Welcome to the August Members’ News, our fourth issue for 2026, which touches on the Japanese concept of Ma, discusses recent and upcoming activities, and reports on our successful mentorship trial.
Read more: Members’ News August 2026 Continue reading “Members’ News August 2026”Australian poets are reminded that the ‘Spring Flowers’ themed haiku contest is closing soon. You’ll need to submit your poem by 5pm AEST on Monday 17th August. See the previous post for further details of the contest and the entry form you’ll need to use.
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.
If you’d like to join the Zoom reading by Western Australian haiku poets on Friday evening 14th August, you’ll need to register to receive the Zoom link. See the earlier post for more information, including a link to the registration form. Registrations close at 12pm AEST on Thursday 13th August.
| The August 2026 Eucalypt: a tanka journal e-Newsletter is now online. The Distinctive Scribble Awards from issue 40 are announced, with appraisals. Tanka on the theme the Four Elements: earth, wind, water, air, are also included for your reading enjoyment. Please click on the link to open the PDF file. issue 40 eucalypt news August 2026. The submission window for issue 41: 1st to 30th September 2026. Be sure to submit your best tanka for the 41st issue of Eucalypt! Warm wishes, |
| Julie Thorndyke Editor, Eucalypt : a tanka journal editor.eucalypt@gmail.com |
confluence offers emerging haiku and tanka poets a unique opportunity to showcase a representative selection of their work and to collaborate with other poets. Each issue of the journal will feature 1 to 2 poet Fellows and publish at least 15 poems of the selected poet’s work along with critical commentary by other poets. Fellows join a year-long cohort, with opportunities for collaborative writing, monthly craft discussions, and one-on-one mentorship with an established Japanese short-form poet. Submissions are open through August 31, 2026 at confluence haiku.
Following the publication of Members’ News for August, we’ve had members notify us of some proud achievements.
Read more: Members’ AchievementsRon Moss and Paula Sears were awarded second place in the Haiku Society of America 2026 Rengay Award in Honour of Garry Gay.
It’s worth following the link to see the award winning rengay and Garry Gay and Renee Owen’s list of ingredients for exemplary rengay.
Robyn Cairns was thrilled and honoured to be awarded joint first place in the 2026 #Femkumag Marlene Mountain Memorial Contest with her haiku:
adapting to deep fake ocean the last blue whale
The Femkumag Marlene Mountain Memorial Contest winners are featured in Issue 42.
Rose van Son facilitated a haiku workshop, at the invitation of the Perth City Library, on 4 July, 2026. Twenty three excited people attended this 2.5 hour workshop. Rose van Son – Haiku, In love with Basho workshop. Many of the attendees had not written haiku before but were interested in the form.
Rose has four haiku published in The Wednesday Poem section of the Fremantle Shipping News, 24 July, 2026.
The confluence journal has initiated a northern hemisphere ‘Summer Postcard Project‘, involving the exchange of postcards each containing a Japanese short form poem. David Green, confluence associate editor, writes:
Continue reading “Confluence journal postcard exchange project”In the lead up to the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival at Auburn Botanic Gardens, the Australian Haiku Society is running a haiku contest with the theme of ‘Spring Flowers’. We invite Australian poets to submit one haiku on this theme using the form below. Submissions closed at 5pm AEST on Monday 17th August.
Continue reading “‘Spring Flowers’ Haiku Contest for Australian Poets now closed”