Fire Blossoms : The Birth of Haiku Noir is Denis M. Garrison’s collection of haiku noirs from 2001 into 2008. Haiku noir is a new variety of the ancient poetic form, haiku. Haiku noirs exist at the farthest end of the spectrum of subject matter, dealing with that which is not generally considered to be proper subject matter for the classical haiku; for example: tragedy, loss, sorrow, depression, madness, terror, horror, anger, macabre humor, anti-heroism, crime, passion, the underworld/sub-cultures, squalor, eros, science fiction and fantasy.

Baltimore, Maryland – February 26, 2007 – Fire Blossoms : The Birth of Haiku Noir, Denis M. Garrison’s collection of haiku noirs, written over eight years, has been published in a trade paperback edition by Modern English Tanka Press. Garrison is a leading writer of these tiny, grim, lyrics.

"Light a candle while you read FIRE BLOSSOMS: The Birth of Haiku Noir; it is a courageous piece of writing, one that is not for the faint of heart. Carl Jung cautioned how important it is to embrace the dark side of life. Garrison has walked into the shadows of war and chaos with eyes open wide, not afraid to confront the ghosts and the cadavers that most of us sweep under the carpet." —Alexis Rotella, award-winning poet and author of Ouch : Senryu that Bite

About the Author:

Denis M. Garrison is the publisher of Modern English Tanka, Atlas Poetica, and Modern Haiga. He lives near Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay with his wife, Deborah. A 1974 Towson graduate in English literature, he edited Towson’s literary magazine and taught creative writing for Johns Hopkins University’s Free University. His poetry is published in Poetry Scotland, Nightingale, Verse Libre Quarterly, Simply Haiku, Ribbons, Lynx, Nisqually Delta Review, Moonset, Wisteria, Roadrunner, Stirring, World Haiku Review, Haiga Online, Paper Wasp, Short Stuff, Full Moon, Clouds Peak, and others, and in his books, Eight Shades of Blue (haiku), Hidden River (haiku) and Sailor in the Rain and Other Poems. He has edited the webzines, Haiku Harvest (2000-2006; digital & print), Ku Nouveau, Haiku Noir, Templar Phoenix, Haiku Cycles, and Gunpowder River Poetry. Garrison’s poetry is published in several anthologies, including: May Dazed, Poets Gone Wild, Fire Pearls, Sixty Sunflowers, The Five-Hole Flute, The Dreaming Room, and Landfall. In 2002, he was a founding editor of Amaze: The Cinquain Journal. In 2005, Garrison was a founding editor of Loch Raven Review.

For media inquiries or to arrange an interview with the author, contact: Denis M. Garrison by e-mail at dmg (at) themetpress (dot) com. Publisher information at: www.modernenglishtankapress.com. This book is available from www.Lulu.com/modernenglishtanka and from major booksellers; or by order from the publisher. Complete information and mail order form are available online at www.modernenglishtankapress.com. Price: $19.95 USD. ISBN 978-0-6151-9446-2. Trade paperback. 104 pages, 6.00" x 9.00", perfect binding, 60# cream interior paper, black and white interior ink, 100# exterior paper, full-color exterior ink.

About Modern English Tanka Press:

Modern English Tanka Press is an independent equity publishing house in Baltimore, Maryland, dedicated to producing books and periodicals of lasting literary value. A family business, we treat our customers and partners in publishing like family. Our publications are produced using modern print-on-demand production and distribution methods. We publish tanka, haiku, and other fine poetry. Our special mission is to promote the tanka form of poetry, to educate newcomers to tanka about this most ancient poetic form, and to work for wider publication of tanka in both specialty and mainstream poetry venues. To those ends, we publish the journals "Modern English Tanka," "Atlas Poetica," "Modern Haiga," and special edition books of tanka, haiku, and other fine verse. We operate www.TankaCentral.com, the internet megasite for tanka, with its popular "Tanka News" blog, and the poetry web hub, www.ShortVerse.com.

Contact:
Denis M. Garrison, owner
Modern English Tanka Press
443-802-1249
Email to dmg (at) themetpress (dot) com.

www.modernenglishtankapress.com www.modernenglishtanka.com www.atlaspoetica.com www.shortverse.com www.tankacentral.com www.tankanews.com www.modernhaiga.com

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