Five poets met at the State Library of NSW on Saturday morning 20th June, 2026. Zina Ioannou, Margaret Mahony, Nick O’Connor and Leanne Mumford welcomed Lisa Germany to her first Gadigal Ginkō. The weather was cool but sunny – very suitable for wandering outdoors in the nearby Domain parklands and Botanic Gardens. There were also some interesting spaces and exhibitions to explore inside the library itself, with all its history and silence.
Each of us tuned into our various senses as we engaged with our chosen surroundings. At the conclusion of our ginkō time we reconvened inside the library, where we shared a few first draft poems. These reflected various aspects of the gardens and the grand old trees of the Domain, as well as observations on some statues and a memorial bench where someone had left flowers.
We discussed how we each record and organise our early draft poems and those haiku ideas we gather when out and about or in the course of daily activities. Some use Notes and Voice Notes on their phones, while others take a more old-fashioned approach of jotting in physical notebooks. Exchanging ideas with fellow haiku poets is always a pleasure, and particularly for those who don’t belong to a group or have workshopping partners. Everyone left appreciative of the conversation and with unfinished haiku to work on.
Leanne Mumford
Convenor, Gadigal Ginkō
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