THE HAIBUN GALLERY: 21st May 2026 Tejinder Sheti - Guest Editor

Editors on haikuKATHA: Shalini Pattabiraman, Vidya Shankar, Firdaus Parvez and Kala Ramesh

Guest Editor: Tejinder Sheti

Host: Srinivas Sambangi

Featured Poet: Michael Dylan Welch

A Thursday Feature

21st May 2026

Documenting History in Haibun

Haibun, with its blend of prose and haiku, has a unique ability to both record and recreate historical events. It can serve not only to chronicle what happened but also to preserve the texture of lived experience by anchoring the narrative in a specific time and place. In this way, a haibun documents the event while offering readers the chance to revisit it and perceive it from a different perspective.

The haibun I showcase today is by Michael Dylan Welch.  Michael Dylan Welch often experiments with haibun as a way of reframing history, and in this case he uses Roosevelt’s “Day of Infamy” speech as the prose.

Pearls

Michael Dylan Welch

Yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

Japan has . . . undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

                roadside stand—

                the flowers today

                at half price

First published in Contemporary Haibun Online 16:1, April 2020.  Sourced from: Graceguts

Prompt for Writers

I would like you to attempt a haibun that records a historical movement, event, or a struggle

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Thank you, Teji, for being with us as a guest editor this month. This is quite an interesting and unique prompt.

_Srinivas