International Haiku Poetry Day – Haiku String

Today, 17th April 2020, we are celebrating International Haiku Poetry Day by holding a String on the theme of ‘Solitude’. By sharing our haiku we can connect with each other, even in these days of social distancing, self-isolation and working and studying from home.

So that international poets may take part, the String will remain open until Sunday,19th AEST.

AHS invites you to share with us your original, previously unpublished haiku or senryu on the theme of Solitude.  We invite you to explore a multiplicity of ideas on this theme without necessarily using the word ‘solitude’.

The haiku should be linked by the subject of Solitude. It is not necessary for each haiku to relate to the one before it. Continue reading “International Haiku Poetry Day – Haiku String”

Haiku @ The Oaks, Canberra

Tuesday 14 April 2020

These days one never knows what to expect! The year began with our diaries marking the second Tuesday of each month for Haiku @ The Oaks. Thus, in February and again in March, we enjoyed our usual camaraderie around an old wooden table beneath the trees. Admittedly, in March we exchanged elbow bumps instead of our usual hugs. Far from usual was the growing health uncertainty.

Today the Oaks Brasserie lies silent behind its closed doors. Stay-at-home is the order of the day. How quickly it all came about! We can only dream of the second Tuesday of some future month when again we shall celebrate haiku around a table at The Oaks.

Meanwhile, April was an experiment . . .

Continue reading “Haiku @ The Oaks, Canberra”

NZPS Competition Open for Entries

The New Zealand Poetry Society Competition for 2020 is now open for entries!

Our competition is open to all members and non-members, worldwide, with members receiving an entry fee discount.

There are cash prizes to be won in each category, and all entries are eligible to be published in our anthology. Our annual anthology includes all placed and commended poems, as well as a selection of other favourite poems from the competition.

Poets can enter one of these four sections:
* Open verse for adults (18 years and over)
* Open verse for juniors (17 years or younger)
* Haiku for adults (18 years and over)
* Haiku for juniors (17 years or younger)

Continue reading “NZPS Competition Open for Entries”

Celebrate International Haiku Day 17th April, 2020. Advance Notice.

The Australian Haiku Society encourages haiku poets to take part in activities to celebrate International Haiku Poetry Day. As the current situation we find ourselves in means we cannot gather for readings or other haiku events, we will be holding a Haiku String. We welcome haiku poets worldwide to contribute to the String, on the theme of Solitude.

The String will open on Friday 17th April in the Southern Hemisphere and remain open for contributions until Sunday 19th April to accommodate international poets who may wish to take part. Contributions may be made on the website during these dates (not before).

Fringe Myrtles Meeting Report

The Fringe Myrtles is a new haiku group in Melbourne which had its most recent meeting online due to the social distancing regulations associated with the Coronavirus. The theme of the meeting was to write haiku about the impact of Covid-19. And seeing as it was the first Zoom meeting for so many of us, it went as well as could be expected!

Group member Myron Lysenko commented, “It was wonderful to hear and see everybody read out their haiku. So many of our haiku had a focus on what is missing now.” All of the haiku shared with the group touched on this sense of loss – of what life was like before the virus. One member, Robbie Cairns, submitted a haibun which captured the mood of the current circumstances.

Continue reading “Fringe Myrtles Meeting Report”

Vale Stuart Quine, 1962-2020

Sad news has been received that Stuart Quine, the English haiku poet, died on March 24 from the Covid-19 virus. A former associate editor of Presence haiku journal (he rejoined for a time after the unexpected death of his friend Martin Lucas), Stuart had one of his poems added to the Katikati Haiku Pathway collection last year and kindly agreed to having the one-liner engraved as three lines to fit the boulder. Stuart and Martin attended the 2009 Haiku Pacific Rim conference in Terrigal, NSW, Australia. Continue reading “Vale Stuart Quine, 1962-2020”

Bombora Autumn Virtual Meeting

What a unique but sad time to be writing a report for the Bombora Haiku Group. My husband and I began to self-isolate on March 11th, and my mind began working on ways to lead our group online. I think Covid-19 will show many of us just how resilient and inventive we can be. With advice from the younger generation, I downloaded the app, Zoom, and four of us held a short shaky meeting on Tuesday March 31st . We agreed to weekly catch up meetings each Tuesday thereafter. If all goes well, there will be six or seven of us for the next meeting. Also, we may be able to include Ulla currently in Spain by planning an evening meeting.

Continue reading “Bombora Autumn Virtual Meeting”