December 2021
What a delight it was to meet up with fellow members for our summer meeting at our regular venue, the Gosford/Edogawa Commemorative Gardens and Regional Gallery. Regrettably, and for understood and respected reasons, several of our members were unable to attend and they were missed. Present were Kent Robinson, Samantha Hyde, Gwen Bitti, Verna Rieschild and Beverley George. A welcome guest was poet Michael Thorley.
Tuesday,14 December 2021
The end of the year already, and what a year! Despite all, it was such joy to welcome each other again as we gathered beneath the bird-squawking trees at The Oaks–Hazel Hall, Marietta McGregor, Gregory Piko, Glenys Ferguson, and Jan Dobb. We missed Kathy Kituai who could not be with us but who was much in our thoughts.
During our relaxed conversations of haiku and life, which seemed appropriate for an end-of-year gathering, little gifts and greetings were exchanged across the table to express our appreciation of the bonding we’ve come to experience. Friendship in haiku is certainly something special.
Then came the big highlight of the day!
Illawong Haiku Group held their Christmas gathering on Wednesday 8th December at the home of member, Alison Miller. Along the streetscape her house was not dissimilar to neighbouring homes until you walked through the gate. Aside from two small grassed areas in the front and backyard it was like entering a botanical oasis in suburbia. An abundance of colour, shapes and textures.
Dr Jacqui Murray: Patron of the Australian Haiku Society, spent many years running the JAL Children’s Haiku Contests in Australia, thus forging a generation of enthusiastic and talented haiku poets.
Alongside her many achievements in the promotion of haiku in this country and overseas she also co-edited The Third Australian Haiku Anthology (paperwasp:2011) and the anthology still heading out: an anthology of Australian and New Zealand haiku, two remarkable collections amongst others that she was instrumental in producing.
Kissing a Ghost – The Anthology of the NZPS 2021 Competition is now available for order.
A $10 NZ discount is available for members of the New Zealand Poetry Society and if you order more than one copy then shipping is free ❤ (make sure you read the promo codes in the description to find the one that applies to you)
Contact info@poetrysociety.org.nz if you need assistance.
Australian Haiku Society 