the haiku circle

Ruth Yarrow: 2016 Guest Reader & Workshop Leader

Ruth Yarrow grew up in small college towns from North Dakota to the Midwest. For decades she has taught ecology in colleges and environmental centers while volunteering for peace and justice issues. While on the faculty of south New Jersey’s Stockton State College in the early 70’s she discovered haiku when teaching a course on the natural world seen through world literature. When their two adventurous children fledged, she and her husband Mike moved from Ithaca, NY, to the Pacific Northwest to do environmental, peace and justice work and revel in mountain backpacking. Since her husband’s death in 2014, she returned Ithaca to be near her children and their families.

Ruth has had almost 700 haiku in the major journals and five books of haiku published.  She has given readings and workshops, judged contests, and served as editor and Haiku Society of America Northwest Regional Coordinator.  She finds that writing haiku help her be aware of the richness of life.

Ruth Yarrow with granddaughter.