The Koto City Basho Museum conducts an annual contest known as the Basho-an International English Haiku Competition. The famous Japanese haiku poet, Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), moved to what was then the outskirts of Tokyo in 1680, where he lived in a rustic hut built by his disciples. From that time forward, Basho took his name… Read More 6th Basho-an International English Haiku Competition
Marietta McGregor is a Canberra-based poet who has received awards for her haiku, haiga and haibun. Her haibun credits include winning both the UHTS Samurai Haibun Contest and the British Haibun Award. As a retired botanist and science writer, Marietta writes knowledgably about plants, animals and the natural environment. Being a keen photographer, her writing… Read More Marietta McGregor: Haibun
Edward Hopper (1882-1967) was an American realist painter. Many of his paintings feature subdued urban scenes containing one or two figures in a contemplative pose. A Hopper painting often conveys a sense that the image is merely one scene within a larger a story that’s unfolding, or about to unfold. Given the narrative quality of… Read More All the World’s a Stage
Catchment – Poetry of Place is an online literary journal based in the West Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. The journal has been established under the auspices of the Baw Baw Arts Alliance and is edited by Rodney Williams with the assistance of Jennifer Fell and others. The first edition of the journal was released… Read More Catchment – Poetry of Place
I always enjoy seeing Australian writers receive awards in international haiku competitions. So, it was pleasing to find the Australian contingent had made such a strong showing in the 2023 International Haiku Competition conducted by the Irish Haiku Society. The Society runs the competition annually, with the 2023 contest having been judged by their founding… Read More 2023 Irish Haiku Competition
K’gari (pronounced Gurri) is the largest sand island in the world. Located in Queensland, Australia, the island comprises long, sandy beaches, coastal heaths, woodland and freshwater lakes. K’gari is part of the traditional lands of the Butchulla people. You can read the K’gari creation story, as told by the Butchulla people, here. Essentially, Princess K’gari… Read More Haiku of Place: K’gari
The organisers of the Trailblazer Contest have challenged writers to use haiku, or tanka, in new and unusual ways. They’ve challenged writers to incorporate the essence of these Japanese forms into contemporary poetry that is fresh and innovative. You can visit the Trailblazer Contest website here. I was fortunate to have one of my haiku… Read More Haiku Trailblazer Contest
The Australian Haiku Society was formed in the year 2000 to promote the enjoyment of haiku and link Australian writers with the world haiku community. The first anthology of haiku by Australian writers was produced in 2001. Subsequent anthologies appeared in 2006 and 2011. This year, the Australian Haiku Society has released under the same… Read More Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology
Gregory Piko 