Issue 9 of Noon: journal of the short poem has been launched in Tokyo, Japan, edited by Philip Rowland.

‘Published in hand-sewn, limited editions between 2004 and 2009, the journal aims to put some of the most interesting English-language haiku in conversation with other innovative short poetry. The new series appears online, with the journal’s style of presentation being retained as far as possible. A selection of poems from the online issues are published in printed book form every other year.’

Issue 9 features contributions from: Mark DuCharme, Barry Schwabsky, John Phillips, Boyer Rickel, Philip Rowland, John Levy, Cherie Hunter Day, Chris Beckett, Jeffrey Jullich, Jim Kacian, Paul Rossiter, Nick Ravo, Kit Kennedy, Peter Newton, Aidan Semmens, Wes Lee, Andy Fogle, Sabine Miller, Bob Heman, Erling Friis-Baastad, Christopher Patchel, Mark Young, Marc Thompson, Sandra Simpson, Helen Buckingham, Michelle Tennison, Emily Carr, Vasiliki Katsarou, Scott Honeycutt, Markeith Chavous, Eve Luckring, Peter Yovu, William L. Bulson, Mark Harris, Gary Hotham.

The poems can be read here.

Philip Rowland teaches literature at Tamagawa University in Tokyo, where he lives. He is co-editor of the anthology Haiku in English: The First Hundred Years (Norton, 2013). His most recent collection of haiku is before music (Red Moon Press, 2012).

‘Rowland’s poems build meaning from sound with a subtle grace, bringing new surprises and joy with each reading. Zukofsky and Corman would admire his faithfulness to every word, his clean lines, and his discreet narrative of love and family. To me, ‘before music’ marks a rediscovery of haiku for the English-speaking world that should prove as invigorating as the modernist one of a century ago.’ – John Martone

‘A man dies drunk one night fishing for his keys’ and ‘Daughter’ are Wellingtonian poet, Wes Lee’s contribution to NOON.