Report on Bindii Japanese Genre Poetry Group meeting: 3 June 2017


Ten members of the Bindii group attended a tanka workshop led by Dawn Colsey and Lynette Arden at the Box Factory, 59 Regent St South, Adelaide.

Lee Bentley, as chair of the meeting, welcomed the presenters at 12.30.

Some written material had been distributed to members by email prior the meeting and links to further articles are displayed on Bindii Facebook page


Several members brought in a range of journals and books containing tanka, so all could share a range of published work.

The workshop started with some thoughts on tanka styles discussed by Dawn and Lynette, with examples from both Japanese and English language writers.

Members were then invited to select a favourite tanka, from the journals that had been distributed, and write it on the whiteboard for discussion.

The main features mentioned in discussion were: the structure of using a pivot in tanka and the expansion or change in subject from beginning to end of the tanka. The importance of poetic quality in writing tanka was stressed. 

Dawn distributed copies of a number of published tanka and those were discussed in more detail by members. We noticed, as in so many times previously, that there was occasionally a general agreement that a particular tanka worked well, but often the interpretation of subject matter varied among members, as did their appreciation of language and style. This varied opinion resulted in vigorous discussion of the tanka examples presented.

We devoted the last half hour of the session to workshop of original tanka presented by group members.

Workshop attendance: Lynette Arden, Dawn Colsey, Lee Bentley, Lindy Warrell, Sara Abend-Sims, Margaret Fensom, Susan O’Brien, Murray Alfredson, Julia Wakefield, Jill Gower.

Lee Bentley thanked the presenters and closed the workshop at 2.30 pm.

PROGRAM FOR REMAINDER OF 2017

Saturday 5 August: Haibun Workshop led by Maeve Archibald.

Meet at the Box Factory at 12.30. Meeting finishes at 2.30 pm. Members will be emailed any further details.

Saturday 7 October: Follow up Haibun Workshop led by Maeve Archibald

Saturday 2 December: end of year celebration.


Minutes taken by Lynette Arden 3 June 2017




Location: Australia

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