from "Hutnews" March 2006

Autumn haiku

Haiku poems ( short moments of nature) often make a reference to the season. In Japan the references are all part of a cultural understanding – everyone knows that cherry blossoms refer to spring – or that water refers to summer. But what about here? My walks with the Interpretives in the Conservation Society greatly added to my knowledge of what is going on , in the Blue Mountains, at what season. The very first time I joined the walkers, it was autumn and we explored Murphy’s track behind the Hydro Majestic hotel at Medlow Bath. I wrote this:

Down the “black’s ladder”

sliding muddily past

purple-blue fungi

A black’s ladder is a place in an apparently unclimbable rockface that has been known to the aboriginal inhabitants for thousands of generations - it may have a tree trunk ladder to assist in climbing.

 In late summer, the walkers went on the rainforest walk in Coachwood Glen. The dianella was fruiting, and to my somewhat European sensibility, fruit equals autumn.

Deep Purple berry

yet so bland!

only just sweet

Being an environmentalist also means ” nature lover”.  What is the balance between scientific knowing (to which there are limits) and other ways of knowing?

Not knowing its name

we can only admire

the yellow flower

All over the world autumn is the time of fungi. This haiku was written near Bathurst – my friend has a lot of feral goats on his property ( and they tasted delicious).

Up the goat highway

little black pellets and

shrivelled fungi

But what is particular to Australia is the burn-off (though it could also refer to spring).

Small fires

all along the hill –

smoke streaming skywards