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”Welcome to a new series of featured haiku. This series draws from the journal Windfall: Australian Haiku, which was an annual print journal edited by Beverley George and published by Peter Macrow’s Blue Giraffe Press between 2013 and 2022 (ISSN 1839-5449).
Continue reading “Featured Haiku from Windfall 1 & 6”Echidna Tracks will now become an international publication, and we welcome submissions from haiku poets worldwide.
We hope to publish a diversity of haiku and senryu. Jennifer Sutherland and Julia Wakefield will be the haiku editors for this issue. We invite your best and previously unpublished haiku/senryu on any topic.
Continue reading “Call for Submissions Echidna Tracks: Issue 18 Summer/Autumn 2027”
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 next Gadigal Ginkō will take place on Wednesday 21st October, 2026 from 10am. For this spring gathering I’m hoping the weather will allow us to explore a garden at Lavender Bay, across the harbour from Gadigal land. There will be a Plan B in case of unsuitable weather. To join with other Sydney haiku poets for this event, please register by 19th October via the form on my Gadigal Ginko page. There you’ll find an outline of what’s involved in the ginkō, as well as links to reports of previous ginkō.
Leanne Mumford
Convenor, Gadigal Ginkō
Welcome to the annual celebration of Australian footy and haiku!
Calling haiku poets from all over the planet to participate in the Annual AFL Grand Final Haiku Kukai for 2026. Over the past decade this has become a much-loved event – the one day of the year when haiku poets (expert and novice), footy fans and misanthropes turn their Zen or otherwise addled minds to producing a live haiku call of the AFL Grand Final. Sounds bonkers, doesn’t it? Come along and find out!
