About Complete the Haiga

Complete the Haiga is a project I started in 2023.  After many years writing micro poetry and sometimes combing the works with my own drawings, I rediscoverd haiku and a flourishing online community of poets generous in both energy and knowledge of the form.  I soon had the desire to give back to this community that had given such inspiration to me and Complete the Haiga was born.

The premise of Complete the Haiga  is simple: provide drawings for haiku poets to embellish with their words, creating haiga in the social, collaborative space.

The Project

Each piece begins as a minimalist line drawing, posted under the name Josiah across Complete The Haiga's social media accounts. From there, poets are invited to respond with haiku, senryu, or related short forms. Together, the art and poem form a haiga: a collaboration across mediums, voices, and traditions.

The Mission

Complete the Haiga exists to celebrate the spirit of generosity at the heart of haiku, creating space for poets to experiment, connect, and carry forward a centuries-old practice in new ways.

How to Participate

• Browse the latest drawings at CompleteTheHaiga.org or pick up the latest prompt Sundays on Complete the Haiga's social media accounts.

• Write your haiku (or senryu, or related short form) directly in response.

• Share your completed haiga with the community.

About the Artist

Josiah is a visual artist whose minimalist line-art and ink work are inspired by the American Southwest. Blending abstraction and magical realism, his art captures the moment and casts it to energy. Visit notmetaphor.com for more art.

Presentations

completeTheHaiga: an experiment of haiga