Autumn Rain

30th April dawned dry, but the week had been wet and the forecast was not promising. Undaunted, about seven or eight meditators converged on the Guide Hall at Lawson to begin the day. I felt quite nostalgic, as this was the venue for the zen group that I led a few years back. And there was the Queen above the door - appropriate given that the nuptials of her grandson were broadcast the night before.
At Ben Roberts café there were ten of us, enjoying their atmosphere and delights. As we sat there cosily drinking beverages and listening to Gary talk about the breath and writing, I noticed the rain gradually pull up its chair outside. When it came time for the ginko, two people elected to observe nature from the verandah of ‘Heatherbrae’, a grand old place which the Council intends to spruce up for community use. But the rest of headed out in rain garments of various sorts. We walked first along the commemorative walk of Honour Pde.


patches of sky

among soggy red leaves

 rain puddles

Brent Couper

I fairly quickly found that my pen wouldn’t work in the rain. So I had to follow my own advice about John Shaw Nielson, the poet jackaroo who would remember his poems and work on them in his head. I found it quite hard to do. Pre-literate peoples are very good at the act of remembering, but we have lost it. I love using my pen and the act of writing.

Toadstools
bright children’s toys
cupping endless rain...

Ruby Levy-Stephens


We walked on down to the creek, through a bush regeneration area. As leader I have to keep tabs on everyone, especially since there were a couple of roads and crossings to navigate.

Seven writers...
five writers...
the rain heavier.

We all turned back before I could take everyone onto the golf course and along the bush track. It was enough to have seen the stream, the trees, the rosellas and king parrots, listened to the drips on leaves and felt the squelch in the path.


Soft rain
hard asphalt -
drowned earthworms

Diana

After we'd consumed lovely hot drinks and juices back at Ben Roberts, we got to work on the hard part - which is, editing. Gary's idea was to put a haiku onto a whiteboard and allow everyone to ruminate on it. Verity and Margaret had done their writing on the verandah, and we began to look at one of Verity's poems to see whether there were too many words in it - how those words could be arranged - what order they came in - whether other words could be used. It was a fascinating exercise, and naturally the final version came down to the poet herself.

discarded

pink sock
vacant verandah


Verity Roberts

We workshopped a poem of Ruby's , about the parrots flying out of a tree. That haiku didn't come together - it was time to have lunch. Conversation around the table flew in all sorts of directions. We could now be as rowdy as other diners. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this work in Ben Roberts, with its art works everywhere, and the convivial style of meeting and eating. Thanks to Carolynne and her staff for their hospitality , great food, and especially to Carolynne for her enthusiastic encouragement of the idea.