White Pebbles Haiku Group Autumn Meeting Report

March 11th 2023

As soon as we met up for this meeting we knew it was going to be a very special one indeed. The sun was gently shining and all the diverse shades of green in the garden were sparkling. Soon we were off for our ginko and silent jotting. Smiles across the ponds and along the pathways.

At 11 o’clock we gathered at the round table in the downstairs room we hire, which has glass doors that overview a quiet end of the garden. We were very sorry that two of our regular members, Samantha Hyde and Maire Glacken, were unable to attend this time, but were pleased to greet two visitors, Meredith Ferris and Frances Carleton, and our guest presenter, Carole Harrison, each of whom joined in congenially with our group and enhanced the day. Carole was one of the organisers and presenters of ‘Haiku Down Under’ on-line conference October 7-9 2022 and editor and cover-illustrator of ‘Poetry From The Edge’ the conference anthology. Members present at our meeting were Marilyn Humbert, Kent Robinson, Gwen Bitti, Colleen Keating, Verna Rieschild, Michael Thorley and Beverley George.

We shared a haiku we had each brought with us and one we had jotted on our ginko. Then it was time for our main session led by Carole Harrison, who had kindly journeyed up from Jamberoo, as she did for a Bowerbird tanka group meeting in the Pearl Beach Arboretum last year. Her presentation was to show us how we might write haiku on stones, some of which were partly painted, others left plain. To this end Carole brought with her the stones we would use and Kent brought some dark river stones he had gathered for the purpose. Carole also brought the writing implements we needed and we wrote on two stones each – a lovely way in which to further share and enjoy haiku. It was relevant to add a simple drawing such as a leaf or feather to some of the haiku.

Kent Robinson had prepared and distributed an article about writing rengay and spoke briefly about this interesting genre. His thoughts were helpful and appreciated.

At 12:30 our meeting ended and it was up to each person whether to share lunch, journey home or enjoy the Art Gallery, or another garden stroll. This is an aspect of our meeting location that works well for everyone, especially those who have travelled long distances to be there.