A warm, calm morning greeted the gathering of our White Pebbles haiku poets for our autumn ginko on Saturday 9th March 2024. It was an Indian Summer day. The heady air of gardenias was coloured by a shimmer of dragonflies fussing over the lotus pond with its rush of cascading water. Added to this was chatter and laughter of children. Ducks and koi roiled with enthusiasm as many little fingers dropped pellets of food into the pond from the viewing platform.
Present at our regular venue, Gosford/Edogawa Japanese Gardens and Regional Gallery, were Beverley George, Gwen Bitti, Maire Glacken, Marilyn Humbert, Colleen Keating, Kent Robinson, and Michael Thorley. Apologies had been received from Samantha Sirimanne Hyde and Pip Griffin
In the weeks prior to our meeting, Beverley, our convener, had emailed a worksheet to use as guidance for reflection and sharing. After gathering for catchup and coffee, we set out at 10.30 a.m. on our ginko walk and gathered at 11 a. m. for our workshop. We began by sharing haiku we had written about white pebbles, then our haiku on the word ‘pathway’.
Next we were asked to ponder the Japanese concept of ma, the contained distance and space between objects. We learnt it also refers to time: the intervals between action and event, between sound and silence. We were encouraged to look into the spaces; observe the small things. It was interesting to workshop this idea and listen to the varied responses, including some haiku ready or nearly ready for publishing.
We proudly read our contributions published in Echidna Tracks, and other haiku published elsewhere. Finally we each shared a haiku written by one of the Japanese Masters that we had brought along. A few were able to stay on for lunch at this lovely venue.
Colleen Keating
Member of White Pebbles Haiku Group
Due to unforeseen circumstances, with weather threatening safe travel, the White Pebbles summer meeting scheduled for December 9th was deferred to January 13th.
Six of our members were present and we were joined by welcome guest, Pip Griffin. Michael Thorley and Samantha Hyde were unable to attend this time and they were missed.
We gathered at 10 a.m. for a catch-up and refreshing cuppa, before setting off on our silent ginko around the garden, looking appreciatively at wider landscapes and into small spaces, listening to natural sounds, sniffing the perfumes of leaves and blossom and alert to the shifting patterns of shadows and reflections.
At 11 a.m. we gathered at an oval table in a quiet room we hire at each meeting for workshopping.
Each member had heeded the suggested worksheet distributed in advance of the meeting, and shared haiku they brought with them relevant to that, in addition to those jotted on the ginko. As always, the sharing of haiku and respect for each other’s work was paramount to the enjoyment of the day and we look forward to our autumn meeting in the gardens.
left to right: Pip Griffin, Gwen Bitti, Marilyn Humbert, Colleen Keating, Kent Robinson, Beverley George, Maire Glacken
White Pebbles Spring Meeting and Ginko 2023
White Pebbles haiku poets gathered at the Edogawa Gardens at the Gosford Regional Gallery and Arts Centre on Saturday morning, 16th September, 2023. Present were Maire Glacken, Marilyn Humbert, Gwen Bitti, Colleen Keating, Beverley George and Kent Robinson, with apologies received from Samantha Sirimanne Hyde and Michael Thorley.
A glorious spring day greeted us. Ducks and koi carp shared the pond and water features of the gardens. As they fed the ducks, children’s laughter echoed among the beautifully manicured flora. Spring blooms of every hue brightened the walkways.
We met in the Gallery’s cafe for a catch-up before a stroll through the gardens. Over coffee, Marilyn Humbert, advised us that, in order to refine our sense of observation as we strolled, we look into the small spaces – distill whatever we saw, and trust ourselves and our senses as we composed our haiku. We strolled the garden, feeling the warmth of the spring sunshine on our faces. The scent of blooms bursting all about and the joy of being immersed in birdsong were intoxicating.
Now it was time for a round table meeting in the niche beneath the art gallery. At the beginning of the meeting our dear friend and valued member of White Pebbles, Gail Hennessy, who sadly recently passed, was remembered fondly. The round table about which we gather is extremely significant to our group. Around it we may share ideas and each single poet is as one with all others. How fortunate we feel, that White Pebbles is such a mutually supportive group!
Beverley George distributed for purchase “under the same moon”, the Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology, in which several White Pebbles members have haiku. (Many thanks to Vanessa Proctor for furnishing Beverley with copies of this fine anthology in advance of our meeting.)
Echidna Tracks 11 was spoken of, with congratulations to all White Pebbles poets who feature therein.
We then moved on to the business of the day. Beverley had asked that we each bring a haiku that had inspired us in the early days of our haiku journey, as well as one of our own that we had composed in those early days. Matsuo Basho featured strongly as an early influence to many.
Next, we considered the haiku and images that had been gathered on the garden walk earlier. This proved an extremely productive exercise. Beverley presented some haiku that Michael Thorley had sent in. Thank you, Michael. Your sensitive haiku were a fine addition to our meeting and very much appreciated by all.
Marilyn Humbert had prepared a presentation entitled “The Art of Discovery”. She advised us in composing haiku to observe light and shade at different times throughout the day, different seasons, different weather conditions, different sounds and different moods. And to be aware of the ephemeral things – feathers, stones, bird calls, the shapes of twigs and leaves, tree trunks and bark, rough and smooth. To trust our senses. Helpfully, Marilyn supplied a number of examples of haiku written from different points of view. Many thanks to Marilyn for a most informative and thought provoking presentation.
At this point, towards the end of our meeting, we acknowledged our members who have recently had books published.
* Gwen Bitti has had a novel entitled “Between Two Worlds” published by Ginninderra Press. Gwen spoke of the writing of “Between Two Worlds” and furnished each White Pebble poet with a sachet of fragrant herbs, a snippet of silk and one of hessian to enhance sensory perception, as she spoke.
* Colleen Keating’s carefully researched book, “The Dinner Party” was also published by Ginninderra Press and we enjoyed hearing about it.
* And we recalled that only recently, in 2022, Samantha Sirimanne Hyde’s book “The Lyrebird’s Cry” was published.
Congratulations All!
This concluded the White Pebbles Spring meeting 2023. The general sentiment was all are looking forward to our summer ginko.
Kent Robinson
Back, L to R: Colleen, Kent; Front, L to R: Beverley, Maire, Gwen, Marilyn
As soon as we met up for this meeting we knew it was going to be a very special one indeed. The sun was gently shining and all the diverse shades of green in the garden were sparkling. Soon we were off for our ginko and silent jotting. Smiles across the ponds and along the pathways.
At 11 o’clock we gathered at the round table in the downstairs room we hire, which has glass doors that overview a quiet end of the garden. We were very sorry that two of our regular members, Samantha Hyde and Maire Glacken, were unable to attend this time, but were pleased to greet two visitors, Meredith Ferris and Frances Carleton, and our guest presenter, Carole Harrison, each of whom joined in congenially with our group and enhanced the day. Carole was one of the organisers and presenters of ‘Haiku Down Under’ on-line conference October 7-9 2022 and editor and cover-illustrator of ‘Poetry From The Edge’ the conference anthology. Members present at our meeting were Marilyn Humbert, Kent Robinson, Gwen Bitti, Colleen Keating, Verna Rieschild, Michael Thorley and Beverley George.
We shared a haiku we had each brought with us and one we had jotted on our ginko. Then it was time for our main session led by Carole Harrison, who had kindly journeyed up from Jamberoo, as she did for a Bowerbird tanka group meeting in the Pearl Beach Arboretum last year. Her presentation was to show us how we might write haiku on stones, some of which were partly painted, others left plain. To this end Carole brought with her the stones we would use and Kent brought some dark river stones he had gathered for the purpose. Carole also brought the writing implements we needed and we wrote on two stones each – a lovely way in which to further share and enjoy haiku. It was relevant to add a simple drawing such as a leaf or feather to some of the haiku.
Kent Robinson had prepared and distributed an article about writing rengay and spoke briefly about this interesting genre. His thoughts were helpful and appreciated.
At 12:30 our meeting ended and it was up to each person whether to share lunch, journey home or enjoy the Art Gallery, or another garden stroll. This is an aspect of our meeting location that works well for everyone, especially those who have travelled long distances to be there.
seated left to right: Colleen Keating, Michael Thorley, Marilyn Humbert, Carole Harrison, Frances Carleton
standing left to right: Kent Robinson, Meredith Ferris, Beverley George, Gwen Bitti, Verna Rieschild
I am looking forward already to our winter meeting in June.
Beverley George
Convenor
White Pebbles Haiku Group
spring fever
paths for us to walk
bridges to cross
tinkling of water
from the bamboo pipe
magpie singing
white azaleas
bees bow to new buds
a buddha listens
sound of birds
warm sun on my back
azaleas blooming
teal ducks
float on pink azalea’s
reflection
magpies carolling
myriad of colours
nesting time
Saturday 10 September 2022
Thanks to White Pebbler, Gwen Bitti, for recording our Spring Ginko.
White Pebbles spring meeting was once again held at the Edogawa Commemorative Japanese Gardens and Regional Gallery, West Gosford. Present were Beverley George (convenor), Marilyn Humbert, Kent Robinson, Michael Thorley, Colleen Keating, Verna Rieschild and Gwen Bitti. First order of business, a casual catch-up over a hot beverage.
In sunshine and birdsong, surrounded by fragrant azaleas in all shades of pink, we headed off on our ginko. Each member decided on their own direction in which to muse — across an ornamental bridge to a roofed Japanese pavilion that overlooks a koi pond; along a paved pathway to sit under a budding wisteria vine; or down a gravel trail that runs alongside a dry-stone beach. Remaining in ikigai, each one composed a three or five haiku sequence.
A half hour later, we assembled at our indoor round table. In the weeks prior to our meeting, Beverley had sent out a worksheet. She requested that we complete a sequence of three haiku, on a topic of own choice, based on something we were experiencing, seeing or hearing in the now. Absent member, Samantha Sirimanne Hyde had sent in work. Beverley read it aloud and invited members to comment. Remarks were recorded and would be forwarded to Sam. Following that, we shared and workshopped delightful, creative and diverse sequences crafted during our ginko, and also the ones that we had completed at home.
Deb Robinson, our kind and regular photographer, was on hand as usual to capture the moment.
From left: Michael Thorley, Marilyn Humbert, Beverley George,
Kent Robinson, Gwen Bitti, Verna Rieschild, Collen Keating
Our next ginko is scheduled for summer, and regardless of how the weather chooses to present then, we will be there to enjoy nature.
On our arrival for catch-up and coffee we were slightly daunted by a brief downpour. This obligingly ceased precisely at our regular ginko set-off time of 10:30. The glossy leaves of cloud-shaped bushes, neatly trimmed, glistened with small raindrops; and white crocuses lined one edge of the pathway. Jotting and silence prevailed, apart from waterfall tumble and the voice of a very young child telling her mother how much she loved the word ‘igneous’, her favourite type of rock.
left to right: Colleen Keating, Gail Hennessy, Beverley George, Kent Robinson, Marilyn Humbert, Gwen Bitti
Photograph courtesy of Deb Robinson
Our guideline for the ginko was to write two haiku, or ideas for them, one based on something we saw that intrigued us with its colour and a second based on sound. Then to draft a haibun, or possibilities for one.
Ginko concluded, we met up at the round table, delighted to be together in the same space. We shared recently published haiku and the two new ones we had penned on colour and sound. Then it was time to explore the haibun genre.
Marilyn Humbert, who had provided haibun guidelines by email well prior to our meeting, and who was the recent guest editor of the online publication Drifting Sands Haibun – a journal of Haibun and Tanka Prose” Issue 7 2021, led the workshop. Marilyn guided and encouraged the sharing of haibun contributed by those present, and one sent by a valued member unable to attend on the day. Appreciative comments have arrived since from everyone!
At lunch we enjoyed the additional company of three spouses before exploring the Regional Gallery’s exhibitions of stunning photographs of Antarctica, and, by contrast, an intriguing and diverse display of birds’ nests.
White Pebbles’ members uncomplainingly drive from beyond the Central Coast to be present (e.g. Bathurst, Newcastle and Sydney) and are rewarded by the enriching experience the venue offers: a well-maintained and authentic Japanese garden; an expertly curated art gallery, a café with indoor and outdoor seating; and an imaginatively stocked gift shop run by helpful volunteers. So whatever the weather it is a satisfying venue at which to share haiku and good company. Smiles all round.
Beverley George
Convenor
White Pebbles Haiku Group
