Tom Clausen is a lifelong Ithacan and a member of the Rt. 9 Haiku Group. He developed an interest in haiku and other brief poetic forms in the late 1980s, recognizing his need for more discipline in his writing attempts. An article in the Ithaca Times showcasing Ruth Yarrow’s haiku was the pivot point influencing his interest. He is a lifelong Ithacan living in the same house where he grew up with his wife, Berta, and their little dog, Toby. They have two adult children, Casey and Emma. Tom enjoys daily walks about the fields, woods, and the nearby neighborhood, taking photos, reading and writing little poems and listening to the music that has been the soundtrack of his life.
Awards and Other Honors Include: First Place, The Mildred Kanterman Memorial Book Award (Haiku Society of America, 2014) [for Laughing to Myself]. Touchstone Distinguished Books Award for 2023 for the volume One Day (Ithaca, NY: Stark Mountain Press Book 2023).
Books Published: Autumn Wind in the Cracks (self-published, 1994); Unraked Leaves (self-published, 1995); A Work of Love [tanka] (Tiny Poems Press, 1997); Standing Here (self-published, 1998); Homework (Snapshot Press, 2000); being there (Swamp Press, 2005); Growing Late [tanka] (Snapshot Press, 2006); Laughing to Myself (Free Food Press, 2013). My Own Heart [tanka]( Free Food Press, 2021 ); One Day (Ithaca, NY: Stark Mountain Press Book 2023).