THE HAIBUN GALLERY: 23rd October 2025. Joanna Ashwell - Guest Poet

host: Rupa Anand

editors on haikuKATHA: Shalini Pattabiraman, Vidya Shankar, Firdaus Parvez and Kala Ramesh

Lorraine Haig has stepped down from being a mentor for this forum. Triveni Haikai India and The Haibun Gallery are grateful for her exceptional feedback and responses over the last few years.

Guest Poet: Joanna Ashwell

A Thursday Feature 23rd October

INTRODUCTION

Reading is the cornerstone of being a good writer.  It is where we learn, get inspired and continue to adapt our own voice.   I have many notebooks where I gather ideas.  Sometimes a haibun begins with the title or a thought of what I want to say.  Other times I find a haiku that seems to fit into the tapestry of a haibun.  On a really good day, the haibun just flows fully formed. 

I prefer to read slowly,  holding a book in my hands.  It may not be fashionable but there is something about the way the words settle on the paper and the weight of the pages as I turn them.  I also often write pen to paper, type the drafts then edit from there.  Although I touch-type and can hammer a poem out on the screen, ink gives me that touch and feel that I crave as I write. 

This brings me to the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. A good haibun brings these alive, there may be one prominent sense or a mixture drawing the reader in. For our prompts this month I invite you to use these to inspire your writing.

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Week 4

TOUCH.  It is said that we are losing our ability to touch, to connect with one another.  There are some age groups where their friendships are all virtual or where they are geographically apart from physical family or friends as they age. 

Touch can be a texture, an ‘idea’ of closeness, holding something/someone.  What does touch mean to you, explore that this week…

Notice how Terri  has threaded touch through the example below and consider how you can be inspired.

Bloodlines

Little sister and I laugh when I pinch the top of grandmother’s hand and the skin stays up, slowly melting back to join the rest of her flesh.

Typing this remembrance, I look down at my own hands resting on the keyboard.  Dark brown spots meander through the blue-green veins branching from wrist to knuckles.  Once hides beneath grandmother’s ring that I wear on the little finger of my left hand.  I imagine it growing, wrapping around the ring and not letting go.

last wishes –

her signet pressed

into hot red wax

Terri L French

Published in – the haibun journal, issue 5:1 2023

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Thanks, Joanna.

Thanks for this brilliant prompt.

I'm sure our poets will love to explore the 5 senses in haibun.

That will be interesting!

Waiting for this month to unfold!

_kala

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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT NOTICE

              NOTICE

Dear Haibuneers

Starting from March 2025, we at haikuKATHA are moving on to a new submissions format for haibun submissions. (Only for haibun, please note!)

Writers are invited to submit one unpublished haibun per submission window.

Kindly note the submissions calendar.

1-20 March, to be considered for publication in May

1-20 June, to be considered for publication in August

1-20 September, to be considered for publication in November

1-20 December, to be considered for publication in February

All accepted submissions will receive an email to confirm their acceptance by the 5th day of the publication month.

Your unpublished (only one) haibun should be sent to: 

The Google link will be given in this space soon. This form will only be available during the submission period. 

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The Haibun Gallery continues as is.

We will be having editors and prompts, and your sharing…