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James W. Hackett -
A Letter |
A
letter to James W. Hackett
from Harold Gould Henderson (l889
-1974)
December
21, 1970
Dear Hackett san:
Long time no write -- partly because of 8 operations in the last
two years. I am writing now because I find myself in need of your
advice.
I am trying to put the kibosh on at least some of the atrocious
hogwash that still masquerades under the name of
"haiku". [Eric] Amann and [Leroy]
Kanterman have asked me to help prepare a sort of
"Credo" that should, hopefully, be subscribed to by the
editors of all haiku magazines. I am enclosing a copy of
the first preliminary draft, but I am by no means thoroughly
satisfied with it. [Draft returned to H.H.]
For one thing, I have not specifically mentioned either Zen or the
spiritual values I believe inherent in haiku. (Though I have tried
to suggest the importance of appreciating each moment of
existence, and of linking our humanity with something outside
itself.) Do you think I should be more specific, and if so, how?
I have been careful because there are some biased people who
automatically feel that anyone who speaks of "spiritual
values" must be talking cant. Some of these are, I believe,
otherwise O.K., and I want to persuade them, not slap them
in the face. And as for Zen: I cannot speak
authoritatively, and, I feel much as I do about "spiritual
values" --- by any other name they'd smell as sweet.
I am beginning to think that much of our trouble stems from the
fact that so many of us live in cities -- in fact live a life that
is essentially anti-nature. [Boldface added]
Though I am diffident about bothering you with a verse of my own
-- I know I am not a real poet -- I cannot resist submitting to
you my:
House fronts in stiff rows ---
and all the trees bend from them
toward each other.
Still yours, as ever, and with all the best season's greetings,
Harold
Gould Henderson
The
letter from Harold Gould Henderson (l889 -1974) deals with
points which Hackett explores in his commentary essay
for a single
poem which he has chosen. Henderson's deep respect for
Hackett is also shown here toward the latter's deep understanding of Zen and haiku. It
is refreshing to see such humility coming from a man who, himself,
understood both haiku and Zen profoundly and did so much to disseminate the form not only among the Americans, but also among
peoples in the whole world.
Professor
Henderson, famous among haijin in the world for his "The
Bamboo Broom" (1933), "An Introduction to Haiku"
(1958, a revised version of "The Bamboo Broom")
and "Haiku in English" (1967), was a friend of R.
H. Blyth's. Blyth had just been released from a Japanese
internment camp where he spent his time during the war and later
became a tutor of the Crown Prince, the present Emperor. Henderson was on the staff at General MacArthur's GHQ (General
Headquarters of the occupation forces). Blyth and Henderson
served, among other things, as liaison between MacArthur and Japan's
Imperial household, particularly in developing the Emperor's
speech which he delivered in a historical nation-wide broadcasting in 1946, renouncing his divinity, i.e. a living
God.
This particular
letter is one in a series of almost 100 letters from Henderson to
Hackett between 1960 and his death.
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