Not having any personal connection with Cynthia Rowe, I’m very grateful to Vanessa Proctor, Cynthia’s successor as AHS President in 2016, for providing the following tribute to her.
The comments section at the foot of this page will remain open until 20th May for you to add your personal reflections and tributes to an influential Australian haiku poet who shared her passion for haiku with so many around the world.
Leanne Mumford
Cynthia Leigh Rowe (nee Jones)
1938 – 2025
Cynthia Rowe was born in Melbourne where she lived until 2000, when she moved with her husband, Bruce, to Sydney. Cynthia had a lifelong love of education and language, both English and French. From a young age she wrote poetry and plays. Working as a French and English teacher informed Cynthia’s writing, with much of it inspired by young people. She went on to write eight young adult novels. Cynthia was a perfectionist in all her endeavours.
Cynthia was passionate about haiku and she was a fine poet with a particular way of seeing the world, winning many awards for her work. Among her awards were 1st place in the Thirteenth Annual Paper Wasp Jack Stamm Haiku Award 2011 and 1st place in the 2015 World Haiku Contest. early morning heat, a renku written with John Carley, Sandra Simpson, William Sorlien and Lorin Ford, was First Place Winner in the Bernard Lionel Einbond Renku Competition in 2013. A selection of Cynthia’s awarded poems can be found at The Living Haiku Anthology. She was widely published internationally, with her love of travel often finding its way into her work.
Cynthia published three poetry collections: ‘Driftwood’ Ginninderra Press (2010); ‘Floating Nest’ Rebus Press (2014) [First Prize Poetry in The Society of Women Writers NSW 2016 Book Awards]; ‘Stone Circles’ Snapshot Press (2017).
Cynthia was a valued member of the Sydney haiku group the Red Dragonflies and it was always enjoyable to go to her elegant home in Woollahra when meetings were held there. Cynthia was President of the Australian Haiku Society from 2011 until 2016, but possibly her greatest influence was as haiku editor of FreeXpresSion, where, over a period of fifteen years, she connected with many regular contributors from around the world.
Cynthia led a creative life. She was not only interested in writing, but was also a keen photographer, combining haiku and image in haiga. She had an interest in fashion and jewellery, and even made her own jewellery.
Her work was being published in journals right up until her death in April. Cynthia has left a legacy of fine work and through her poetry we will continue to remember her.
low tide
a butterfly settles
in her footprint1
Vanessa Proctor
- Special Mention 6th Kokako Haiku & Senryu Competition 2011 ↩︎
Australian Haiku Society 
Posted on behalf of Lorin Ford, who sent this tribute to AHS on 21st April.
I’m very sorry to hear that Cynthia Rowe has passed. My sincere condolences to her husband, Bruce.
As well as acting a term in the role of AHS President and even longer as the Editor of ‘Haiku Expressions’, Cynthia seemed always ready to interact with other haiku writers.
I first met Cynthia and Bruce in a pub where John Bird had arranged an afternoon meeting for poets for me to meet some of the relatively local haiku people.he’d arranged up there in Northern NSW..
As the President of Haiku Oz (John Bird’s original title for the Australian Haiku Society) Cynthia and Bruce came down to Melbourne from Sydney for the inaugural meeting of the Red Kelpie Haiku Group, held on Sunday 4th May, 2014 at the Melbourne Zoo : This was a generous and sincere gesture from a talented writer, editor and truly involved President. .It’s almost eleven years ago now, since then.
Cynthia will be very much missed. RIP, Cynthia.
– Lorin Ford
( A Hundred Gourds, 2011 — 2016 )
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Cynthia was a fine person and a sensitive poet. She will be greatly missed.
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Editors are not supposed to have ‘favorites’, but Cynthia was one of mine! Her work was always a finished product, but more importantly she provided in her work a clear view into humanity and nature. She will be missed, but her work will live one. See you on the other side my friend!
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I never had the opportunity to meet Cynthia Rowe in person, but I’ve admired her haiku, tanka, and haibun for many years. I came to appreciate something of who she was through her thoughtful and encouraging editorship of Haiku Expressions. Her support helped me return to haiku after several years away. I will remain grateful.
The following two haiku, published in the most recent Failed Haiku, issue #109, offer a glimpse of her tonal range and connection to family. The first is a stand-alone haiku; the second part of a haibun titled “adept in white coat.” To fully appreciate the latter, readers should go to the accompanying prose. Both pieces can be accessed online.
skipping stones
the river curls across
my son’s toes
bleak harvest
inside the child’s pumpkin
candlelight sputters
My sympathy to Cynthia’s family, friends and readers.
Jo McInerney
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Living as I do on the other side of the world, I never met Cynthia but I always read and enjoyed her fine haiku and tanka when I came across them – especially in the pages of Presence, to which she was a regular and supportive contributor for many years. My condolences to Cynthia’s family and friends.
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As the Editor of FreeXpresSion it was always a pleasure to receive a couple of pages each month from such a competent haiku artist. I was also very aware of Cynthia’s behind the scenes patient tutoring of many newcomers to the art. I only met Cynthia a couple of times, when she conducted workshops–not only was she skilled in the knowledge of haiku and its associated forms, but Cynthia had the knack of educating others with thoughtful encouraging comments. My sincere condolences to her family, friends and the many writers who have been befriended and assisted over many years. Cynthia will be sorely missed by me and many FreeXpresSion readers from all over the world.
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I was shocked to hear of Cynthia’s passing. Cynthia was a member of Ozku for a few years. Her haiku and tanka were always so sensitively written and her comments to others always kind and thoughtful. She had a quirky sense of humour which lifted my spirits. She will be sorely missed.
Dawn Bruce leader of Ozku.
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