Haiku @ The Oaks, Canberra

Tuesday 8 February 2022

Filtered sunshine and leafy shadows—a perfect summer day at The Oaks as we began another year of haiku together. How good to be back again—Hazel Hall, Gregory Piko, Marietta McGregor, Glenys Ferguson, and Jan Dobb. Again though, we missed Kathy Kituai and our fond thoughts were with her.

Hazel arrived with extra copies of our recently published anthology The Ink Sinks Deeper and Marietta took several of these to post off to potential reviewers. As Hazel responded to questions about the Picaro Poets imprint of Ginninderra Press, she encouraged our publishing of personal chapbooks. Meanwhile, we have been delighted with Greg’s review of the Oaks anthology on his website      

As another year gets under way, Jan checked on people’s views about our gatherings. Any suggestions? Changes? Preferences? The consensus was to continue as is, enjoying the spontaneity and stimulation of each other’s company and input, and of not being bound by homework or obligatory expectations. All except Marietta—who admitted that she rather likes a bit of homework. With that, she was encouraged to undertake her own and to bring us the results. So that’s exactly what she did—immediately!

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AHS Position Available – Secretary

Dear AHS members,

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the AHS Committee in the role of Secretary. After many years of excellent service to the AHS, current secretary, Simon Hanson, has decided to step away to devote more time and energy to personal interests including writing. The committee is indebted to Simon for his dedication and wise counsel over a long period of time and wish him the very best for his future endeavours.

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Haiku Down Under

G’day, kia ora and hello,

poetry from the edge

Being held via Zoom from October 7-9, 2022, this new initiative to connect writers from New Zealand, Australia and beyond will use workshops, prompted writing sessions and presentations to celebrate our seasons, people, landscapes and seascapes, vernacular language, and flora and fauna.

Organisers: Leanne Mumford and Carole Harrison (Australia); Sandra Simpson, Sue Courtney and Sherry Grant (New Zealand).

We are pleased to announce that we are ready to receive proposals for presentations and workshops at Haiku Down Under, taking place online from October 7-9, 2022. All the information you require (we hope) is on the Proposals page on our website.

While we are keen to have proposals from people living in New Zealand and Australia, or from Kiwis and Australians living outside their countries of birth, we would also be delighted to receive proposals from people living in other parts of the world. We want to deliver the best ‘learning-gathering’ we can.
And although haiku is our main focus, we are open to proposals focusing on senryu, linked verse, haibun, haiga, tanka, tanka prose, etc.

The deadline for making a proposal is 5pm (your time) on March 31.

Please get in touch if you have any questions.
Leanne Mumford
on behalf of the Haiku Down Under team

Portarlington Haiku Society

Exciting news! A new regional haiku group has started up in Victoria by Jenny Macaulay. You can read her profile by scrolling down the Haiku Group Leaders page on the AHS website here. The group began among friends in October 2021, with eight members currently and room for others who may like to join along the way. The group are running their own kukai and producing a newsletter – Wingspan.

We look forward to hearing more of their progress and to sharing the journey.