| His short bio Wim Lofvers (1930-2007) was a physician. He was a naval doctor in the former Dutch New Guinea (now West Papua), and worked as a general practioner in Norway and in the Netherlands province of Frisia. His interest in things spritual is rooted in anthroposophy, Buddhism and Zen-Buddhism. All of these determined his attitude towards haiku, which he was interested in as early as 1956. In 1981, Wim created his own private press, 't Hoge Woord, which he started with the intention of publishing haiku. Since his retirement in 1993 he has spent most of his time there, doing just that. His interest lies mainly with micro-editions, among others, the 'Radish' series, in which haiku poets can present 25 - 28 of their haiku in a pocket-sized book. Another production is the annual 'Spreeuwenagenda' (Starling Haiku Diary) with seven editions so far. With a few intimate friends, he founded the biannual international haiku journal 'Woodpecker - Journal for sharing haiku' (since 1995) publishing haiku by poets from all over the world, in native languages as well as English, thus supporting and spreading the development of world haiku. Wim was president of the Haiku Kring Nederland (Haiku Circle Netherlands) from 1996 to 2000. He has published haiku in national and international journals and publications as well as in individual chapbooks. Haiku to him is a path to personal development and he regards his own achievements as only the beginning. |
His poetry page on WHA website:
http://www.worldhaiku.net/poetry/nl/w.lofvers.htm