On Thursday 23rd August, four haiku poets: Margaret Mahony, Vanessa Proctor, Carol Reynolds and Catherine Smith performed at the Auburn Botanic Gardens as part of the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival.
Vanessa Proctor, Margaret Mahony, Carol Reynolds and Catherine Smith
We were blessed with blue skies and cherry blossom in full bloom. Our readings took place at the Moon Gate in the Japanese gardens where peacocks and ibis joined with the audience.
We read three sets of haiku each: classic cherry blossom haiku by Japanese masters in translation, our own haiku and then a selection of spring haiku by modern English language poets. We then took part in a ginko around the lake on the immensely popular Cherry Trail which inspired us to write more blossom verse. We concluded our very enjoyable day with some delicious refreshments at the Japanese Food Village.
Stan Reynolds, Wanda Amos, Catherine Smith, Margaret Mahony, Carol Reynolds, Ros Pitt
Report by Vanessa Proctor
Australian Haiku Society 