Day: January 20, 2018

Why Haiku? : Lorin Ford

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
photo: Lyn Reeves

 

Why not free verse, sonnets or ghazals? (I‘ve written some). Or bush ballads? (I love horses).

My involvement with haiku started with an unexpected discovery in 2004. Carla Sari read out a haiku by Dhugal Lindsay:


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxpicking up a jellyfish . . .
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxmy lifeline
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxclear and deep

I was immediately transported to my early childhood on the beach at Seaford, holding a moon jellyfish from the shallows (they’re non-stingers) in the palm of my hand, where it became a shining lens. In this first ‘aha moment’ it seemed to me that a haiku could be a lens which, focusing on a detail or two, could evoke an entire scenario and mood, an experience of participation rather than a story told. Continue reading “Why Haiku? : Lorin Ford”

Yarra Haiku Poets

Yarra Haiku Poets is a new regular event to be held every second month in Melbourne and surrounding areas.

The intention is to encourage poets to meet, discuss and share haiku related topics in a social setting.

According to Wikipedia, the Yarra river was a meeting place for indigenous Australians and the name Yarra  was a mistranslation of the Wurrundjeri term Yarro-yarro meaning  “ever flowing”.  This term aptly also represents the diversity, creativity and pleasure we enjoy with our involvement in haiku.

These events are open to any interested individual whether established poet or new to the genre. Continue reading “Yarra Haiku Poets”