In Memory of

Tombo (Lorraine Ellis Harr)
October 31, 1912 — March 3, 2006

Lorraine Ellis Harr distinguished herself as a leader in the early days of the English language haiku movement. She founded the Western World Haiku Society in 1972, the same year she took over the editorship of Haiku Highlights, renaming it Dragonfly. The Japanese word for dragonfly (Tombo) became Harr’s pseudonym. She taught haiku extensively, focusing primarily on a traditional approach. Fifteen books of Tombo’s poetry have been published, most of which are collections of haiku. Here are four favorites:

No other sound —
just Spring rain dripping
through wisteria

Dragonflies —
Even if I could catch one
I wouldn’t

Midwinter gloom —
she turns on the lights
in her doll’s house

The time it takes
for snowflakes to whiten
the distant pines