Regina Harris Baiocchi’s Pushcart-nominated poetry appears in renowned journals. She founded Haiku Festival Chicago, wrote several poetry books, novels, essays, and encyclopedia articles.
Regina’s poetry books include: Blues Haiku, i love my country, puddles of sunshine, and Urban Haiku. Her Urban Haiku appear in Nicole Franklin’s film, When Sistas Jump. Regina’s poetry appears in Obsidian, Modern Haiku, Chicago Tribune, Castle of Our Skins, Rat ‘n’ Rooster Journal, and elsewhere. Her novels include: Indigo Sound, Finding Déjà, and Banju’s Secret.
Poetry by Regina
read: “beatitudes,” the poem is part of 4Piano Poems for piano by Regina Harris Baiocchi,
on Sarah Cahill’s The Future is Female CD, vol. 3, release date: 28April 2023
read: “smudge,” poetry, Rat-n-Rooster Journal of Speculative Fiction & Poetry, 2022
 |
 |
read: [untitled haiku here] Castle of Our Skins, or the above box ⇑
read: Pushcart-nominated poems: Daughter, Son, Anywhere, Another smoke-filled room, Where midnight stretches, Obsidian
read: teeter totter
Haiku Festival
Inspired by her mentor and Illinois Poet Laureate, Ms. Gwendolyn Brooks, in 2004 Regina founded Haiku Festival Chicago with the following mission: Haiku Festival celebrates children through poetry, while promoting literacy.
Haiku Festival offers free poetry readings and workshops to children and adults in schools, libraries, community center, and other public venues. Our annual competitions are open to students ages 8 to 18. Please visit www.HaikuFest.com
| Regina’s poetry volumes include urban haiku (2004) and blues haiku (2008) | ||
 |
 |
|
Praise for urban haiku & blues haiku
“It is no surprise that music runs thru Regina Harris Baiocchi’s blues haiku. There is elegance here as in the way a musician eases into a moment. There is grit and juice. Regina engages us with her intelligence, edgy spirituality, and whispers of the ancestors…” Angela Jackson, Illinois Poet Laureate
“Two enthusiastic thumbs up! The wit and heart in Regina Harris Baiocchi’s haiku is fresh and entertains the soul. I love these poems. They are full of life and heartache and song and spirit.” Li-Young Lee, poet
“Regina Harris Baiocchi renders dexterous folk culture and haute couture: funkadelic and delicate, street and effete. Regina adds new forms—like kwansaba—stirs in old forms—like haiku—to create a gumbo of witty, urban bluesman-ship.” Eugene B. Redmond, Poet, Emeritus Prof. of English, SIUE, Editor, Drum Voices Revue
“Regina Harris Baiocchi’s blues haiku is a treasure of deep blues wisdom. I savored each haiku microcosm—the urgent sear of slide guitar, shouts of Koko Taylor, and juke-joint jam sessions. Like a verbal moonshiner, Regina distills the mood of blues songs into potent expressions. Get out your Robert Johnson records, pour a shot of something, and read these powerful poems.” Stephen T. Asma, Distinguished Scholar, Columbia College Chicago
“Regina Harris Baiocchi’s urban haiku volume is bright with surprises. Regina engages us with her buoyancy and maturity. She is at home in urban settings and makes us feel welcome. Read these moving poems and let them read you.” Angela Jackson, Illinois Poet Laureate
Fiction by Regina
read: “Scuppernong,” fiction, Rat-n-Rooster Journal of Speculative Fiction & Poetry, 2022
Regina’s fiction includes Indigo Sound (2003), Finding Déjà (2018), and Banju’s Secret (2020)
 |
 |
Praise for Indigo Sound:
“Regina Harris Baiocchi steals for a living. She steals our days and nights since we cannot put down the great book, Indigo Sound…” Nikki Giovanni, poet
“Indigo Sound has the feeling tone of a soft, yet strong lullaby. It has music and poetry that sings and exhilarates,” Studs Terkel, author
“Regina gave us a deeply felt novel of family, tradition, and memory. Indigo Sound is a compassionate weaving of serious storytelling that displays an uncommon ear for the soul and spirit of community,” Haki R. Madhubuti, poet
“Indigo Sound is a lyrical mix of voices and situations that stir special places in our hearts.” Lee Bey, Chicago Sun-Times
Nonfiction by Regina
Regina’s nonfiction appears in Black Women In America, vol. 1-3 (Oxford University Press), Encyclopedia of African American Music (Greenwood), Gwendolyn Brooks and Working Writers (Third World Press) Center for Black Music Research Journal (Columbia College), and Brass Legacy. See “Written Publications.”
 |
 |
 |
 |
Workshops, Podcasts
Regina has led poetry workshops on behalf of The Poetry Foundation, Chicago Public Library, the Sejong Cultural Society, and Haiku Festival for audiences ages 8-98. She offers general poetry workshops, micro poetry, free verse, etc. To request a workshop, please contact Regina.
Podcasts
 Sound Meets Sound |
 Viewless Wings Poetry |
 Chicago Broadcast Network |
