhere.

 

 Q6. Do you write any other japanese poetry species (tanka, senryu, haibun etc), which one?

A:  Yes, I write tanka, senryu, haibun, shahai and haiga in collaboration with Andrea, my life partner. He’s a visionary photographer & videomaker with three decades of experience. His passion for art and the visual world has developed independently with an eye always focused on photography and on video editing that works in a very intuitive way.

 

 Q7. What is the most often kigo you used? What is your favorite season?

A: There isn't one in particular, but I certainly carry with me the echoes of my landscapes. For me, that I don't like excessive heat, the summer is a real pain! Perhaps with haiku, I might even go back to love summer. In winter I really love the snow, the cold... the chill wind.

 

 Q8. What is your favorite haiku written by you?

A:

Neapolitan pastiera
celebrating together
at home

 

 Q9. What is your trademark, what does differentiate the haiku written by you from the others?

What does haiku means to you?

A: I don't really know, but I kind of wish I did.

Haiku is a find of incredible value. It teaches how to experience the spirit of things to sustain an ability to remain in the here and now.

 

 Q10. In which haiku magazine have you been published?

A:  The Mainichi, Asahi Haikuist Network, Akita International Haiku Network, Haiku Column International Tokyo Department, Haiku Dialogue&Viral by The Haiku Foundation, HaikUniverse, Haiku Time,The Japan Society UK, Drifting Sands Haibun, Cattails, Scarlet Dragonfly Journal, Cafè haiku, Cold Moon Journal, Espacio Luna Alfanje, ESUJ – H:English haiku and more. The following link gives an overview of the publications. http://barbaragaiardoni.altervista.org/blog/haikuco/

 

 Q11. This haiku has been chosen for the column ”Editor`s Choice` in Enchanted Garden Haiku Journal Issue 2: Haikustyle, June 2023:

poppy skirt –

a fireball of Creation

exploding

 

gonna papavero –

una palla di fuoco della Creazione

che esplode

 

fusta unui mac –

o minge de foc a Creaţiei

explodând

 

What did inspire you to write such a beautiful haiku? Tell us the story behind it.

A:

A friend told me that her niece wanted a poppy skirt for her birthday. I liked this story and I dedicated this haiku to it. Corina Guart Reyes, an artist I met on Facebook, read the haiku and painted it. An haiga poem was born. I presented it at the Education Day. What a hit, Steliana!

 

Q12. Did you publish any haiku/tanka book? Tell us about it /them (link).

A: No, I haven’t published any books. I published a chapbook.  https://www.origamipoems.com/poets/510-barbara-anna-gaiardoni

 

 Q13. What projects do you have for the feature?

A: Using my poetry in my profession too.

  

Q14. Where does your readers can find you (any social media link)?

A: http://barbaragaiardoni.altervista.org/blog/haikuco/

BGaiardoni (Twitter) barbara.gaiardoni (Facebook)

Photos courtesy © Andrea Vanacore

https://andreavanacore.it/