Tag Archives: Contemporary Australian Haiku

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.

river mud - clk

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

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river mud
I look into
my future

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clouds pass
flashing the salt bush
back to red

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wetlands path - clk

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

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off the track
a new track
of trampled vines

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autumn wind
the kite I cannot see
whistles

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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.

boondall_wetlands

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…

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autumn light
promise we’ll see
each other again

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zen garden buddha

zen garden
a wasp flies out
of Buddha’s nose

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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

Moon CLK

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

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gloves no longer needed
fingertips   cigarettes   pink

DS

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Easter moon
in one hand
a beer and a crucifix

AS

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raking red ficus berries
she considers a change in lipstick

CK

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cold wind
not noticing
her silences

GN

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inside the cavern
our eyes adjust

CL

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wooden beat
of her walking stick
missing

TR

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at High Copse the robin left him
cutting an ash sapling

JW

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A quick shower
cherry blossom petals
carpet the sidewalk

HR

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both of them arrive late
to the opening matinée

AP

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wattle blossoms

no longer blue
in this blossom-loosening wind
autumn sky

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Snake Weather: A Summer Renga (part iii)

As I post this, Snake Weather is crawling off on its final leg… so for now, please enjoy this third phase of the renga written by David Stavanger, Andy Smerdon, Cindy Keong, Graham Nunn, Chris Lynch, Trish Reid, John Wainwright, Helen Ross and Andrew Phillips.

CLK Snake Weather

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

he wears shoes to bed
she finds bones in her shoes
Spring cleaning

DS

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bitter hands rip him
from the wedding photo

AS

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again and again
she strikes – the familiar
sound of thunder

CK

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the wild plum
rolls to a stop

GN

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more insects
at the kitchen fluoro
endless rain

CL

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frankincense dusk
just an oud and her voice

TR

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mercury rises
pommie bastards are wet
dreaming of EIIR

JW

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wine stains on the carpet
this broken heart

HR

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electrostatic therapy
shock jumps of laughter
with the nieces

AP

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dandelion fluff

autumn moon
a fistful of dandelion
fluff

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Anti-Poverty Sculpture

between statues
the coldness of scar-
tissue

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Snake Weather: A Summer Renga (part ii)

The summer ginko group have now reached the half-way mark of their ginko. Here’s links 10-18 written by / between: David Stavanger, Andy Smerdon, Cindy Keong, Katherine Battersby, Chris Lynch, Trish Reid, John Wainwright, Helen Ross, Andrew Phillips for you to enjoy.

snake weather part ii

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

promotional sale
we buy each other white

DS

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passion fades
in the dune grass
still swimming

AS

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an incoming tide draws
closer the stars

CK

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winter’s bone
the city sleeps
beneath his pale face

KB

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the letter must be written
snowfield at dawn

CL

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expecting a call
from my sister
not feeling hungry

TR

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she waves her pony tail
flies away

JW

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naked
spring buds dress
the branches

HR

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one eye
of the submerged frog

AP

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Inspired by yesterday’s ‘poets on beauty’ post, I wrote this… may you all know beauty, wherever you are this Friday evening.

GN & t.h.e. nunn

summer passing
his warm hand holds
all of me

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