Welcome to the Australian Haiku Society Members’ News, October 2026. In this edition we have a round-up of recent AHS activities, a look at what craft aspects make contemporary haiku appealing, a preview of the John Bird Dreaming Award, and a reminder that Echidna Tracks is currently open for submissions for Issue 18.
Continue reading “Members’ News October 2026”
Report by Jane Williams
Read more: Watersmeet Meeting 25 SeptemberWhile it’s been a couple of years since the last Watersmeet report, the group is committed as ever, continuing to meet every two months. The core group has remained steady at six to eight active members and grown exponentially in its haiku friendship.
On Friday September 25th just four of us gathered in Lauderdale at the peaceful and scenic home of our generous and highly skilled facilitator, poet Lyn Reeves. The smaller number proved no less rewarding. Damaging winds of the previous day had calmed to offer up a breezy but warm spring afternoon, perfect for outward and inward contemplation. As usual, Harry, the resident poodle greeted us individually before settling into his sunlit daybed by the living room window where he remained for the duration as if linking us to the rest of the natural world.
We spent a couple of hours sharing recent haiku and haiku experiences, exchanging feedback and offering each other encouragement. The evolving natures of tanka and haibun were briefly commented on and we were reminded that even within haiku’s tiny framework redundant words can still creep in.
We left, as always, in deep gratitude, our kindred spirits well-nourished until next time.
winter moonlight –
frosty shadows
cross the ground
Ross Coward
pink granite sun sparkles in a puddle
Lorraine Haig
as if they own the place
low flying
black cockatoos
Lyn Reeves
sunlit backyard
the young father
shadowboxing
Jane Williams
Spring arrived at East Gosford’s beautiful Edogawa Japanese Gardens, and on the 12th September 2026 our White Pebbles group, Beverley George (Convenor), Pip Griffin, Maire Glacken, Marilyn Humbert, Colleen Keating had the pleasure of experiencing it firsthand. (Apologies from Michael Thorley, Kent Robinson, Gwen Bitti and Samantha Sirimanne Hyde).
Read more: White Pebbles Haiku Group –Spring 2026
After a catch-up over a morning coffee we set out quietly, each with pen and paper to contemplate the essence of spring through the lens of kigo finding inspiration in the lazy swirl of the koi fish in symbiosis with the ducks, the raked white pebble garden, the tranquil pavilion, bridge and winding paths and the cascading sound of water. Here the azaleas were in full bloom, in reds and whites and marvellous variegated pinks. Sitting under the wisteria pergola is a special spring experience for me aware of its change from season to season.
After our time enjoying this sanctuary we gathered back at our meeting space to share. Firstly we expressed our congratulations, pride and happiness to Beverley on the wonderful news that the NSW Society of Women Writers had nominated her for the National Alice Award. We presented her with a card wishing her best wishes in the National gathering of SWWs in Tasmania later this month. Next, Marilyn had prepared what she called a mini workshop titled ‘What, Where, When’, (adapted from Lev Hart Triveni blog, Jan 2023).
It was invaluable to read our already written haiku through the filter of this framework and we appreciated the new insight and the suggestion to try the template to help our future haiku writing. Marilyn also led us in an observation of the judges’ choices and comments on the British Haiku Society Awards 2025. A very interesting activity.
Our White Pebbles meeting concluded at 12.30 pm with the option to enjoy lunch at the gallery cafe.
We look forward to our next meeting 12th December to celebrate summer.
Colleen Keating
White Pebbles Haiku Group, 12 September 2026
The digital portal for contributions to the seventh issue of Catchment – Poetry of Place will open between 21 September – 21 November 2026.
Guidelines & Submissions can be accessed through this link:
https://www.bawbawartsalliance.org.au/bcms/catchment/
The journal welcomes unpublished poetry of place, not on offer elsewhere, both as English Language tanka and in longer verse-forms. With our team still small, we continue to accept work only from Australian writers.
Beyond stand-alone poems & sequences, starting with our seventh issue, tanka poets may wish to submit new work of a third kind, in the form of tanka-doha, as one or two pairs of twin-tanka.
In both tanka & longer forms, we will still value poetry which focusses on a sense of location, or perhaps some other dimension to the notion of place.
We look forward to receiving your very best new poems of place from 21 September onwards!
Rodney Williams
Editor
Catchment – Poetry of Place
Baw Baw Arts Alliance
Gunaikurnai Country
West Gippsland, Victoria
editors.catchment@bawbawartsalliance.org.au
Recently the Haiku Society of America posted on its home page (https://www.hsa-haiku.org/index.htm) details of its 2026 virtual one-day conference, to be held on November 28. Theme: Cutting Through our Times.
I heartily invite you, members of the Australian Haiku Society, and all interested haiku poets to consider submitting proposals for conference consideration. Please note, however, that such submissions are due by October 10.
Sincerely,
Michael Dudley
International Coordinator
Haiku Society of America
Eucalypt: a tanka journal is now open for submissions for issue 41.
Closing date 30th September 2026.
Please submit up to six original, unpublished tanka in the body of your email to editor.eucalypt@gmail.com
Paste your tanka into the body of the email, together with your full name and address, and a statement that they are original, unpublished poems, written without the use of AI, and not under consideration elsewhere.
You may use the convenient submission form at https://juliethorndyke.com/
For subscription information see: https://juliethorndyke.com/
More information about the journal: https://eucalyptjournal.com/
Julie Thorndyke
Editor Eucalypt
Owen Bullock is launching a new collection of haiku, the scuppered lily, at Smith’s Alternative in Canberra on 17th August at 7pm.
The scuppered lily can be purchased from Recent Work Press.
