Thursday, 11 January 2024
So good to be back together in the shade of bird-busy oaks —Kathy Kituai, Glenys Ferguson, Hazel Hall, Greg Piko and Jan Dobb. We missed Marietta MacGregor, who was out of town
With a new year starting up, it seemed appropriate to assess any ‘suggestions, preferences, or complaints’ about our direction for the future months. Immediate unanimity—keep going just the way we are! Our unstructured informality suits very well indeed. Accordingly, we got under way. . .
Due to our curiosity at a previous gathering when Hazel spoke of Sedoka, she had kindly prepared a detailed introduction for us, complete with examples and notes to take away and ponder at leisure. . . and maybe have a go at writing? A lively discussion was immediately under way. For most of us this old Japanese form is new territory, even though it incorporates some familiar techniques. Again, we admired Hazel’s explorations of—and her beautiful writing of—the less familiar forms. She urged us to visit the Songbirds Sedoka Journal on the UHTS website.
Jan then produced a small book with yellowing pages that she had picked up by chance at a second-hand book fair—James Hackett: Haiku Poetry, volume three (1968). As the book was passed around the table and various examples of Hackett’s verse were read aloud, the subsequent history and development of English language haiku became apparent. However, we did wonder at times whether some of the ‘old’ ways are re-appearing today as ‘acceptable’ after all. Haiku remains fluid. Hackett’s sense of wonder at things ordinary is obvious and, at times, Issa-like. An early pioneer to be valued as ELH continues to evolve.
As we leave the table, the currawongs descend for their round of spirited interchange—this time it’s all about cold chips!
Jan Dobb
Australian Haiku Society 