Fueki ryuko. I've seen many different translations of this phrase of Basho's: constancy and change, the eternal and the ephemeral, traditional grandeur and modern freshness. I can't judge which is the most accurate translation but the point of it is that writers of haiku should know and respect the traditions of the form and at the same time be open to the fresh and new, keeping the two in balance. The modern world tends to encourage either/or thinking and polarised opinions, but haiku is both/and. A timeless art passed on from ancient masters through generations and focused in the here and now, the fleeting moment, of your personal experience, in your voice.
My personal opinion is that to keep this balance we could do with a slight shift towards ryuko - freshness - in published haiku, but without losing sight of tradition and without resorting to bizarre imagery and unusual formats simply for novelty's sake. When it comes to making my selections for Notes from the Gean my choices will be made on the basis of quality first and foremost but with an openness to different styles and approaches. The most useful advice I can give is to encourage you to be true both to the haiku tradition and to yourself.
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Alison Williams
Haiku Editor