What do sidewalk chalk and haiku have to do with changing the world? A lot, claims Caley Vickerman, actor/educator and founder of the Guerilla Haiku Movement. In these events, a group of amateur haiku-ists/urban adventurers are given a scavenger hunt and a bucket of sidewalk chalk, then sent into neighborhoods in their city to cover what they see with chalked haiku. They are encouraged to get passers-by in on the fun, and the result is a city-wide celebration of its neighborhoods, by the inhabitants of those neighborhoods. (In haiku-form, of course.) Simple and profound, these poems are captured in images that are archived on the Guerilla Haiku website: ghm575.org 

Starting in 2011 with 12 U.S. cities, the goal for 2012 is to spread throughout the country and beyond.. 

We are looking for organizations interested in hosting Guerilla Haiku in their communities, and for people interested in participating in events as Haiku Agents. 

cover our cities 
with fleeting, eloquent words
we can change our worlds. 

Join Us!

Coming this Spring to New Orleans, Jacksonville and Manhattan. Stay tuned for dates. 

Contact ghm575@yahoo.com to be added to the mailing list, or with any other queries. Check us out on twitter, FB, Flickr, and YouTube: ghm575

Thanks to 
Maggie of Sage Productions for her Video-editing awesomeness. 
Laura Desantis-Olsson for her camera skills. 
Tony Litwak for the San Francisco footage.
Nicole Rubendall for our beloved gorilla logo design. 

And all 2000+ Haiku Agents and passers-by-turned-participants in 2011! 

To Haiku!

Dearest Agents of Haiku.  After travels and many adventures here and there, near and far, the movement has returned for whence it came.  May the home-town crowd of chalk-bearing revelers do the Movement proud.  

Come ONE and ALL!  
November 19th.  2pm.
We meet @ Fort Greene Park Brooklyn (at the entrance on DeKalb and Cumberland, ) and then head in groups  to neighborhoods all over BK.

6pm we will reconvene and indulge in some refreshments in a central place (that is NOT in Fort Greene) and will be told you upon your arrival! 

Bring fingerless gloves.  Lots of layers.  And all of your nearest and dearest!  
To Haiku!

So much to say about the past month of travel and adventure.  It is all being processed as I prepare the photos for upload...  In the meantime, prepare- fearless Agents of Haiku for ATLANTA.

When: Saturday,  October 29th
Time?: 2pm - 6pm
Meeting Place: Little 5 Points

Guerilla Haiku is being promoted in Atlanta by the remarkable crew of Out of Hand Theater, who are also hosting a fundraiser, the Shot Party, the night before.  If you would like a Joy Double-Header, do both events in ONE WEEKEND.  Can you HANDLE the fun?

Greetings, Fellow Adventurers!

Are you ready to be part of a movement?!

Armed only with sidewalk chalk, your own vitality and a digital camera; in the company of strangers that are soon-to-be kindred spirits, you will temporarily and eloquently change the face of this city- and thereby the world. 

Join us. 

The plan is as follows: we meet in the below locations on the below tour dates dressed for urban adventure (in and out of doors so dress accordingly)

You will be randomly split into groups of 5-8.  Bring friends, family, people you run into on the way over that are clearly full of joy.  But recognize that it is essential that you want to play with others (unknown others).  For such is the spirit of the event. 

Each group will be given a scavenger hunt, a map of one neighborhood in their city, a bucket of sidewalk chalk and one person must have a digital camera. Together you will travel to your 'hood.  Once there, the magic begins.  Inspired by the place and each other, you will create haiku to decorate that place.  Engage as many passers-by as you wish (i am a big proponent of engaging passers-by).  And then document your work with photos. 

We will convene together as a large crew when we are finished (6:00pm-ish) at a local water hole for a final Haiku-off and general good cheer.  I will upload photos from each group to the fledgling website  and give each group an opportunity to comment on their awesomeness.  And we will frolic.  As is our nature.

See you there. 

To Haiku!

SEPTEMBER 3rd: PHILLY

When? 2pm
Meeting Place?  RIttenhouse Square 
click here for map

Our 6pm celebration place will be announced to participants the day of the event!

SEPTEMBER 10th: CHICAGO


When? 2pm
Meeting Place?  The Bean
click here for map
Our 6pm celebration place will be announced to participants the day of the event!

SEPTEMBER 17th: MILWAUKEE


When? 2pm
Meeting Place?  Veteran's Park by the Kite Flyers
click here for map
Our 6pm celebration place will be announced to participants the day of the event!

SEPTEMBER 18th: MADISON

When? 2pm
Meeting Place?  Lincoln Statue at Bascom Hall on the UW Campus
click here for map
Our 6pm celebration place will be announced to participants the day of the event!

SEPTEMBER 24th: MINNEAPOLIS

When? 2pm
Meeting Place?  Lake Harriet Rose Garden (at the Spitting Turtle Fountain)
click here for map
Our 6pm celebration place will be announced to participants the day of the event!

OCTOBER 1st: JERSEY CITY as Part of the 4th Street Arts Festival
When? 2pm
Meeting Place?  4th Street and Brunswick Ave
click here for map
Our 6pm celebration place will be announced to participants the day of the event!

Greetings, Fellow Adventurers!

Are you ready to be part of a movement?!

Armed only with sidewalk chalk, your own vitality and a digital camera; in the company of strangers that are soon-to-be kindred spirits, you will temporarily and eloquently change the face of this city- and thereby the world. 

Join us. 

The plan is as follows: we meet at 12:00pm July 30th, Saturday, at the front of the Old Dutch Church in Uptown Kingston (corner of Main & Wall Sts.); dressed for urban adventure (in and out of doors so dress accordingly)

You will be randomly split into groups of 5-8.  Bring friends, family, people you run into on the way over that are clearly full of joy.  But recognize that it is essential that you want to play with others (unknown others).  For such is the spirit of the event. 

Each group will be given a scavenger hunt, a map of one Kingston neighborhood, a bucket of sidewalk chalk and one person must have a digital camera. Together you will travel to your 'hood.  Once there, the magic begins.  Inspired by the place and each other, you will create haiku to decorate that place.  Engage as many passers-by as you wish (i am a big proponent of engaging passers-by).  And then document your work with photos. 

We will convene together as a large crew when we are finished (4:00pm-ish) at Keegan Ales (20 St. James St.) for a final Haiku-off and general good cheer.  I will upload photos from each group to the fledgling website  and give each group an opportunity to comment on their awesomeness.  And we will frolic.  As is our nature.

See you there. 

To Haiku!

Love, 
The Guerilla Haiku Team
-Caley Vickerman & Michelle Kafel

All District of Columbians!

Are you ready to take part in the Movement? 

WHEN: 2pm June 11th, Saturday.
WHERE: At Constitution Gardens, by the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial, dressed for urban adventure (in and out of doors so dress accordingly)


WHAT!?!:  Each group of adventurers will be assigned a neighborhood, and given a scavenger hunt, a bucket of sidewalk chalk and one digital camera. Together you will travel to your neighborhood. Once there, the magic begins. Inspired by the place and each other, you will create haiku to decorate that neighborhood. Engage as many passers-by as you wish (i am a big proponent of engaging passers-by). And then document your work with photos. 

We will convene together as a large crew when we are finished (6pm-ish) for a final Haiku-off and general good cheer. I will upload photos from each group to this blog (www.guerillahaikumovement.com) and give each group an opportunity to comment on their awesomeness. And we will frolic. As is our nature.

This is the third in a series of 10 such events being re-produced in communities the world over. Bring it, Washington D.C.! Show us how you do it in the nation's capital! Let your favorite people know, and join us! 

Guerilla Haiku commence!

Oh glorious day!  Oh glorious city!  Our intrepid group of Haiku Agents went blithely forth on Saturday, and engaged hundreds of passers-by in getting chalky.  Here is some of the fruits of our labor.  For slideshows of each neighborhood, click on the images here!  Stay tuned for details on Guerilla Haiku Jersey City, and D.C.!  (Coming soon).

Greetings, Fellow Adventurers!

Are you ready to begin a movement? Armed only with sidewalk chalk, your own vitality and a digital camera; in the company of strangers that are soon-to-be kindred spirits, you will temporarily and eloquently change the face of this city- and thereby the world. Join us. The plan is as follows: we meet at 2:00pm April 30th, Saturday.  At the Bow and Arrow statue in Rincon Park (the Embarcadero) http://www.yelp.com/map/rincon-park-san-francisco; 
dressed for urban adventure (in and out of doors so dress accordingly)

You will be randomly split into groups of 5-8.  Bring friends, family, people you run into on the BART that are clearly full of joy.  But recognize that it is essential that you want to play with others (unknown others).  For such is the spirit of the event. Each group will be given a scavenger hunt, a map of one San Francisco neighborhood, a bucket of sidewalk chalk and one digital camera. Together you will travel to your 'hood.  Once there, the magic begins.  Inspired by the place and each other, you will create haiku to decorate that place.  Engage as many passers-by as you wish (i am a big proponent of engaging passers-by).  And then document your work with photos. 

We will convene together as a large crew when we are finished (6pm-ish) at Schroeder's German Restaurant at 240 Front Street http://www.schroederssf.com/ for a final Haiku-off and general good cheer.  I will upload photos from each group to the fledgling blog and give each group an opportunity to comment on their awesomeness.  And we will frolic.  As is our nature.This is the first Guerilla Haiku event on the WEST COAST-  we intend to re-produce them in communities the world over.   Let your favorite people know (forward this liberally), and join us. 

Guerilla Haiku commence!