February 21, 2009 - Workshop and Kukai

Japanese Magnolia blossoms in the museum courtyard

On Saturday, February 21st, the Southern California Haiku Study Group met at the Pacific Asia Museum for its monthly workshop and kukai. Elva Lauter, Peggy Castro, Alvin Thomas Ethington, Lindy Hill, Taura Scott, Gloria Siegel, Sharon Hawley, Michael Angerman, Deborah Kolodji, Genie Nakano, Hideki Obayashi, Janis Lukstein, Kathabela Wilson, and Wendy Wright were present.

After a read-around of our own haiku, we had a reading of Issue #45 of Mayfly. Several native Southern Californian members of our group had never heard of a mayfly, but Lindy Hill, who once lived in Illinois, described the aquatic insect and its very short life cycle for the rest of us, giving us a greater appreciation of the haiku journal's name.

The following words were suggested as kigo prompts for the season:

magnolia, new growth, red bud, first green, lovers, orange blossom, cymbidium, strawberries, President's Day, sapling, weeping willow, crocus, snowmelt, birds of paradise

We then had a half hour writing session, followed by a kukai. The following haiku scored highly in the kukai:

wisteria
a longing for what
might have been

- Peggy Castro

turning a corner
I pause --
two white doves

- Elva Lauter

snow melts
to spring mud
my stuck car

- Michael Angerman

footsteps sound
on cobbled stone --
winter's end

- Wendy Wright

Our next workshop and kukai will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.