Observing the Garden Through Haiku

Led by award-winning haiku poet, Crystal Simone Smith
The practice of haiku encourages us to bask in seasonal change, observing and recording our sensory experiences with words. Haiku, closely tied to Zen and meditation, helps us focus on what is internal. Each season brings its own predictable patterns and conditions. The shorter days of fall leave us with less light. As seasons change, we change, and while we often marvel at autumn oaks or spring red buds, transitioning can also trigger melancholy. In this workshop, we will review the aesthetics of contemporary haiku and compose haiku on a traditional ginko walk through the gardens. A ginko walk is a haiku poet practice to feel a deeper understanding of the connection between the mind and body as part of nature. All haiku experience levels are welcome, beginners too. This workshop is for everyone interested in delighting in observations of the seasonal nature of a garden.
Fee: $18; 20% discount for Duke Gardens members with discount code. Parking fees apply.
Location: Meet at the front desk of the Doris Duke Center.
Accessibility: This will be a small group program that takes place outdoors, and participants will travel on a combination of paved and unpaved paths with some uneven surfaces and moderate inclines.