On International Haiku Poetry Day I’m pleased to announce the five winners of our 2025 Autumn Equinox Kukai with the theme of ‘Autumn Flowers’. Thanks to all the participants and congratulations to the winners!
Continue reading “AHS 2025 Autumn Equinox Kukai Results”Author: Leanne Mumford
President, Australian Haiku Society
In Memoriam – Cynthia Rowe
It is my sad duty to inform the Australian and worldwide haiku community of the death of Cynthia Rowe on 6th April at the age of 86. Cynthia succeeded Beverley George to the position of President of the Australian Haiku Society in 2011, and served until Vanessa Proctor took over in 2016. Cynthia was also the editor of the Haiku Xpressions section of FreeXpresSion Magazine for many years. AHS will be publishing a full tribute in recognition of Cynthia’s many contributions to the haiku community. For the time being, with the family’s permission, we would like to let everyone know about the two memorial services that have been organised to honour and celebrate Cynthia’s life.
– In Sydney at St Mark’s Anglican Church, Darling Point on 23rd April 2025 at 12.00pm
– In Melbourne at St John’s Anglican Church, Toorak on 30th April 2025 at 11.00am
There will be a celebration of life held after each service.
Leanne Mumford
President, Australian Haiku Society
AHS 2025 Autumn Equinox Kukai – update
The deadline for participants to vote in the AHS 2025 Autumn Equinox Kukai is 11.59pm Australian Central Standard Time on Wednesday 9th April. So far votes have been received from more than 2/3 of the 78 eligible participants.
Voting information was sent to eligible participants on 2nd April ACDT. If you submitted an eligible poem and haven’t received an email about voting, please check your Spam/Junk folder. To be fair to all participants, if you submitted an eligible poem, you are expected to vote. If you fail to vote, your poem will be excluded from the final results.
The winning five poems, together with their authors’ names, will be published on the AHS website on 17th April 2025, International Haiku Poetry Day.
All participants who submit votes will be sent the set of ranked results, but point tallies will only be provided for the winning five poems.
Leanne Mumford
Kukai Convenor
White Pebbles Ginko Autumn 2025
On Saturday March 15, together with esteemed founder and convener, Beverley George, White Pebbles members, Marilyn Humbert, Kent Robinson, Colleen Keating, Michael Thorley and Gwen Bitti gathered at the Edogawa Commemorative Gardens in East Gosford for their autumn meeting. Apologies were received from Pip Griffin, Maire Glacken and Samantha Sirimanne Hyde. Following coffee and a chat at the café, we agreed to continue with Kent Robinson’s suggested theme from summer — Waterfall. Members then headed out on their ginko.
Continue reading “White Pebbles Ginko Autumn 2025”Woodend Haiku Festival – April 2025
International Haiku Day is celebrated worldwide on April 17 each year. Local poet, Myron Lysenko, Victoria’s Regional Representative for the Australian Haiku Society, has organised haiku activities in Woodend throughout April, including a haiku contest, haiku readings, haiku workshops, pop-up haiku poets, and a haiku picnic. Lysenko is the convenor of the monthly spoken word event Chamber Poets, and is an avid promoter, practitioner and teacher of haiku.
Continue reading “Woodend Haiku Festival – April 2025”AHS 2025 Autumn Equinox Kukai
Welcome to the Australian Haiku Society 2025 Autumn Equinox Kukai. This is a new participation-based event open to haiku poets. It will open on the Autumn Equinox, 20th March 2025, and results will be announced to coincide with International Haiku Poetry Day on 17th April 2025. The window for entries has now closed. Thanks to all participants. Check below for what happens next!
Continue reading “AHS 2025 Autumn Equinox Kukai”Illawong Haiku Group Autumn Meeting, 4 March 2025
Five poets gathered at Alison Miller’s home in Revesby. Present were Alison Miller, Rita Potente, Patricia Meredith, Kathleen Ann and Margaret Mahony. Carol Reynolds, Ros Pitt and a future new member Enza Russo were unable to attend.
Continue reading “Illawong Haiku Group Autumn Meeting, 4 March 2025”Report on Gadigal Ginko, Summer 2025
The 8th Gadigal Ginko took place on Wednesday 26th February 2025, with five participants. First-timers Julie Thorndyke and Anita Xian joined two regulars, Carol Reynolds and Margaret Mahony, and convenor, Leanne Mumford. We travelled by ferry from Circular Quay westward under the Harbour Bridge to Wareamah – Cockatoo Island. Thanks to its varied history, this island, located where the Parramatta River meets Sydney Harbour, has much to offer poets.
Continue reading “Report on Gadigal Ginko, Summer 2025”
Australian Haiku Society 