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Winners announced here.
Write a haiku and post it in the comments section below. The haiku must adhere to the traditional parameters of a haiku to qualify and may be deleted if it does not. See traditional haiku requirements here. Note that a haiku is like a a painting of nature. If your 5-7-5 poem is focused solely on human nature and is more cynical or humorous, then it is technically a senryu, not a haiku. However, haiku do concern human activities in relation to nature. The required seasonal word can refer to seasonal sports, holidays, entertainment, gardening, housekeeping, or visits to special places. Although this contest is held in summer, haiku dealing with any season are acceptable.
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WHEN:
Now until Saturday August 28, 2021 midnight EST. Winners Announced September 5.
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WHO:
Anyone in the world, any age or background, may participate. From within the Society, anyone, including Advisory Board Members, not involved in judging the contest may participate. (If you are outside the United States, you will have to have a PayPal account or a bank that accepts U.S. checks to receive the prize money if you win.)
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WHAT:
Each entrant may submit up to three haiku. Must conform to traditional haiku rules above.
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WHERE:
Post your haiku in the comments section below.
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PRIZE:
$100.
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JUDGE:
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ENTRY FEE:
None
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EXAMPLES
See last year’s winning haiku here.
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life and death are one
Seasons flow through endless time
The clouds are weeping
When rosey fingers dawned the day is pregnant with twins of possibilities.
Scattered thunderstorms sad morning shouts across the sky crying lite rain drops.
Cold December morn
whispers ooze through the hairline
in pa’s early grave
Verdant winter garden
fragrant the wealth of overgrowth
so full my heart.
The silent pond +
a frog jumps in suddenly –
oh, the dancing sky!
sweet
An interesting take on Basho’s frog haiku.
the water droplets are dancing!
August sunlight shines
Burning my tanned bruise-kissed skin
Ultra-violent rays
Fall brings changing leaves
He leaves me with the seasons—
Alone by winter
Whispering wafts of clouds scudding across
the blue skies
Quiescent waters
She swims in summer starlight
And bathes me in love
A streak of lightning
The downpour of violent rain
A kiss to drown in
Efflorescent spring
She swims through fields of lilies
and into my arms
After August rain,
to sleep, cat sniffs in mum’s scent
on the piano keys
Is mum human or feline? nice!
a rooster’s aubade
melts cloud onto pa’s deathbed
…mortician’s footfalls
Yellow butterflies
in the stupor of morning
magic of autumn
Across the grey sky
myriads of wild geese in flight
zigzag of sketches
A host of brown leaves
stumble into the river…
the full moon shivers
wonderful.
The life cycle confirms that the clouds ‘weeping’ for the dying are also feeding funeral bouquets! Brilliant!
Fresh Ph.D graduate
Hiring freeze
Stay-at-home mom it is.
1.
Still in the snake’s mouth
The frog sees a fire fly on
Gulps sticking its tongue .
2.In the jungle grass
Pounces on a deer the hawk
Strikes a thunderbolt.
3. Graceful look the swans
On the blue waters of lake
In pain move their feet.
Perhaps the shore is
silent before the storm strikes
godforsaken waves
cresting with the waves
ever lasting memories
his ash and my heart
Light
The breaking of dawn
When the darkness turns to light
A new day begins
Toni Newell 19th July, 2021. Australia
Heard a crow laughing
Shiro’s thousand goats lie dead
Winter! She whispered in the end.
sibilant sand dunes
sifted by millennia –
an arid wind blows.
Love this.
Graphic..
lightning bug flashing
right here in the Milky Way
seeking an answer
The sweet strawberries
And gentle breeze on my skin
But the world withers
Fog enshrouds the night.
Woven in the heavy mist,
A thread of fireflies.
Lovely.
Revealing new life
Rising sap, new buds forming,
Colour exploding.
Rime on the seashore.
Snowflake on the placid lake.
Poetry matters.
Sorry, Margaret.
This one, I believe, works better with a title:
Matters of Poetry
Rime on the seashore.
Snowflake on the frozen lake.
Poetry matters.
midnight fog hovers
in the gap between mountains
where old lovers dream
Poignant.
Sitting on the porch of a mountain cabin having your coffee with your ‘old lover’. Right there with you!
late May—peonies
bloom on old family graves—
Memorial Day
(This is my third & final entry.)
I like it, thank you
What a gift in memoriam of your ancestors!
Gathering full force
the spray lingers in the air
ocean and cliff bare
Such energy and movement within the stillness.
Snowflake forming life
glistening on the window
the semi jackknifes
Tranquility broken, it is a part of life. (and death)
Crickets are chirping
grass crunching scratches at me
a tear sets me free
hibiscus aflame
even summer’s wet fingers
shrivel and give up
whistling winds brought news
of an impending drizzle
the trees nodded thanks
Yes! we used to ‘know’ the weather by paying attention to nature, not the weatherman!
Sweets we are sharing
Tarts grapes and jelly berries
A mouthful to like
the sun rays through leaves
on puddles made by night’s rain
diamonds on waters
a walk in the park
on one dry autumn morning
leaves enwrap my feet
Eighty decibels
as my tinnitus worsens;
cicada bastards.
Paul, this made me chuckle immensely. (And this from someone who loves cicadas!)
did the cicadas ‘trigger’ your tinnitus or mimic it? nice!
The Sylvan winds
Begged the bamboos
For a song
That stormy night
Estranged the ocean
From its sleep.
Love the use of the word estranged here! Quite an image
An orphan girl
With eyes licks
an ice cream
Icy ocean prinks
in sun flick glitter twinkles.
All smooth, time wrinkles.
Rustling gold leaves fall.
Winds move idly through them all.
Somewhere past this wall.
Rain drips from new buds
Last year’s needles change to mud.
One drop seeds each flood.
Furry creature purrs,
Curled up softly by my side,
Dreaming feline dreams.
Furry creature purrs,
Drifting with the rolling tide
On a sea of dreams!
Better!