Quendryth Youngʼs collection of haiku, The Whole Body Singing, has received an award from The Haiku Society of America, ‘for excellence in published haiku, translation or criticism’, with second place in the Mildred Kanterman Memorial Merit Book Awards for 2008.
The book may be obtained from the author at 5 Cedar Court, Alstonville NSW 2477, $17 posted.
report by M L Grace
These lovely Japanese style gardens provided a perfect setting for the reading of haiku,
with last autumn leaves clinging to maples and a backdrop of silver birches overlooking a koi pond and pagoda.
Beverley George ─ President of The Australian Haiku Society (HaikuOz) and well known, widely published poet, organised the readings which were preceded by dynamic Taiko drummers who awoke the audience and provided the contrasting silence for the haiku readers.
On July 5 between 11 and 1, the Central Coast branch of the Australian Sister Cities Association will host an event at the Gosford/Edogawa Commemorative Garden. This is to celebrate International Sister Cities Day.
Entertainment will include drumming, haiku reading and “Spirit of the Coast Harmony. Refreshments are provided and entry fee is $5. RSVP Margaret Hardy 02 4369 4534 Margarethardy1@bigpond.com
Wollumbin Haiku Workshop presents its fifth collection of haiku on:
Previous collections may be found on the site under archives
Please feel free to send the workshop web address, to any groups or individuals you think might find it of
interest. Feedback is appreciated.
perched
upon the temple bell
the butterfly sleeps
Buson
The interactive workshop will examine the influence of Zen on the ancient Japanese form of haiku poetry, explain how the two have come together and why Zen has relevance to writing haiku for even those who have little understanding of Zen philosophies.
Wollumbin Haiku Workshop presents its fourth collection of haiku on: www.wollumbin-haiku.com
Julie Simpson reports that The Pencil Orchids Creative Writing Group at Wollombi in the Lower Hunter Valley celebrated National Poetry Week 2007 with a display at Cessnock Library. Their (70-piece grape vine shaped collaborative haiku, (pictures of which Beverley George took to the 3rd Pacific Rim Haiku Conference, Matsuyama, as part of her presentation), together with an illustrated History of the Haiku Masters — from Basho to Koi Nagata — attracted favourable attention and warm comments. An A3 sized Haiku a Day poster was eye-catching in the library’s front window and there was a colourful display of bird and insect kites, carp, bonsai, a paper umbrella and haiga (haiku paintings) in showcases and on the foyer walls.
Haiku, the short poem which originates in Japan, has probably never been more relevant than it is today. Haiku subject matter, with its emphasis on humanity’s place in the natural world, is the stuff of today’s headlines.
Indeed, in the words of one great English-language haijin, the late American Jack Stamm, haiku are headlines. By this he meant that in no more than 17 syllables, haiku cast bright spotlights on nature.
