Paperbark Haiku – Australian Haiku Society

Paperbark Haiku Group Report – Autumn 2026

The Paperbark Autumn ginko was held on Wednesday 13^th May at the Perth City Farm, a half hectare site devoted to providing information and education to the people of Perth about the protection and regeneration of the natural environment.

Established on a former industrial site in East Perth, this once polluted site has been rehabilitated by volunteers, and is now a welcoming oasis in the busy city.

Using Permaculture techniques volunteers grow a wide range of vegetables, herbs, plants and trees in lovingly tended beds. Deep litter is used for the chickens to fossick in, accompanied to the crowing of a beautiful cockerel and a splendid smelling compost to revitalise the soil.

A strong contingent of sixteen haiku poets attended the ginko and were able to wander around the garden, pen and paper at the ready looking for those wonderful moments of inspiration, and upon reconvening a little later shared some of their ideas with the others.

Another delightful aspect of the Farm is the children’s playground which on the day we were there was being used by several dozen children and their parents. It is to be hoped that being in such an environment rubs off onto them and they become conscious of what the farm is trying to achieve.

Everyone agreed that our visit to this site was inspirational and we should have another ginko at the farm in the future.

Barry Sanbrook

Below are a few haiku submitted by the participants:

standing by the sage
I discovered
it was lavender
Pat Johnson

borage and rosemary
so many herbs amongst
everlastings
Rose van Son

clouds begin looming
autumn winds blow
over the darkening sea
Aileen Hawkes

deep litter
a cockerel
voices approval
Barry Sanbrook

new generation
in the sandpit
a rumble of trucks
Gary De Piazzi

up and down, up and
I’ve forgotten what comes next
another sign of old age
Ruari Jack Hughes

an azure sky
the clouds all in my head
melancholia
Rita Tognini

unclouded autumn sky
understory
insects and worms
Coral Carter

the purple flower
is a cathedral
in the sun
Shae O’Reilly

Paperbark Haiku Summer 2025 Ginko

AHS sincerely apologises for the delay in posting this report.

The Paperbark Haiku Group’s Summer gathering for 2025 was held on the morning of Wednesday December 10th. Twelve haiku enthusiasts gathered at the Little Rokeby Café in Subiaco to experience the nearby memorial gardens, and to set down lines of haiku in response to the environs.

Paperbark Group Spring/Kambarang Ginko report

Eight poets joined the spring ginko on 8th October 2025 in Kings Park, on a lovely sunny although chilly day. At the height of spring the park was laden with flowers. Armed with a description of the two indigenous spring seasons, and the relevance of the colour yellow, we learned we are experiencing the Noongar season of kambarang.

Paperbark Haiku Winter Ginko

Report by Ruari Jack Hughes

A very enthusiastic group of eleven met in the alfresco area of the Art Gallery of WA cafe on a cold Perth morning but fortunately there was little rain. The discussion was led by Rose van Son on Wednesday 20th August.

WA Paperbark celebrates World Haiku Day 17th April 2025

Realising World Haiku Day was suddenly upon us, an event was organised to celebrate. A group of thirteen interested haiku writers gathered at the Maylands Library, Western Australia, and presented three of their favourite haiku and an explanation why the haiku were loved. Discussions followed.

WA Poets’ Summer Ginko Paperbark Haiku Gathering

On Wednesday, 19 February, eight poetically minded people met at the WA Museum, Boola Bardip, in Perth. Sitting between the original heritage building and the new glass addition of the museum, we enjoyed a morning of haiku.
Led by Coral Carter and Rose van Son, we began by considering the idea of the ‘pause’ as a moment to stop and observe and then make that observation concrete in words. It was a beautiful, not too hot, morning and after a bit of discussion and some readings, we separately went in search of haiku.
The eight were Rose van Son, Coral Carter, Pat Johnson, Rita Tognini, Madeleine Tingey, Neil Pattinson, Ruari Jack Hughes, and Gary De Piazzi.

Paperbark Haiku Spring Ginko

The Spring ginko, organised by Paperbark Haiku, was held on 15th October 2024, with a return visit to the Botanic Gardens at Kings Park in Perth. It was a glorious day, the weather sunny and warm, the views over Perth waters and the high rise of the city making a spectacular backdrop. It was a perfect setting for discussing and writing haiku. The Spring flowers, the towering trees and the memorials of Remembrance all gave the poets plenty of opportunity for inspiration.

Paperbark Group Spring Ginko on 25 October, Kings Park

Join Paperbark Group’s Spring Ginko on 25th October from 10am in Kings Park, Perth. Meet at the Botanical Cafe, 60 Fraser Avenue.
Contact Coral Carter at junkmailpoet @ gmail.com.