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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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covid pandemic . . .
the Santa Claus withdrawing
his hand for a shake
Independence Day —
from a patient he removes
an oxygen mask
after the long rains . . .
a beggar’s lead uses stick
to check for gutters
Quite poignant pandemic haikus. nice!
What is a Haiku?
Beautiful words… not many
Alas! Not these words
Love this
haha! Humor as the surprise! we need more!
Moon
Shining bright at night
A silver orb in the sky
Reflecting the sun
Yes! That’s ‘all’ the moon is! Wonderful
sun on my eyelids
the smell of line-dried laundry
summer afternoon
kite on a taut string—
I unclasp my tired hand
letting go of dreams
grass blades left unmown
the tender swirling patterns
of the galaxy
sweet
Moments in time, shared. Nice!
Three entries
(1)
Carolina sun
Setting on a humid night.
You shiver my soul
(2)
Dogwood trees and pink
carnations. Why must your lure
fade. Can you tell me?
(3)
Jellyfish tickle
my leg in the warm ocean.
We play differently
I like the slight ‘unsettledness’ of your poems…like life!
going to the sea
aglow with soft evening light
a laughing river
Red tide came again
Florida Bay was poisoned
Fishes floating still
So sad, your poignancy is palpable!
Snow falls through the night,
Dressing all the world in white–
Dazzling by daylight.
Revision:
Snow falls through the night,
Dressing farm and field in white–
Dazzling dawn in sight!
a hand rests on rock
her wrinkles telling stories
endless hills surround
Revision for seasonal word:
a hand rests on rock
her wrinkles telling stories
sun-kissed hills surround
I want to know more. You could write haiku after haiku about this woman!
a dulé of doves
as far as the eye can see—
biblical twilight
The last apple calls,
Can’t eat it before it falls.
Besides, there’s a worm.
My mom says…”That’s a good one as I read it to her.” Really!
Hungry for sweet corn,
Yummy, slathered with butter.
There goes my diet!
Waiting for maters,
Impatient for red ones, sliced.
Just have green ones, fried.
You must be in the south like me! nice
Midnight breezes blow
Through moonlit, moss draped oak trees
Like whispering ghosts.
Beautiful work, Martin.
We have moss draped oaks in cemeteries in Georgia, nice imaginary visuals with ‘real’ ghosts!
Blood splatters the drifts.
Winter of their discontent.
What matter, to me?
our winter
winter is turning
nature’s coat is now new
man is not learning
Global warming-haiku! A whole new genre is born!
LOST IN MY THOUGHTS
I’m lost in my thoughts
As I walk among roses.
Dinner is burning.
Oh Roy, what are your thinking about? We want to know!
BEAR CUBS
Bear cubs watching men
Walking through a sylvan glen.
The forest shudders.
THOUGHT I HAD IT MADE
Thought I had it made,
Then it rained on my parade.
Slip, sliding away.
Please delete Thought I Had It Made, since I realized it sounded like past tense and replace with the following:
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING
By Roy E. Peterson (July 30, 2021)
Thunder and lightning
Young children are frightening.
Flowers welcome rain.
Play on
The sky is falling
The ground is screaming at us
We remain silent
Nice! Is this a treatise on global warming?
Birds sing God’s praises
while summer sun splashes paint
where grey clouds hover.
A balmy day now
The clouds pass low over green
Fear of thunder in my heart
I slipped on the rocks
with firefly glow on my cheeks~
the brook remembers
Unique image.
cabbage butterfly
finds lavender in my hair
her dust on my heart
sharing a chimney
bats by day and birds by night
novel stars~one sky
creamy poppy melts
butter in the mouth of noon
time to make my lunch
Love this!!
Of all pests on earth
You are the most beautiful red and black
Ladybug you’ll never get squashed.
I love the image of the bats leaving to feast at night just as the birds are coming to roost!