October 31, 2025: Another month of spring has passed and another month of extreme weather events has occurred, north and south in New Zealand. To have snow falling at the end of October in the South Island must be one for the record books. Normally at this time of the year I would be falling in love all over again with the wisteria around my front door and bemoaning the strong winds that always seemed to occur about three days after the blossoms came out. But in 2023 we cut the wisteria off at the ground to let the house painters get at everything, so that was that. However, as my horticulturalist friend predicted, it is reshooting well from the stump and so next year I may have a “purple rain” at my front door once again. I hope your gardens have brought you joy this spring, even if it has been amid gales, floods and snow! I’m still posting bits and pieces from Haiku North America. To read them please visit my blog.

This month’s essay has been penned by Robert Epstein especially for Haiku NewZ. In it, the American poet and editor considers avant-garde poems (aka gendai haiku) within the realm of haiku, and makes a plea for haiku that are written after engaging with nature. The Contest listing highlights opportunities from now into next year. Yes, another year will soon be ending. My goodness, how time flies! (Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana, credited to Groucho Marx.) – Sandra