December 2024 Members’ News

President’s Message

Since the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1873, the New year is counted as a brief season on its own In Japanese Saijiki. The New Year period in Japan is a time for family gatherings with festive meals over several days. There are many traditions and observances that appear as kigo, including decorations, cards, gifts, games and special food, as well as numerous kigo with the first of something, such as first sunrise. While we may not follow kigo in our Australian haiku, we do write poems that reflect the festive season of family and social gatherings, celebratory meals and other traditions, as well as marking new beginnings and reflecting on the past year.

Many of us will be missing loved ones, their absence seeming especially strong against the backdrop of this festive season. Reflecting on the current state of the world may bring up many negative feelings. Writing poetry can help us come to terms with disappointment, anger, loss and longing. The practice of writing haiku also aids in celebrating what we still have, whether that is wonderful memories of those we’ve lost, feelings of gratitude for small kindnesses received, or the many simple joys we experience in being alive on this planet.

To end, I’d like to share two of my own poems from this brief but significant season.

Christmas morning
everybody but Grandma
in bathers
     Kokako 40, 2024

red bougainvillea
swaying on the sea breeze
New Year’s Eve
     Haiku: 30th Anniversary: Meguro International Haiku Circle 2024

Sending my Season’s Greetings to all and wishing everyone a creative year ahead.

Leanne Mumford

Good News

Congratulations to Alice Wanderer, winner of The Snapshot Press eChapbook Awards 2024. Alice joins a distinguished list of previous Australian winners – Simon Hanson (2018), Cynthia Rowe (2017), Lorin Ford (2012) and Vanessa Proctor (2012). Look out for Alice’s haibun chapbook She Wants to See Birds and Flowers in 2025. All eChapbooks from Snapshot Press are free to download from the publisher’s website. In addition, Marietta McGregor has a poem selected for October in the Snapshot Press Haiku Calendar for 2025, and one by Mark Miller was chosen as a runner up.

Third John Bird Dreaming Award for Haiku

A reminder that the 3rd John Bird Dreaming Award for Haiku, Australia’s premier award for haiku, is currently open to poets from all over the world. All submissions must be in English, unpublished and not concurrently entered for any other competition. The first three place getters will receive an original ink painting featuring their winning haiku by renowned Australian artist and poet, Ron C. Moss.

Entries close 1^st March 2025 and results will be announced on 1^st May 2025. See the website for further details.

Summer Solstice Haiku String

Once again we will be holding a haiku string event for the Southern Hemisphere Summer Solstice. It will run from Saturday 21st December until Sunday 29th December. Details of the theme and how to submit will be posted a week beforehand.

Our best wishes for a wonderful festive season, from the Australian Haiku Society Committee.