Haiku: The Story in a Nutshell
Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers Workshop 2026
A Workshop by Mike Jurkovic
Malla Hotel, Kathmandu
1 June 2026
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Whenever necessity or muse inspires the student, seasoned practitioner, or Nobel laureate to write a haiku, they encounter a form shaped by centuries of tradition — centuries of prescribed form, structure, and expectation. A near millennium of “this is how it must be done.”
But poetry need not remain confined by tradition alone. That is the essence of freedom.
Haiku: The Story in a Nutshell invites participants to discover haiku through the rhythms and realities of their own lives — their own language, breath, music, and imagination. Structured so that novice and veteran alike stand on equal footing, the workshop explores elemental questions: Who are we in relation to the earth, the wind, the fire, the sky, time, and one another?
Touching upon — but never confined by — the history and conventions of haiku, the workshop emphasizes sensory awareness, distilled expression, collaboration, experimentation, and creative liberation. Participants will engage in salon-style readings, collaborative exercises, and discussions on language, purpose, humor, and essence.
The words are yours. Believe them.
Through wit, insight, and exploration, Haiku: The Story in a Nutshell seeks to transform the magic and mishaps of daily life into shared wisdom, poetry, and human connection.
About the Poet
American poet Mike Jurkovic is the 2025 Ulster County, NY Poet Laureate. His work has been published internationally, though with little reportable income. His full-length poetry collections include Buckshot Reckoning (2023), mooncussers (2022), and American Mental (2020), all from Luchador Press. His haiku collections are Monet’s Bamboo (CAPS Press, 2025) and Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018). His forthcoming collection, Circling Planes, will be released by Bushwhack Books in October 2025.
He has contributed to numerous anthologies, including Poets For Harris (Viewless Wings Press, 2024); Calling All Poets 25th & 20th Anniversary Anthologies (CAPS Press); Reflecting Pool: Poets & the Creative Process (Codhill Press, 2018); Like Light: 25 Years of Poetry & Prose (Bright Hill Press, 2018); Water Writes: A Hudson River Anthology; and Riverine: Anthology of Hudson Valley Writers (Codhill Press, 2009, 2007).
A 2016 Pushcart Prize nominee, Jurkovic is President of Calling All Poets, now in its 26th year serving the Hudson Valley and beyond. He also co-chairs the Music Fan Film Series at Rosendale Theatre in Rosendale, NY. His CD reviews appear online at All About Jazz and lightwoodpress.com.
He has been a featured poet in London, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City, Albany, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. His music writing has appeared in Rhythm and News Magazine (1996–2003), Chronogram (2003–2007), Van Wyck Gazette (2013–2022), and Elmore Magazine (2013–2017).
Jurkovic also hosts NuJazzXcursions on WVKR-91.3FM (Vassar College), every Monday from 9:00–10:30 a.m. Above all, he loves Emily most of all.
Online Participation
A limited number of virtual seats are available for those who wish to join remotely.
To register or request more information, please contact:
Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers Workshop
hlfwwk2026@gmail.com
HLF-WWK Official Website
