Evening Star

In 2005 under the leadership of William J. Higginson, eight poets gathered to compose the kasen The Click of Mahjong Tiles.

Upon news of Bill's death in October 2008 it seemed natural to gather again in the same spot of cyberspace where they had shared the creative and inspiring experience of writing with Bill three years earlier. To mark the passing of their friend and teacher, they decided to write to a pre-modern abbreviated form known as Ura Shiro, meaning "back blank" because it approximates to the first side of the first sheet of a hyakuin (100-verse renga). The Ura Shiro has eight verses; there were eight members in the group, including Bill, and an old ku of his was used as hokku.

First published in Frogpond Vol.32 #1, Evening Star by Carole MacRury, John Carley, Susan Shand, Gerald England, Hortensia Anderson, John W Sexton, Norman Darlington and William J, Higginson can now be viewed on Xaiku.