Site of the week: Falling Leaves

It may still be only the beginning of August but the haiku world is turning its seasonal eye towards autumn (arguably a far more satisfying time of year for your average melancholy scribe than that brash, bouncy, extrovert summer). Now, as all followers of our weekly topical haiku competition know - and ignore - haiku traditionally contains a "kigo", or season word, but this blog collection, Falling Leaves, is entirely dedicated to autumn. It is part of a series which traces the seasons as they unfold and follows the spring and summer collections. The principle is simple - you can read the haiku on the blog and post comments, or register with Blogger in order to contribute your own autumnal haiku. All the instructions are here. Reassuringly for haiku novices tempted to contribute, the founder of the blog is adamant that there are no "absolute absolutes" in haiku. You also have until October 30, if it still feels just a little too premature for musing on mulched leaves and conker fights.