The Japanese Garden in the Mt Cootha botanical gardens is a bow in the direction of haiku's homeland. From there it's a short walk to the rest of the world, or at least the parts of it that thrive at the foot of Mt Cootha. The gardens are landmined with haiku waiting to explode with the brute force of a butterfly's wingbeat, with all the fire of a Bird of Paradise.
This August 3 sees the third annual haiku reading in the Japanese Gardens, run as an outreach event of the Queensland Poetry Festival. This event is better than toffee apples at a fair. This is a venue where you don't just hear haiku but genuinely experience them.
A leisurely Sunday morning in the Japanese Garden, the pleasure of simple Japanese-style poetry in the Australian setting, and a little music …

warm rock
water dragon
winks a roguish eye
Haiku: Ynes Sanz

Informal readings by poets Ross Clark, Quendryth Young and Jacqui Murray
Music by Ann Bermingham and Helen Rowe
Programme includes an open session - bring your own haiku, tanka etc to read
Join us for a relaxed and enjoyable morning

Words and water dragons
Ross Clark, Quendryth Young and Jacqui Murray
Japanese Garden 11 am till 1 pm
Sunday 3 August 2008
FREE

Queensland Poetry Festival 2008 Outreach • Info: www.queenslandpoetryfestival.com
Inquiries: [email protected] 07) 3715 6317