The Fringe Myrtles met on a glorious, sunny afternoon at the historic Fitzroy Gardens in the centre of Melbourne for a picnic and ginko. It was the first time we had been able to meet face-to-face in over 9 months. A pregnant pause, you might say.
News
Haiku Down Under
G’day, kia ora and hello,
This is a gentle reminder that submissions for proposals to present at Haiku Down Under close on March 31. Thank you to those who have already completed the confidentialform on our website which asks you to briefly describe your workshop/presentation. We have had some fresh and exciting ideas submitted and look forward to receiving more by the deadline. Please don’t hold back thinking that your idea may not be ‘good enough’.
Haiku Down Under is being held online from October 7-9 and although primarily aimed at the trans-Tasman haiku community, we do expect the event to have an international flavour.
Upcoming Book Launch & Reading
Cloud Hands – the latest collection of haiku, haiku sequences, haibun and ink paintings by Ron C. Moss will be launched on Friday 11th March at 5 pm at the Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts in Hobart. Bookings are required.
Further details on the flyer below.
Copies are now available directly from Ron who can be contacted via email here
Contest Results
A Little Iris Haiku Contest, Croatia 2021
Judged by Debbie Strange
Congratulations to Gregory Piko for an Honorable Mention with:
pastel sunrise
the soft cover
of this book
Gregory Piko
All selected haiku and commentary can be found here
Irish Haiku Society International Haiku Competition 2021
Congratulations to the following poets for Honourable Mentions with:
alpine meadow
the sky descends
into gentians
Marietta McGregor
thunder
the rattle of a coin
in the beggar’s cup
Mark Miller
brewing tea
night and day
become one
Greg Piko
All selected haiku can be found here
Portarlington Haiku Society
The Portarlington Haiku Society came to fruition in October 2021 and has been operating on-line for the past five months until today when nine of its twelve members came together in person, a few to meet for the very first time. We met at the Pt Richards Reserve where a formally-mapped Haiku Trail exists, initiated by two of our members nearly three years ago.
Today, after introductions all round, we discussed the value of haiku and the Guidelines for Writing Haiku as published by the AHS from a workshop by Quendryth Young. We all agreed that this guide was one of the best we have found for the haiku beginner and have adopted it as our group’s go to information text.
We each read a haiku that we have come across in our reading that particularly resonates with us, then read one of our own recent pieces, telling of our inspiration and allowing for discussion. We also discussed how many highly acclaimed published works frequently contradict the guidelines but determined that rules are made to be broken and that each person takes on board what is best for them. We also discussed our own recent group renga and the best way to proceed with those.
The group are happy with the current newsletters and monthly kukai and it was suggested that we maintain our regular on-line communication with a face-to-face meeting occurring seasonally, with the occasional ginko tossed in for those willing and able on the designated dates. Most importantly, we all had a jolly good time and are all keen to learn through participation.
Jenny Macaulay (Facilitator)
Cloudcatchers’ Ginko # 64, 2022
Thursday 24 February (summer) 2022
Home of Quendryth Young, Alstonville NSW
Present:
Laurel Astle Coffs Harbour NSW
Robbie Braithwaite Tregeagle NSW
Nathalie Buckland Lismore NSW
Helen Davison Lismore NSW
Quendryth Young Alstonville NSW
Norma Watts Ballina NSW (part-time)
Angela Smith Byron Bay (virtual ginko)
Somehow it had been difficult for the Cloudcatchers to settle on a suitable date for our summer ginko this year, but eventually six of us were able to gather on the last Thursday of the season, with another joining in by participating in a ‘virtual ginko’ at that time.
Here on the Far North Coast of NSW the weather has generally been kind this year, with no long stretch of heat, and no bushfire warnings. However the dreaded summer rains descended this week, with rising waterways and flooding, but fortunately none of our members was water-bound.
Seated: Robbie Braithewaite, Quendryth Young
Norma Watts was able to join us for a while.
Australian Haiku Society 