Queens Gardens Ginko: WA Poetry Festival

It’s been a gloriously hectic few days of poetry over in the city of Perth. The WA Poetry Festival has been quietly taking over venues all around the city, and one such venue was Queens Gardens. Yesterday, I was joined by a small group of haiku enthusiasts, and together we gave ourselves over to the beauty of the gardens. This morning, I am off to run a haiku workshop, but before I go, here are three haiku that Rose van Son, Meryl Manoy, Gary De Piazzi and I wrote collaboratively as part of the ginko.

creeper climbs
the space between
bird and watcher

*

tip of the jacaranda surrounded by concrete

*

flame tree
I look on
my reflection

 

Haiku in Translation

Got some exciting news today that a second haiku has been published in translation (in Chinese) at NeverEnding Story, by poet, publisher and translator, Chen-ou Liu. To know that this poem will be read in more than one language is a great honour. Here is a link to read the poem and the translations (yes, there are two).

And as you may know, it is a tradition of mine that with every haiku published, I compose a new one to celebrate. This one is fresh from rolling around my head …

stone buddha
the thought of myself
at peace

Winter Ginko: City Botanic Gardens (part ii)

As we head into the weekend, it’s the perfect time to slip into that haiku headspace… here’s a few poems from John Wainwright, Tamara Fletcher and Jonathan Hadwen to help you on your way.

*****

44th k.
the iPod has no song
for this

*

suburb of sailboats
neighbours
compare masts

Jonathan Hadwen

[photograph by Andrew Phillips]

length of her pink tongue
a standard measure of happiness

*

magenta t-shirt
a Sunday caricature
of himself

Tamara Fletcher

[photograph by John Wainwright]

one curlew
alone
the widow learns to walk again

*

bird of paradise bows to the noisy mynah

John Wainwright

Winter Ginko: City Botanic Gardens

The sun was blazingly beautiful again today, and my head was still swimming with haiku thanks to yesterday’s ginko. I am excited to post these poems from four of the poets who joined me on the day, and later in the week, I will post poems from the three remaining poets. It’s always a thrill to see so many fine poems written into being…

*****

masts swing –
hundreds of joggers
up the tempo

*

muddy hull takes the river to the sea

mr oCean

[photograph by Andy Smerdon]

sunday shadows
a soldier bird
breaks bread

*

through the fence
a chinese boy tries speaking duck

Andrew Phillips

 

[photograph by Andy Smerdon]

august wind
tight strings resonate
a winter song

*

blue feathers and orange beak
a subtle enquiry

Andy Smerdon

[photograph by Andy Smerdon]

light and shade on the duck pond       passing

*

partitioned park seats
for the homeless
no sleep

Trish Reid

winter sun: a haiku sequence

This morning, while thousands pounded the pathways of the City Botanic Gardens as part of the Brisbane Marathon, eight of us walked, sat and opened our minds to the lush green landscape, the chorus of birds, the emptiness of sky. This was the third in the QPF ginko series, and while it was officially the ‘winter ginko’, the sun had a sneaky bite to it. I will be posting a handful of poems from the eight poets who joined me this week, but for now, here’s a handful of poems I collected today.

winter sun
the ball in
the collie’s eyes

*

shooing the ibis
she lets the toddler
cry

*

V of gulls
in love with the shape
of the river

*

finish line
the marathon runner drags
his shadow

*

crows
in the bamboo grove
the wind rattles on

Walking the Wetlands

Sunday was a glorious day for a ginko (haiku walk) and the Boondall Wetlands are a truly beautiful place to let yourself sink into a haiku headspace. I will be posting more about the ginko in the next few days, along with poems from the group, but for now, here’s a few poems composed while walking the wetlands.

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

*

river mud
I look into
my future

*

clouds pass
flashing the salt bush
back to red

*

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

*

off the track
a new track
of trampled vines

*

autumn wind
the kite I cannot see
whistles

Autumn Ginko at Boondall Wetlands

Tomorrow, I will be will be trekking around the gorgeous Boondall Wetlands with ten other haiku enthusiasts on our autumn ginko.

If the weather stays like it is today – early 20’s and endless blue – it is going to be beautiful to be near the water in a haiku state of mind. Here’s one that I have been rolling around in my head this morning…

*

autumn light
promise we’ll see
each other again

zen garden
a wasp flies out
of Buddha’s nose

World Haiku Anthology: A Vast Sky

On Friday night I received news that two of my haiku will be published in the new World Haiku Anthology: A Vast Sky. This follows acceptances in nothing in the window (Red Moon Anthology of English Language Haiku 2012) and Haiku in English: The First Hundred Years, making the past 6-months very successful.

Now, the only way to celebrate is with a new haiku (part vii in the Toddle series)…

*

my son’s voice
breaking the spine
of his book

Snake Weather: A Summer Renga (part iv)

Snake Weather has stretched its full length… it was a wonderful experience working with such a diversity of voices and watching how each poet shifted the energy of the poem. It is a renga that I feel deserves repeated reads, so I have included the links to parts i, ii and iii here so that you can take it all in. There is much to enjoy!

Snake Weather (part i)
Snake Weather (part ii)
Snake Weather (part iii)

Snake Weather
A Summer Kasen Renga
Started: February 10, 2013 – Finished: April 14, 2013

Written by / between:
David S, Andy S, Cindy K, Katherine B, Chris L, Trish R, John W, Helen R, Andrew P

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

*

gloves no longer needed
fingertips   cigarettes   pink

DS

*

Easter moon
in one hand
a beer and a crucifix

AS

*

raking red ficus berries
she considers a change in lipstick

CK

*

cold wind
not noticing
her silences

GN

*

inside the cavern
our eyes adjust

CL

*

wooden beat
of her walking stick
missing

TR

*

at High Copse the robin left him
cutting an ash sapling

JW

*

A quick shower
cherry blossom petals
carpet the sidewalk

HR

*

both of them arrive late
to the opening matinée

AP