The British Haiku Society’s 2024 Winter Gathering and AGM took place on Saturday, 23 November 2024 at Conway Hall, London. The event featured a diverse program, combining official business with creative activities and social interaction.

Schedule:

11:00-11:30 AM: Meet and Greet

Attendees were welcomed with tea and coffee, providing an opportunity for networking and socializing.

11:30 AM-12:00 PM: BHS Annual General Meeting

During the AGM, Committee members presented their annual reports on organising the societies activities, financial reports and presence on social media. Prior to the meeting, all BHS members received relevant documents and were given the chance to respond. All reports were successfully approved.

Paul Hickey asked for a proposer and seconder to sign off the 2023-2024 BHS financial year accounts and the Officers’ Reports, the latter having been sent to all members. David Bingham proposed, and Susan Lee Kerr seconded. Paul asked for a show of hands and all attendees voted to approve the accounts and reports.

Overall, the AGM provided a platform for Committee members to reflect on their achievements, address challenges, and outline future goals, reinforcing their commitment to fostering a vibrant haiku community.

12:00-12:30 PM: ‘Shining Wind/Сияен вятър’ Book Launch

Editors Iliyana Stoyanova and David Bingham introduced this bilingual project. Participating poets shared their work from the anthology, with attendees particularly enjoying hearing the poems read in Bulgarian by Iliyana. She also discussed the intricacies of some translated poems. Copies of the anthology were available for purchase.

12:30-2:00 PM: Lunch

The BHS Committee organized catering, which included sandwiches, juice, wine, mineral water, tea, coffee, and biscuits.

2:00-3:30 PM: ‘Four Seasons’ Themed Haiku Workshop

Participants worked in four groups, each assigned a specific season, allowing them to focus on the nuances of seasonal references. The groups compiled shortlists of seasonal words (kigo), fostering discussion and shared knowledge about seasonal elements.

Then attendees shared poems about their assigned season, demonstrating how kigo can be applied in haiku composition. By focusing on all four seasons, participants gained a broader understanding of how different times of the year can be represented in haiku and how this has been affected by climate change. The discussions encouraged the poets to consider the balance between traditional kigo usage and adapting seasonal references for their local environment and culture.

This hands-on approach to exploring kigo and seasonality allowed participants to deepen their comprehension of these crucial elements in haiku composition.

Here are some of the seasonal words from the workshop:

spring

Hawthorn blossom. Blackthorn blossom. Buds. Snowdrops. Croci. Daffodils. Swifts. Swallows. Cygnets. Cuckoos. Clocks going forward. Nest/eggs. Lambs. Lent. Easter. Pancakes. Valentine’s day. Hot cross buns. First ice cream van chimes. Grand national Cheltenham. Spring fashion. London marathon. Mother’s Day.

summer

Sandcastle. Ice cream. Heat haze. Pre-season friendly. Hollyhocks. Painted lady (butterfly). Barbecue. Open top bus. New school year. Donkey rides. Candyfloss. Exam results. Glastonbury. Cricket and tennis. Henley Regatta. Olympics and world Cup. Bunting. Summer fair. Summer Solstice.

autumn

Red leaves. Smell/taste of woodsmoke. Drifts of fallen leaf. Twittering swallows and house martins on overhead lines. Birds migrating. Squirrels hiding nuts. Bonfires. Horse chestnuts.

winter

Christmas markets. Ice skating. Cold Moon. Wood smoke. Holly berries. Frozen ponds. Secret Santa. Red noses. Christmas crackers. ‘Love Actually’. Poinsettias. Mulled wine. New diary. Shortest Day. Slush. Carol singing. Mittens. Snow angels. Mince pies. Longest night.

Additional Features:

Bookshop

Participants had the opportunity to sell their own books and purchase copies of the newly launched anthology.

The British Haiku Society’s 2024 Winter Gathering emerged as a vibrant testament to the enduring power of poetry, cultural exchange, and creative exploration. By seamlessly blending official business, literary celebration, and collaborative writing, the event highlighted the society’s commitment to nurturing haiku as a dynamic and evolving art form, a celebration of poetry’s ability to bridge cultures, seasons, and human experiences.

Write-up by Iliyana Stoyanova & Paul Hickey

Seasonal words provided by: Andrew Shimield, Paul Hickey, Jenny Shepherd, and Paul Beech