9 November 2009 – Haiku Deathmatch featuring David Silverberg

[Chris Gilpin]

In head-to-head style, which 17 syllable haikus will please the audience more? The loser of each round regains honour with a glorious seppuku death-scene on stage.
- Costumes encouraged
- No titles permitted
- Prepare at least 20 to make it to final round. Prepare 50 or more if you would like to strategize.
- Haiku Deathmatch Workshop a few weeks before
- contact jill@jillbinder.com for details
- Chris Gilpin, the 2008 Haiku Deathmatch Champion will be defending his title

Featuring David Silverberg, World Head to Head Haiku finalist 2007 at IWPS. Dave writes haikus on everything from Lauryn Hill to bacon-marshmallow sandwiches to running naked through sprinklers.

Hosted by Jill Binder.

Where: Café Deux Soleils (2096 Commercial Drive)

Sign up at 8:15pm. To guarantee your spot in advance, email jill@jillbinder.com
Haiku open mic at 8:45pm, Haiku Deathmatch at 9pm.

Sliding cover $5-10


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Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry consisting of 17 syllables. Traditionally written in 3 lines with the syllables broken up as 5 / 7 / 5. For Haiku Deathmatch purposes, we will only care that the total syllable count is 17.



In the Haiku Deathmatch, "red" Haikuster will be pitted against "white".

1. Haikusters face each other and bow.
2. Red reads first.
3. White reads.
4. Audience votes by Applause-O-Meter of Doom.
5. The winning haikuster then goes first.
6. Loser of round is eliminated from competition in further rounds. They regain honour by "commiting Seppuku" and getting a glorious on-stage death scene.
7. First round best 3 of 5. Second and third rounds best 2 of 3. Final round best 5 of 9.



More stuff to know:
- Must be original work.
- Memorized? Not necessary. You can read it.
- Quantity of Haiku - 20 will be enough for the 2 who make it to the last round. If you would like an advantage, it would be a good idea to bring 50 or more so that you have enough material to be flexible in the competition.



Don't think you could possibly write so many Haiku? Check out the tips from the Haiku Deathmatch at Gumptionfest......Skip down to "Still Scared of Haiku?" just under the picture of the waves:

http://foxthepoet.blogspot.com/2009/07/gumptionfest-iv-will-have-haiku-death.html

Also, attend the Haiku Deathmatch workshop. There will be time for writing. Contact jill@jillbinder.com for details.


Strategies:
- A winning haikuster is flexible.
- If your opponent reads a serious or deep haiku, read one that is more serious or more profound, or go on the opposite tack and read something funny.
- If your opponent reads a funny haiku, read one that is funnier, or go on the opposite tack and read something serious or deep.
- It helps to "perform" it. Use silence in the middle of the haiku.
- If your opponent makes fun of you, make fun of yourself even bigger or make fun of them. A good head-to-head haiku can work wonders and often wins a Haiku duel.
- If you’re on stage and you get an idea for a haiku, feel free to write it down immediately. That might be the next round’s haiku that wins you the duel.
- Have a good time. Even if don't get past the first round, it's still a great time for all!