January 2024
1. We are calling for Expressions of Interest in joining the Australian Haiku Society Executive Committee. Look out for the details coming shortly in a separate post.
2. Hobart Launch: under the same moon: Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology. 16th February at Fullers Bookshop. Further details below.
3. Although it is several months away, we are encouraging you to start planning how you will celebrate International Haiku Poetry Day on 17 April. More details below.
4. Return of Haiku Down Under conference in August. See below for dates.
5. Sandra Simpson, our colleague over in New Zealand, maintains a fantastic international list of competition and publication opportunities at Haiku NewZ.
6. Congratulations to Lorraine Haig on the publication of her first haiku collection Curving into Light, available from Forty South. Congratulations to Gavin Austin, Rose van Son, Wanda Amos, Carol Reynolds and Julie Constable for their great results in the Summer Solstice Non-Seasonal and Seasonal Kukai contests. If you’re an Australian haiku poet who has recently won a prize or received an award for your haiku, haibun or haiga, if you’ve been published in a book or been invited to read your work, we’d like to know so we can share the good news. Please use the Contact Secretary form to tell us about your recent achievement.
HOBART LAUNCH: under the same moon: Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology
Lyn Reeves, Vanessa Proctor and Rob Scott (eds)
Fullers Bookshop
131 Collins Street, Hobart
16th February, 5.30pm
At this Hobart launch of under the same moon, former TSO double bassist Michael Fortescue will accompany readings of contributions by Tasmanian haiku poets, including Jane Williams, Simon Hanson, Ron Moss, Lorraine Haig and Lyn Reeves, exploring our particular place in the national and international haiku landscape. If you are in Hobart you can book your seat for this bookshop birthday celebration at this link.
If you would like a copy of this stunning collection you can purchase it from the bookshop or from the publisher.
Celebrating International Haiku Poetry Day – 17 April 2024
International Haiku Poetry Day is a project that The Haiku Foundation initiated in 2012. It’s grown into a day on which haiku is celebrated in varied ways around the world. The Australian Haiku Society would like to encourage Australian haiku poets to organise your own celebrations, whether by simply meeting as a group on the day – in-person or online, taking haiku to the broader public by holding readings, displays or speaking about haiku on your local radio station, conducting a ginko, or other activities.
Please let us know about the public events or activities you are planning so that we can spread the word. If you’d like to connect with others in your area or online to celebrate, please use the Contact Secretary form to get in touch, and we’ll try to connect you.
Haiku Down Under 2024 conference
If you haven’t already, put these dates in your diary: Friday 16th, Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th August. The organising committee is currently working on the draft programme for an exciting 2.5 day online gathering of haiku poets from Australia and New Zealand. Visit the Haiku Down Under website to subscribe to email updates or follow the Facebook page.
Australian Haiku Society 