Best poems in Shamrock Journal for 2013

Congratulations to Lorin Ford and Dawn Bruce for being selected by readers and contributors as having the best haiku and best senryu respectively in the Shamrock Haiku Journal during 2013. In addition, the two runners-up in the senryu category were also by Australian poets: Lorin Ford and Duncan Richardson. As the current issue of Shamrock includes haiku and senryu by Jan Dobb, Gavin Austin, Samantha Sirimanne Hyde and Simon Hanson, there may well be further recognition of Australian writers during 2014!

You can read the details in the online haiku journal, Shamrock:

http://shamrockhaiku.webs.com/currentissue.htm

Ron Moss: sumi-e haiga video on THF

Many will be familiar with Ron Moss’s highly-acclaimed sumi-e approach to haiga from the haiku and tanka pages of A Hundred Gourds.

A beautiful video demonstration of Ron creating a haiga is featured at The Haiku Foundation, as part of its 5th anniversary celebrations:

http://www.thehaikufoundation.org/2014/01/06/the-haiku-foundation-celebrates-its-fifth-anniversary/

Something for Australians to be proud of and the world to enjoy! Thank you, Ron, for all you do for Australian haiku & related forms . . . a true ambassador.

Lorin Ford – Haiku Editor, Managing Editor
ahundredgourds

Cloudcatchers’ Ginko No. 32 (summer)

Bulwinkel Park, Alstonville NSW

Date: Thursday 30 January 2014

Bulwinkel Park, named after an early settler, is cradled between the old highway to Lismore and the suburban sprawl of Alstonville. Here there is a gentle creek, well-known as being the site of numerous platypus sightings, even to this day.

One of our number had the thrill of such a glimpse for three minutes, until a wee head appeared and the dark form beneath the creek waters was seen to belong to a turtle. An eel was recorded in a haiku also, as were numerous birds, a wabi/sabi old barbeque, and various species of flora. Eight poets gathered to welcome into their midst the president of the Australian Haiku Society and her husband, Cynthia and Bruce Rowe, both of whom participated in the ginko, and went on to join us for lunch and in the subsequent email Round Robin. Such a pleasant day! The autumn ginko will be held on Thursday 10 April, at a site in Ballina to be confirmed.

Quendryth Young

The Haiku Foundation Interviews: Beverley George

Jim Kacian interviewed Australian haiku and tanka poet, Beverley George, at Haiku Aotearoa 3 which was held in New Zealand during 2012. The video of the interview went up on The Haiku Foundation web-site on November 22nd, 2013 and can be viewed at:

paper wasp 20th anniversary

In 2014 paper wasp is celebrating its 20th birthday, making it the longest running Australian journal dedicated to haiku and its related forms still in print. The journal was founded in 1994 by Jacqui Murray, John Knight and Ross Clark. The team was later strengthened by the legendary Janice M Bostok and, a short time later, by Katherine Samuelowicz.

paper wasp will mark this very special year with four unique issues. Two will take both paper wasp and haiku in new directions. For that reason, acceptance of broad-spectrum submissions is temporarily suspended.

Poets will, however, be given plenty of opportunities to spread their wings. The June issue will be dedicated to contemporary and experimental haiku, the September issue to senryu and, December to haiku with an Australian flavour/theme – for which overseas contributions are very welcome. Submission dates are May 1, August 1 and November 1. The March issue will be a nostalgic look back at haiku from paper wasp’s early issues.

Mail: paper wasp, 14 Fig Tree Pocket Rd, Chapel Hill, Qld 4069, Australia