Category: Haiku @ The Oaks

Thursday, 11 January 2024

So good to be back together in the shade of bird-busy oaks —Kathy Kituai, Glenys Ferguson, Hazel Hall, Greg Piko and Jan Dobb.  We missed Marietta MacGregor, who was out of town

With a new year starting up, it seemed appropriate to assess any ‘suggestions, preferences, or complaints’ about our direction for the future months. Immediate unanimity—keep going just the way we are!  Our unstructured informality suits very well indeed.  Accordingly, we got under way. . .

Due to our curiosity at a previous gathering when Hazel spoke of Sedoka, she had kindly prepared a detailed introduction for us, complete with examples and notes to take away and ponder at leisure. . . and maybe have a go at writing?  A lively discussion was immediately under way.  For most of us this old Japanese form is new territory, even though it incorporates some familiar techniques. Again, we admired Hazel’s explorations of—and her beautiful writing of—the less familiar forms. She urged us to visit the Songbirds Sedoka Journal on the UHTS website.

Jan then produced a small book with yellowing pages that she had picked up by chance at a second-hand book fair—James Hackett: Haiku Poetry, volume three (1968).  As the book was passed around the table and various examples of Hackett’s verse were read aloud, the subsequent history and development of English language haiku became apparent.  However, we did wonder at times whether some of the ‘old’ ways are re-appearing today as ‘acceptable’ after all.  Haiku remains fluid. Hackett’s sense of wonder at things ordinary is obvious and, at times, Issa-like.  An early pioneer to be valued as ELH continues to evolve.

As we leave the table, the currawongs descend for their round of spirited interchange—this time it’s all about cold chips!

Jan Dobb 

Thursday 9 November 2023

How quickly the months come around, and here we are again @ The Oaks, this time with rain falling and puddles filling. So, an inside day it is.  Just four of us to lunch—Gregory Piko, Glenys Ferguson, Marietta McGregor and Jan Dobb—our thoughts turning to missing chums, Kathy Kituai and Hazel Hall.

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Thursday 10 August 2023

This time, we were a full house.   After a mid-winter break during July, we re-assembled at The Oaks for lunch, doubly pleased to greet teach other once more—all of us, Glenys Ferguson, Hazel Hall, Kathy Kituai, Marietta McGregor, Gregory Piko, and Jan Dobb.  As usual, it was not long before our personal catch-up was morphing into animated haiku talk.  How good to be together again!

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Thursday 15 June 2023

Warm greetings and a table near a heater—just the right tone for a haiku lunch on a crisp winter day. Five of us this time—Kathy Kituai, Hazel Hall, Greg Piko, Glenys Fergusen and Jan Dobb.  We missed Marietta McGregor.  Another chum, though, was a local magpie who insisted on remaining inside with us despite the staff’s attempts to evict her. 

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Thursday 11 May 2023

A monthly lunch @ The Oaks is one of those bright spots in our calendars. Once a month we bond in friendship and haiku, wondering where our agenda-less meeting might lead us. On Thursday, five of us greeted around the table—Kathy Kituai, Hazel Hall, Gregory Piko, Marietta McGregor, and Jan Dobb. We missed Glenys Ferguson, who is out of town.

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Thursday 13 April 2023

After the greetings and personal catch-up as lunch orders arrived, we were soon into the thick of haiku talk at The Oaks. Five of us shared the table this month—Glenys Ferguson, Hazel Hall, Kathy Kituai, Gregory Piko and Jan Dobb.  We missed Marietta McGregor who is out of town.

Continue reading “Haiku @ The Oaks, Canberra”