Join the JASWDC Haiku Group!

led by haiku poet and author, Abigail Friedman

Experience the beauty of haiku and hone your haiku-writing skills at the Japan-America Society of Washington DC Haiku Group!

This haiku group, or kukai, provides a platform for writers of haiku to come together and develop their craft in a fun, friendly atmosphere. Following a format similar to that of Japanese haiku groups, participants will bring to the session three haiku poems in English that they have written beforehand.  The group then shares each haiku anonymously around the room without critique. Following this, each participant will select their favorites among all they have read on that day. As for the rest, come to the group to find out!

Led by esteemed haiku poet and author Abigail Friedman, the group meets once every two months. More details on how a kukai functions will be explained at the group itself.

The group will meet at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, located at 901 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20001:

Date: Saturday, July 19th, 2025

Time: 2:30 – 4:30 pm (EST)
Location: 401-E Conference Room, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

Schedule and requirements:

Number of Haiku: Bring three English-language haiku you have composed

SCHEDULE:

2:30-3:30 pm: Anonymous sharing of haiku

3:30 pm - 3:45 pm: break

3:45 pm - 4:30 pm: Abigail will discuss her recently published haiku book, The Azaleas Are Silent.

**It is important that participants arrive on time, as the meeting  will begin promptly and involves participation from the entire group**