From our walk along Tuggerah Lake .
O no the full winter moon is not clear in the photo . I will try it again later. It is above Michael’s raised arms.
From my walk around the block .
winter
White Pebbles Haiku Group – Winter
White Pebbles
Convenor: Beverley George
In the winter poem many of us are familiar with, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening , the poet stops on the darkest evening of the year, ‘to watch his woods fill up with snow’. Like the poet, Robert Front, the White Pebbles Haiku Group stopped to watch the winter scene unfolding at the Gosford /Edogawa Japanese Gardens on the Central Coast this past Saturday 15th June just a week out from the dark and shortest day of the year (Winter Solticies this year June 20/21st )
We all look forward to our meetings and our winter ‘stopping’ was no exception.
This is our second winter walk together. ; with Beverley George our leader, present were Verna Rieschild, Marilyn Humbert, Maire Glacken. Samantha Hyde, Colleen Keating with a heart-felt apologies from Gail Hennessy and Kent Robinson.
We began our morning with a welcome coffee and catch-up in the cafe sharing some newly published work and thoughts from our ‘homework,’ – a handout that Beverley emailed earlier to help us prepare.
We spent about forty minutes contemplatively moving around the garden, walking, sitting, pondering, jotting down thoughts and ideas for haiku writing; Today the cheeky plowers were busy, their call ringing out continuously. Lingering leaves from the maple trees were drifting down many children were feeding the the koi , ducks were active catching most of the food and the light playful nature of the children reminded us winter is only a season not an age.
Some of the group sat in the open tea room overlooking the white pebble beach, Some took advantage of sitting in the winter sun under the climbing wisteria.
After our ginko (season walk) we are privileged, each visit to enjoy a quiet working space in the Art Gallery and we gathered at the round table to share our writing and work sheets.
Beverley introduced the group to Haiga inspiring us with her beautiful greeting cards. We had all done our homework which was to bring a winter scene and our haiku to go with it and at our sharing time it was enlightening to discuss our work . Next meeting we will continue to work with more haiga.
We marvelled at the rich and varied takings from our winter observations. We are encouraged and affirmed by our sharing. We left inspired in our haiku writing and look forward to our spring meeting Saturday 14th September 2019.
Just one final observation since our Autumn meeting a new gengo (era) has been declared with the new reigning Emperor. Reiwa was announced and is based on the Manyo-shin – Japan’s oldest Anthology of Poems. It means that culture can grow when people sincerely care about each other. What beautiful sentiment and hope for our world.
Some stayed to enjoy the choices from the delicious lunch menu in the cafe.
Colleen Keating ( White Pebbles Haiku Group)
SHARED FOOTPRINTS GINKO WALK: WINTER
TWO SETS OF FOOTPRINTS
by Michael and Colleen on beach walk winter
CK beanies coats and gloves –
our shadows long
on washed sand
MK at the edge –
foam trimmed
fingers of ocean 
CK surprise
orange sand crabs
bask in winter dawn
MK slant of sunrise
yin-yang shadow
stone and shell
CK spaciousness
on a winter beach
solitary seagull
MK low low tide
untouched canvas
be awake 
CK over seaweed
flirt of swallows
warms us
MK fisherman and heron
wade knee deep –
winter warriors
CK rock pools mirror
clouds
our lives stilled 
MK dawn
cuts sea and sky
pelicans wait
CK burdens fall away
in morning light
willy wag tails
MK winter sun
softens our world
two sets of footprints
soul’s winter
Another poem in the section called The Smell of Parsley . You will see why after you read it a few times.
‘It amazes me how close is death to the birth of new life. ‘ We are reminded of this by nature over and over, how the sun bursts through after the darkest storm, how the new buds appear miraculously on the branch of a tree that some could think lifeless, and how the light overcomth the darkest of night each dawn. Nature shows us and we are reminded not to loose hope in the dark, yet how often are we ‘stunned in the impasse of unknowing.’
This poem tells of an incident of waiting ‘stunned in the impasse of unknowing‘. The waiting in the dark and cold of nights. Maybe it could be said the last line was not needed but I added it anyway.
soul’s winter
waiting in winter
on the cusp of spring
for a baby to be born
feels as if the world
has taken a vow of silence
and time is paralysed
it amazes me how close is death
to the birth of new life
outside a straggly wet mop of a day
droops in
skeletal limbs of trees x-rayed against sky
shudder like brittle bones
breathing just a little
tremulously
their cold black presence
chills my blood
stirs thoughts of death
i sense its shadow
shiver in its grip
my heart fumbles
like one lost in a dark night
stunned in the impasse of unknowing
i want to believe that this will change
and that I will soon
be dazzled
and i am
winter morning walk
The winter walk was sensually intense, the colours and sounds, and the potential of birthing buds ready to burst out in all glory. Below the brambley Wisteria I did find myself on my knees and smiled to myself. It was early morning and I like to think the walk sounds as if it was in some very important place. You have to read to the end of the poem to find out where this special experience unfolded.
winter morning walk
come with me
feel the shrill bell-tingle
of the morning on your face
leave your ears bare to listen
unfurl yourself
like the pocket magnolia bud
peeping from its birthing cocoon
its curiosity insatiable
knowing it is glorious
distinguish whips and chortle and chirps
notice the screech of the yellow crested cockatoo
high above in the blue gums
smile at the showy red camellia
its carpet of colour reflecting its flamboyance
take in that orange blossom scent
kneel before the snow bells
profuse like lilies of the field
below the wisteria’s bare brambles
rub hands
with the pepper tree foliage
let its aroma play in your mind
ah what joy
is this winter morning walk
around the block
