Foraging for Haiku - Ginko

[AlanSummers]

Workshop: Alan Summers 'Foraging for Haiku!'
7th October  2018
1 - 3 pm
(meet at the RICHARD JEFFERIES MUSEUM)

In this indoor/outdoor event, haiku expert Alan Summers will guide you on a "haiku writing walk" or ginko. The notes collected will form the basis of your own haiku poems for workshopping back at the Museum. We will start with Alan reading a number of his haiku, and deconstructing these shortest of poems to show how each originated with his observations of life and the environment. We'll then all go on a haiku walk, known as a ginko in Japan, and make our own observations and field notes as raw ingredients for our own haiku. A relaxed workshop follows, where Alan will lead you through editing and splicing your notes to create an original, resonant haiku of your own.

web links:
http://www.poetryswindon.org/poetry-festival-2018
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-swindon-festival-2018-workshops-passes-tickets-39387665568
http://www.poetryswindon.org/our-audience

RICHARD JEFFERIES MUSEUM
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g187049-d4688339-Reviews-Richard_Jefferies_Museum-Swindon_Wiltshire_England.html

Swindon is in the South West of England, nestled into Wiltshire:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swindon

[flowerfox]

I like the sound of that, Alan. So much to forage when just out for a walk, I'm looking forward to the wimberries.
The venue is gorgeous.

[AlanSummers]

Hi Carol!

I've updated the details of how to buy a ticket from the festival organisers:
http://area17.blogspot.com/2018/08/workshop-alan-summers-foraging-for.html

Let me know how the system works.

Gosh, wimberries! They'll have to go into a haiku on the day as well! It'll be great to have a little of the Brecon Beacons in Wiltshire.

Yes, lovely venue, and friendly festival people. I'll introduce you, as many of the organisers live or visit my town of Chippenham.

warm regards,
Alan

I like the sound of that, Alan. So much to forage when just out for a walk, I'm looking forward to the wimberries.
The venue is gorgeous.

[Seaview (Marion Clarke)]

Sounds like this will be a wonderful event, Alan - best of luck!

marion

[AlanSummers]

The festival is very friendly and there's often things like marshmallows at midnight, although I'm not often a night owl anymore. :-)

We're planning a few more special ginko, and having one from our home area shortly. As part of a day workshop, on haibun this time, our first one-to-one person gets a ginko from the station, through the park, to the meadow, behind our house. As the walk from/to the train station is only 15 minutes stroll, it's a great way to start and end the workshop sessions. :-)

Sounds like this will be a wonderful event, Alan - best of luck!

marion

The Swindon ginko will be wonderful, and the vibe during the festival is always great! :-)

warm regards,
Alan

[flowerfox]

Was this a brilliant day? Awesome.
Thanks for a wonderful day away from it all.

[AlanSummers]

It was really great to see you!

The booking website only suggested four people so I was stunned how many people actually turned up, and made a large room feel small, but in an intimate way.

We'll start running ginko from our house next year, as we have a meadow two minutes stroll away with fantastic river walks too, and all within a few minutes of walking.

It'll eventually find its way onto the Call of the Page website, and anyone who has signed up to the  newsletter will be informed.

Today we have a lot of tidying up to do, being away all day Sunday, and have our very first one-to-one haibun workshop at the house. It's the first time for our visitor, although she has had one-to-one haiku classes in the past. All very exciting!

It really did feel like a privilege meeting you in person, and you have a wonderful Welsh accent that made me feel homesick for my times with my Aunt who lives near Bridgend.

Thank you so much, it's great when someone attends a workshop of our's, from a different country!  8)

warmest regards,
Alan

Was this a brilliant day? Awesome.
Thanks for a wonderful day away from it all.

[flowerfox]

A lovely crowd of people, it was lovely to hear their notes and how they put them together, and then your input and arrangement, you have such a calm voice.
The museum was a fabulous venue for the workshop, I think I'll be popping down there again, so easy to get there.
I've signed up for the news letter a while back, and look forward to receiving it.
You and Karen, busy bees, as always, I don't know how you keep up with it all. It was great to meet you both. Karen gave me a smashing idea -  when we went to have a nosy about in the attic, we saw some dip pens on the old writing slope, and went onto the subject of calligraphy -  hand writing our verses with dip pen in various fonts, so, I've dusted down my old calligraphy books.

I must say I was a bit miffed to have to hand over money to get back into my own country...but worth it for such an inspirational day  :-*

Many thanks.
 

[AlanSummers]

Thanks!

Yes, a strong group of people, including two poets-in-residence, one of whom is a co-editor of a strong poetry publishing house.

Thankfully Swindon is a good national major train station link, and barely twenty minutes by train for us.

Sorry to hear that the border police made you pay to go back to your own country!

Calligraphy is definitely worth pursuing. It was wonderful meeting you in person, and let's hope it's not too long before we do again!

Alan (& Karen)

A lovely crowd of people, it was lovely to hear their notes and how they put them together, and then your input and arrangement, you have such a calm voice.
The museum was a fabulous venue for the workshop, I think I'll be popping down there again, so easy to get there.
I've signed up for the news letter a while back, and look forward to receiving it.
You and Karen, busy bees, as always, I don't know how you keep up with it all. It was great to meet you both. Karen gave me a smashing idea -  when we went to have a nosy about in the attic, we saw some dip pens on the old writing slope, and went onto the subject of calligraphy -  hand writing our verses with dip pen in various fonts, so, I've dusted down my old calligraphy books.

I must say I was a bit miffed to have to hand over money to get back into my own country...but worth it for such an inspirational day  :-*

Many thanks.