Join us on Wednesday 22nd April from 7.30pm AEST for a Zoom reading by three experienced haiku poets from Queensland – Duncan Richardson, Jeffrey Harpeng and Vuong Pham. The programme will include a brief presentation from AHS, the planned readings and an ‘open mic’ session. The event is free and open to all interested poets to attend. Please register by 9am AEST on 22nd April to receive the Zoom link. Link for the Registration form.
There is still space in the programme for additional poets. If you are a Queensland haiku poet who would like to read your work at this event, please get in touch right away via the Contact Secretary Form.
The autumn equinox – when day and night are of equal length – has been an important marker of seasonal change throughout human cultures. With the observance of seasons a significant aspect of haiku practice, the Australian Haiku Society chooses to mark the solstices and equinoxes each year. This Southern hemisphere autumn, as leaves of exotic trees begin to change colour and many of our native plants come into flower, we invite you to enjoy a selection of favourite poems submitted to Haiku Strings in previous autumns. You can find PDF booklets of all the Haiku Strings we have held to date on our Resources page .
footy siren picking the last ripe tomato Louise Hopewell, 2023
morning moonset the black swan’s bill blood red Cathryn Daley, 2023
disagreement morning walk together alone Carol Reynolds, 2020
dancing breeze a hoop pine seed glides in to land Quendryth Young, 2023
outdoor café more dogs in trendy coats than people Kathryn Woolfe, 2019
park bench a two o’clock shadow holds my hand Barbara Tate, 2019
Opera House an autumn breeze fills the sails Gavin Austin, 2019
flooded street a man rescues a teddybear Kathleen Earsman, 2019
fire glow the baby’s breath on my cheek Margaret Mahony, 2021
schoolchildren’s protest their hearts displayed on recycled cardboard Marietta McGregor, 2019
chilly breeze a spider’s thread shifts the moonlight Lyn Arden, 2023
rain clouds blackening the sky Carnaby’s cockatoos Maureen Sexton, 2023
last song . . . the busker turns to his dog Madhuri Pillai, 2020
slow steps a curving path walking to her grave Maurice Neville, 2021
dogs long gone— all their feeding bowls overflow with rain Ron C. Moss, 2020
The summer solstice – when the sun reaches the highest point in the sky creating the longest day and shortest night of the year – has been important to many cultures throughout human history. With the observance of seasons a significant aspect of haiku practice, the Australian Haiku Society chooses to mark the solstices and equinoxes each year. This year for the Southern hemisphere summer solstice we are sharing a few favourite poems submitted to Haiku Strings in previous summers. You can find PDF booklets of most of the Haiku Strings we have held to date on our Resources page .
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 2025. 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!
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.
Grand Final day— the clear blue sky is part of the scent
Welcome to the annual celebration of Australian footy and haiku!
Calling all haiku poets from every nook and cranny on the planet to participate in the Annual AFL Grand Final Haiku Kukai for 2024. This has become a much loved event, now running for over a decade! The one day of the year when haiku poets, expert and novice, footy fan or critic, turn their Zen minds to the rip-roaring, white-knuckle ride of a footy match to produce a live haiku call of the AFL Grand Final.
Registrations for Haiku Down Under are free and close on August 11.
The Haiku Down Under weekend, taking place online via Zoom from Friday to Sunday, August 16-18, will provide a unique occasion to explore haiku and related forms in depth, and to connect with fellow haiku poets in Australia, New Zealand and beyond.
It’s now only two months until Haiku Down Under 2024, which will take place online via Zoom from Friday to Sunday, August 16-18, 2024. Register for free for Haiku Down Under 2024 via the form on the website’s Register page. You will receive an initial confirmation email. Zoom links will be sent in August. Registrations will close on August 11. A haiku contest to be run in conjunction with HDU 2024 will only be open to registered participants.
Visit the Programme page for current information on the mix of presentations, interactive workshops and other activities planned for the weekend. Visit the Presenters page for details of our exciting line-up of poet presenters.
For any queries or messages for the Haiku Down Under team, please use the link on the Contact Us page.
Australian Haiku Society 