Oh Lordy
Sure, I knew I had a website. goodness knows it costs me a packet, what with the domain and the security and all the other gobbledygook. Should I do a better job of keeping it up to date? Why yes, yes, I should. So why has all this time gone by and my website is wearing a post so old it looks like I’ve done nothing for nearly a year?
That done nothing stuff? That is so not true. I’m busy I tell you.
I have regular monthly meetings with the Sudbury Writers’ Guild people, I coordinate and host the Northern Ontario Writers Workshop Wednesday Words meetings, I attend two monthly critique sessions each with a haiku focus. I created a new series of working zooms for a group of four to learn about and examine the possibilities of writing Tanka which is still ongoing. See? Busy.
And there was this:
Vera Constantineau
Posted byJacob D. SalzerPosted inHaiku Poet InterviewsTags:Flash Fiction, Haibun, Haiku, Haiku Canada, Haiku Canada Review, Haiku Poet Interviews, Japanese Poetry Forms, nature, NOWW Thunder Bay, Poet Laureate of Greater Sudbury, Poetry, Vera Constantineau, writing
Country of Residence: Canada
Website: https://veraconstantineau.com
Current Occupation: I am retired, but certainly occupied. I enjoy introducing others to the beauty of the Japanese poetry forms through readings and workshops, both in-person and through Zoom.
Past Occupations: I have had a life of clerical drudgery that often let my creative mind wander and work at will. Not a bad way to live.
Interests & Hobbies: Writing, reading, gardening, and back road rides on rainy days.
Book Publications:
- Laugh Lines and Other Wrinkles: Haiku and Senryu (2024)
- Enlightened by Defilement: Haibun: An Almost Memoir (Latitude 46 Publishing, 2023)
- three lines at a time: a selection of haiku, senryu & small poems (Baby Buddha Press, 2020)
- Daisy Chained: A collection of short fiction (2017)
Source: https://veraconstantineau.com/bookstore/
Journal Publications:
My first published haiku appeared in Shamrock Haiku, I believe, in 2009. My latest to date (2025) is pending publication with Prune Juice. Between first and last, my poetry has been published in Acorn, bottle rockets, Failed Haiku, Frogpond, First Frost, Seashores, Presence, Wales Haiku Journal, Haiku Canada Review, and several others.
When and how were you introduced to haiku & Japanese poetry forms?
Since the early 2000’s, I have attended regular open mic events in our city. At these open mics, I was introduced to haiku and senryu by Irene Goals, who has become a dear friend. Her haiku journey started at age 16 and she was well-versed in what the writing of haiku and other forms entailed. I had a hard time grasping the fundamentals for several years, but thankfully she never gave up on me. She saw I was serious about learning the way and mentored me. It was Irene who introduced me to the work of Roberta Beary as well as others. I think it’s fair to say Roberta Beary is my creative standard for haibun. After reading one of her haibun in Rattle, I was hooked. I continue to expand my attempts in Japanese poetic forms. Currently, I am working to improve my grasp of tanka.
What do you enjoy the most about haiku?
I used to think people who say, “Well, my process is…” were a bit pretentious. But when I realised that I, too, actually have a process with writing haiku, I had to shut my own self up. My process of writing haiku is the centering of my thoughts, slowing my breathing, opening my senses, taking the time to see things around me with a deeper awareness and observation, letting myself feel the world in that moment, and feel my place in the world—all of this preparation is a big part of what I like about haiku. The opening of mind and memory, surprising myself with the words that come to me, and the deep appreciation for my surroundings: all of this is a gift to me from haiku.
What do you enjoy most about tanka?
Tanka and I have just begun to dance. I’m not so sure I have the steps down yet. I look forward to developing a better understanding of the intricacies of tanka, but I’m not there yet. If I am moved by reading someone else’s tanka, then I look at it with an eye on what it was that drew me. That’s what I’ve got ahead of me; I look forward to the ride.
What do you enjoy most about haibun?
Oh, haibun! Because my writing background is filled with years of fiction and creative nonfiction writing, I feel like haibun gives me a space to work in all ways. Poetically and creatively, it is a giving form. Am I a rule follower? Apparently not, but in the ever-shifting evolution of creative forms, I think a little ride on the wild side is okay. I do what I do. I’m more than happy to see you do you and reap the rewards of our differences and our sameness. We’re all human beings when all is said and done. If the master poets hadn’t stepped left or right, would there be as many great Japanese forms to delve into? I am in no way comparing myself to the work of the masters. I’m just a frog on a path to somewhere, hoping not to catch a bus.
You are the previous Poet Laureate of Greater Sudbury. What are some of your most meaningful memories while serving as the Poet Laureate? What are some of your accomplishments as the Poet Laureate? What are some things that you learned?
As the sixth Poet Laureate of Greater Sudbury, the most impactful memory was on the same day I was officially named Laureate, the pandemic caused the lockdown of life as we knew it. In short order, I found ways to interact with the community. First came a podcast called The PL Pod. I am proud to say that the PL Pod gained a worldwide following during its run. I used Zoom to create workshops, leading attendees through the dark months with the light of haiku and senryu, in addition to other forms of writing.
During my two-year term, I connected with readers and writers in the United States, England, Ireland, and across Canada. That part of the experience was exciting for me. I am well aware that without the rise and accessibility of Zoom, I would not have been able to reach nearly as many poets and writers interested in so many writing genres.
I am particularly proud of my tiny chapbook three lines at a time created and edited by Stanford Forrester of Baby Buddha Press. He was the first to call that little gem, my calling card, and so it was. Mind you, handing it out personally in the pandemic was impossible, but with the services of Canada Post, it became possible to distribute it. When I handed the position of Poet Laureate to the seventh inductee, Kyla Heyming, the former mayor of Greater Sudbury, Brian Bigger, whipped his copy of three lines out of his jacket pocket and waved a well-thumbed copy in the air and touted its merit. That was a proud moment for me.
At the end of the two years, I knew from my laureate experiences just how many people living around us are either closet writers or want-to-be writers. Poetry or fiction, nonfiction or novels — they live among us people! The best lesson I learned was to simply ask people how they spend their time and it’s amazing what you will discover. It was an honour to serve in the position. If any of you out there have the opportunity, seize the day.
You also write flash fiction. What do you like the most about flash fiction? What subjects do you write about?
The intensity of flash draws me in. The need to deliver all the goods—while at the same time, keeping a focus on tension and conflict within a short word count—is a challenge and I like a challenge. Writing haibun is much the same as flash. You have no time for wasted words.
You are a long-time member of the Sudbury Writers’ Guild. What do you enjoy most about this organization?
The most valuable discovery everyone makes when joining the Sudbury Writers’ Guild is the sense of community and support for new members from the get-go. The sharing of experiences, the critique sessions, and the encouragement—who doesn’t need that at some time in their writing journey? I gained such valuable experience from my fellows. The workshops hosted are always worth the time. The events they host are also worth attending. Inner circles have been formed for poetry, playwriting, novels, and sci fi fantasy, all presented through Zoom gatherings for writers in their specific genre. In addition, there are coffee shop meetings during the month to bring writers together to sit, check in, and write together. The Sudbury Writers’ Guild has published three collections of writing over the past few years and I foresee more, given the success of the past works.
You are also a member of Haiku Canada. What do you enjoy the most about Haiku Canada?
I have to say the fellowship of other members. Canada is a big place, but through some thoughtful and devoted Haiku Canada members, I’ve been invited to critique work online monthly. That feels a little/lot like a personal connection to Haiku Canada as a whole. The knowledge within my two critique groups has been an invaluable source of advice and there is a learning curve that I appreciate.
You are also a member of NOWW Thunder Bay, which I learned stands for the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop. What do you enjoy the most about this group?
NOWW offers much in the way of furthering writing knowledge. There are workshops hosted both in-person and online. There are contests offered annually to entice new writers to try their hand at either poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or essay. During the past couple of years there’s been a category for literary criticism. The members are varied and, just as with the other writing groups, every member brings their own knowledge and expertise to the group and shares it willingly. Again, community is what makes this group work.
You are the author of Daisy Chained: A collection of short fiction. What inspired you to write this book? What are the main subjects that you write about?
Daisy Chained, published in 2017, is a gathering of new and previously published short fiction. I was moving along with my writing, examining new genres, and new ideas. I had a pile of work that I felt was mostly good; a mix of it was still unpublished. I gathered all my stories from first written to the last (both published and unpublished), and after considering my options, I self-published what amounted to my body of short fiction work to date. Some stories are better than others, which is something my husband says I ought to keep to myself. However, what this collection really amounted to was the discovery of my writing from just okay to more satisfying. The emerging theme came from my focus on women, usually of a specific socio-economic sector—women making choices, keeping secrets (both good and bad), and the eventual results of their choices. After Daisy Chained hit the shelf, I felt freed, as if putting all these stories together in a cover was the signal to go forward. I did just that, taking the time to both learn new things and try new things. I am very happy with the result.
You are also the author of three lines at a time: a selection of haiku, senryu, & small poems, published by buddha baby press in 2020. What are the main subjects that you write about in this book?
Living, laughing, grieving, observing nature, and humanity. Once I began to circulate my tiny chapbook, the feedback was very positive. I owe a lot of the positivity to Stanford Forrester, the editor and publisher. In the making, we referred to this tiny book as my calling card, and it was that for sure. Its content is an uneven split of forty-four haiku and senryu. In the writing and creating of it, I enjoyed every step of the process from concept to printing and sharing.
You also authored Enlightened by Defilement: Haibun: An Almost Memoir. In your book description, it states: “A collection of haibun and their haiku poems that take a glimpse into topics such as teenage awakening and long standing grief: all with a deflecting wittiness and space for reflection.” I’m curious to learn more about your teenage awakening. What happened? What inspired you to write this book?
I love Enlightened. That’s the long and the short of it. I examine the role of secrets in my life, and how harmful keeping them can be.
This book is me, in black and white. If you, as I did, grew up in a small town, you’re accustomed to being known. Everything about you, every whispered comment, every faux pas follows you through your growing years. In the last year of my teens, I moved ninety minutes from my hometown for school. It was the perfect distance to gain perspective. I was anonymous for the first time in my life and wow, what a feeling. That was the ultimate teenage awakening. Gone was the usual small-minded oversight I’d endured. Here was the space I needed to mature, make my choices, be independent, in fact to be whoever I wanted to be. I imagine my experience was much the same for everyone of that age who leaves home to further their education. All that freedom.
Small towns are also populated by those who never choose to leave or never want to. That simply wasn’t my choice. I write about my adventures, mistakes, my family, the love I will always be grateful for, and the things in that town that shaped me, then set me free. The inspiration for Enlightened by Defilement came from the discovery of a list titled 108 Defilements. I read and re-read that list and realized in many ways that I had bumped solidly into defilements of many stripes and came out on the other side a better person for it. Don’t we always learn more from the bad and almost bad stuff? As unlikely as it may seem, this book is full of both humour and heart, somewhat like me. If any of you are familiar with the 108 Defilements, I am sure you too can say you’ve encountered them, or people who are in the thrall of them, and we can recognize the basis of humanity in them if we think about it. We’re all flawed, are we not?
You are also the author of Laugh Lines and Other Wrinkles, which is a chapbook of haiku and senryu. What are the main subjects that you write about in this book?
Laugh Lines and Other Wrinkles is much more traditional in its haiku and senryu than my previous writing. I keep to nature in the haiku, and I keep the wry humour of senryu close. Laugh Lines is a mix of all that. I am very grateful to Mike Montreuil for his care and expertise in editing this chapbook.
Editor’s Note: For more info and to order her books, check out: https://veraconstantineau.com/bookstore/
What are some haiku or poetry books that you’ve been reading recently?
I always read and re-read any journal I receive: Frogpond, bottle rockets, Haiku Canada Review, and the Haiku Canada Members’ Anthology. I also extensively read the online journals and revisit my favourite websites. I’ve spent a lot of time with Haibun: A Writer’s Guide, by Roberta Beary, Lew Watts, and Rich Youmans. Bryan D. Cook, fellow member of Haiku Canada, has two books of haibun that I enjoyed very much: Haibun Chowder came to me in 2023 and Haibun Crossroads arrived in 2024. I read Mike Montreuil’s Haibun collection, But I Digress 2022 and found it interesting. I continue to pay particular attention to anything written by Roberta Beary.
What poetry/writing projects are you currently working on?
I’m continuing my daily haiku practice and devote time to it in the morning, before I’ve stepped into any other work. I continue to write haibun and flash fiction with no firm end goal in sight for either of those forms. I write tanka in an effort to expand my knowledge.
What writing projects do you have in mind for the future?
I have a few hundred photographs gathered that I am considering using as inspiration for a future haiga chapbook. I will devote time, as I always have, to submitting to journals and contests. I do like a challenge, as I said previously.
Please share up to 5 poems with publication credits:
Say Uncle
He likes pie. He likes an evening walk. His one talent is his ability to move his entire scalp by lifting his bushy eyebrows just so. His short, black hair gliding forward and back over his skull a mystery I’ve never solved. Mostly he is a wastrel. Yes, he likes pie. Yes, he likes an evening walk. Yes, he likes a peep through the upstairs bedroom keyhole.
bending the light
gnarled hands clutch
the old bible
Haibun reprinted in Enlightened by Defilement, prev. Modern Haiku and Failed Haiku
***
senior golfer
corrects his stance
at the urinal
Cold Moon Journal
***
first furnace run
the smell of summergone
fills the house
Tinywords
Poems and answers © 2025 by Vera Constantineau