Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology

Sydney Anthology Launch 14th April 2024 by Vanessa Proctor

colleen General, Poetry , , , , ,

Sydney Anthology Launch 14th April 2024

On a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon 25 haiku poets and poetry lovers met in the Gallery, a heritage room in the Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre to celebrate the Sydney launch of under the same moon: Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology (Forty South, 2023).

Poets travelled from all over Sydney and from as far afield as the Central Coast, Bathurst, Canberra and Coffs Harbour to attend the event.

Vanessa Proctor acted as the MC, introducing the incoming president of the Australian Haiku Society, Leanne Mumford, to speak about haiku and the AHS. Three AHS presidents were present, one current and two past presidents: Vanessa Proctor and Beverley George. Lyn Reeves, who has recently retired from her role as Vice President after 24 years service to the AHS, was recognised for her tireless work for the Society and for Australian haiku.

L to R, top row: Leanne Mumford, David George, Laurel Astle, Rohan Buettel, Beverley George, Vanessa Proctor
L to R, bottom row: Colleen Keating, Carol Reynolds, Barbara Fisher, Margaret Mahony, Kent Robinson, Jane Gibian

Vanessa Proctor then spoke about the editorial process with co-editors Lyn Reeves and Rob Scott, the aims for the anthology and the process of selecting the haiku. She examined how the strength of this anthology lies in the quality of its work and the way in which it offers a distinctly Australian view of the world.

As the anthology is dedicated to John Bird and Beverley George, Beverley began the readings with Max Ryan’s haiku in tribute to AHS founder John Bird. David George then read Gregory Piko’s haiku celebrating Beverley’s contribution to Australian haiku.

Contributors went on to read their featured haiku and those of poets who were not able to attend.

All present celebrated the occasion with food and wine and enjoyed the views from the balcony of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Books were bought; old connections between poets were rekindled and new connections made. Plans were set in motion for future gatherings of NSW haiku poets.

Vanessa Proctor
All photos courtesy of Gavin Austin

A great write up by Vanessa and I just want to add I was proud to read my  three published  haiku and I enjoyed the beautiful venue of the neighbourhood centre. From the old  laced wrought iron verandra we had views of the Opera House  and the Harbour bridge. as we sipped our red wine (well some of us ) and we discussed poetry and friendship..

And we connected with old friendships once again

 

Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology: under the same moon edited by Lyn Reeves, Vanessa Proctor Rob Scott

colleen Poetry , , , , , ,

Today it is exciting to receive this equisite Haiku Anthology, under the same moon  and so proud to  have  three of my hailu included with many well known haikuists.  

‘Alive with birds and frogs, suffused with the threat of bushfires and floods, these haiku sing with the uniqueness of Australian life. The skill on show is breathtaking , as distinctive individul voices lay bare moments of joy, loss, awareness and connection to inner and outer landscapes. ” Esther Ottaway

 

Colleen Keating   I am excited to have three of my awarded haiku over the past few years published .

on my doorstep
a single rose softens
lockdown

birds and frogs
harmonise at dawn
Kakadu billabong

spring backburn
smells of last summer
waft on the wind

In the blurb on the back cover the well known poet Kevin Brophy writes:  “And just as the butterfly puts so much effort into being light, you’ll wonder, does  the haiku compress or expand the world ?. Does it vanish into its possible meanings or is each haiku, like autumn leaves, competing to be the most strangely beauitful object on the forest floor? “An amazing analogy,  And amazing  how 17 syllables or in the Japanese way 17 beats of sound  can  tell us a cosmic story from the minute nano size story to the universe expanding vision.

An example  of this is from Dr Andrew Hede . His haiku  expresses  the grandness of the moment of experience  ‘virgin forest’  to  the humble minuteness  by  the age read in the time line of growth.
It speaks of the loss of our virgin forests which are disappearing and the reality of the time to grow and the moment of cutting down it with the fresh-cut stump,

virgin rainforest
ninety-four rings
on a fresh-cut stump

Andrew Hede  Page 44.

Below is the back cover with the blurb I qouted from and my page of haiku.

Thank you to the editors for  the new Anthology  for its  beautiful sensitive  presentation and choice of haiku.

 

 

 

Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology edited by Lyn Reeves

colleen Poetry , ,

 

Exciting to have some of my haiku accepted for the Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology. Thank you to Andrew Hede who encouraged me to submit. It was worthwhile.

Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology

edited Lyn Reeves

Colleen Keating

 

on my doorstop
a single rose softens
lockdown

 

birds and frogs
harmonise at dawn
Kakadu billabong

 

spring backburn
smells of last summer
waft on the wind                                                       

 

 

_____________________________________________________________

Colleen Keating

‘on my doorstop’ Windfall: Australian Haiku 10, 2022

‘birds and frogs’ Echidna Tracks: Australian Haiku 2, 2018/19