Self-portrait
Wiesław Karliński (born June 25, 1950, Głuszyna, Poland; died January 10, 2026, Namysłów, Poland), retired teacher and translator, tourist guide, and journalist. He published more than 300 texts in travel and culinary journals. He was also a prominent haiku poet who wrote in Polish, English, and Russian, finding his inspiration in the Polish countryside and abroad. Karliński was a founder and board member of the Polish Haiku Association. Beginning in 2012 his verses were featured especially in online forums such as The Mainichi Haiku in English, Asahi Haikuist Network, and Brass Bell, as well as the European Quarterly Kukai and the Indian Kukai. He was a laureate of the 2021 Ewa Tomaszewska Poetry Award for best haiku in Polish. Others of his haiku, haiga, and tanka won recognition in Polish, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Japanese competitions, and he was listed among the European Top 100 Haiku Authors in ten years, 2013–2025. Karliński last resided in Namysłów, Poland.
Note: This is an abstract of a longer biographical article to come.