The Haiku Foundation (THF) was first conceived in 2004 by American poet and publisher, Jim Kacian. The Foundation’s web presence was established in 2008 and has been a valuable resource for the sharing and discussion of haiku ever since. You can access THF here.

THF’s goals are to archive English-language haiku, expand possibilities for future haiku writing and seek active exchange with poets writing in other languages. The Foundation furthers these goals through a range of projects including haiku archives, haiku dialogue, a registry of haiku poets, haiku awards and the development of resources for writing haiku.

The Foundation’s activities are conducted on a volunteer basis and, following a suggestion by Julie Bloss Kelsey, it was decided to produce an anthology showcasing the haiku of THF volunteers. The result was Our Garden: The Haiku Foundation Volunteer Anthology 2022, edited by Jim Kacian and Julie Bloss Kelsey.

Our Garden presents a single haiku by each of around 100 poets, all of whom have contributed in some way to THF activities. Among the poets represented are seven Australians: Lorin Ford, Simon Hanson, Marietta McGregor, Ron C. Moss, Lyn Reeves, Rob Scott and myself.

The anthology includes this delightful haiku by Lorin Ford:

on a bare twig rain beads what light there is

(Shamrock Haiku Journal 3, 2007)

Reading this poem reminded me how much pleasure Lorin’s writing has provided over the years. For example, here is Lorin’s winning haiku from the 2014 FreeXpresSion Haiku Competition. I’ve always loved the sound of this poem, and the mystery:

mother’s secrets . . .
I prise open
a dozen oysters

Lorin is a widely published poet, having won many awards. She has also judged haiku competitions and edited haiku journals. Here are some more of her poems:

cloud cover
Burrunan dolphins
stitch bay to sky

(Chrysanthemum, #22, October 2017)

moon hunting the wrong mushrooms

(Modern Haiku, Issue 53:2, 2022)

true blue the bower bird’s allure

(tinywords, 22.2, 2022)

distant thunder
the future
in my bones

(First Prize, 2010 HaikuNow! Competition, Contemporary Category)

Through the contributions of Lorin and many other volunteers, The Haiku Foundation plays an important role in bringing haiku poets together and providing a repository for their work.

Our Garden is available online and in print. You can read the complete anthology here for free. Or, if you wish to purchase your own copy, Our Garden is available from Amazon.