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WHO
Anyone in the world, of any age or background, may participate. Among members of the Society of Classical Poets, everyone including Advisory Board members may participate, if not involved in judging the contest. The winner, if not a U.S. resident, must have a PayPal account or a bank that accepts U.S. checks, in order to receive prize money.
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PRIZE
$100
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JUDGES
J. Thomas Rimer, Professor Emeritus of Japanese Literature, Theatre, and Art at the University of Pittsburgh; former chief of the Asian Division of the Library of Congress.
Margaret Coats, Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University; retired from a career of teaching literature, languages, and writing that included considerable work in homeschooling for her own family and others.
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WHEN
Now until September 16, 2023, 6 pm EST (New York time). The original Sept. 15 deadline has been extended for those in other time zones. Results to be announced September 29, 2023 (corresponding with Tsukimi—the Japanese Moon Festival).
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WHERE
Post your entries in the Comments below.
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WHAT
Each competitor may submit up to three haiku of traditional form: three lines per poem with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second, and 5 in the third. Entrants are recommended to conform to other traditional haiku requirements outlined HERE.
IMPORTANT: By submitting haiku to this contest, the contestant declares that the poems are his or her own work, and that they were written after July 2022. Please submit using your first and last name, as we may find it difficult to distinguish between contestants who have similar first names.
If you want coaching on haiku features, please read the examples and explanation before submitting your entries. Once entries are posted, they can be revised or withdrawn ONLY by making another Comment. This is permitted until the competition closes, but do take reasonable care to complete work to your satisfaction before you enter it. Please do not use the Comment area as your scratch pad. That is discourteous to other competitors, to interested readers, and to the judge and will disqualify you.
Entries that do not meet basic traditional haiku requirements may be deleted. Anyone who submits more than three entries will have ALL his or her entries disqualified, unless excess entries are clearly withdrawn by a later Comment.
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PAST WINNERS
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Cold, unearthly light:
A herd of deer is grazing,
It seems, on the moon.
The wipers can clear
The water from her windshield
But not from her eyes.
Breakfast for dinner:
A bright smear of marmalade
On a toasted sky.
The frail old camel
Braves storms to leave trail behind
Smug humans follow
Larry Coltin
Shelved Books on my shelves
Some I want to read again
Some I have not read
When Cain asked his god,
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Dedicated to jp.
Chaos reigned anew.
At the beach today
Three score years, waves pounding shore
Grand kids, sea the same
Stunning sunrise dawns
Refracted sunshine beauty
Cirrus filtered light
Dark autumn rain clouds
Dusting the ground with their tears
Parching summer done
OOPS. 3 is the limit. Please just look at the first 3. Sorry.
Larry Coltin
Will do, Larry. I did also see your thanks to me on another page, on the subject of syllable count. Glad you understand and appreciate.
rain bejeweled branch—
how red the cardinal is
on dull winder day!
single leaf curtsies
on the way down from tall heights—
lithe its final dance
white-tail fawns bound off
after the doe’s ears perk up
at the hint of me
teenager’s breakfast-
whatever is left over
from last night’s dinner
sweet smell of decay
rising from the garden beds-
your hand on the rake
late summer flowers-
the space between the mountains
echoes of Monet
Churning lightning foam
Chilling spray of boatman’s line
Down to quiet pool
My new cedar fence
Already adorned with a
Cicada carcass
My entries for the Haiku Contest 2023.
Storm surge screeching wind
shrubs shredding sweetgum falling
son, friends fear the worst
Burying best friend
the potent earthy essence
supersedes the mist
Slightly salty slough
manatee manicuring
the sea savannah
Leaving
Summer leaves. Fall breeze.
Cool days, cold nights. Come hard freeze,
fall; summer leaves leave.
09-10-2023
Fly
We disdain the fly.
But, still, what he can, you can’t.
I wish I could fly.
09-10-2023
Rain
Fresh rain comes down slow,
Soaks grass with November leaves.
Then, December – snows.
09-10-2023
#1
Fox tracks
Run through the new snow
Past scattered grouse feathers.
#2
Half a moon.
Silver cloud of warm deer breath,
Rising.
#3
The sun rising
Draws dew from frost
On autumn grass.
Soft raindrops touch ground
Another Wildflower blooms
Fervent kiss of love
Toss a flat pebble
It skips across the water
Achievement comes back
Mighty winds break trees
Lightning strikes splitting the sky
Taiyo runs to hide
Dancing for heaven
Climb aboard my sweet puppy
Warm snore in my lap
Rough little basket
Warm little ones all at home
Life takes flight again
Snowy white orchids
Silent-screaming nun’s faces
Come fire come ice
space beyond the clouds
beyond the peacock blue sky
crab nebula bursts
*
an abandoned house
the weeds of wildflowers scrolls
through the red tile roofs
*
semi-scattered rains
a crow’s hard caw splits across
bottleneck branches
*
inside September
striking its sprouts of garnet
invasive nature
Jo, please post your poem under your FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME, as directed in the paragraph above marked IMPORTANT.
Forecast:
Past: hazy sunshine
Present: strong winds blow clear till
Future: winds subside.
Autumn Haiku:
The red squirrel flits
from brown bark to golden leaf
his sleep will come on soon
A blackened church bell,
under the clamouring sun,
swings, silently.
***
Clouds, bruised indigo,
roll, unflustered, to the east.
The snow falls gladly.
***
The shocking quiet.
A sorry poet hammering
word against brute word.
the faded sunrise
in our family photo
just dust in Mom’s eyes
choosing a photo
for the obituary
manicured roses
karaoke night—
the cicadas coming out
of their shells to sing
children in the field –
running in a full circle
and reaching nowhere
Arctic aurora –
beautiful light in the sky
magical displays
frogs and toads croaking –
the heavy rain drenches the earth
so cold, yet soothing
– Lanzz
Malaysia
seeming Jurassic
the sand dune with a snow fence
barely protruding
a rose-red ocean
a child, subterranean
arise, rose, arise
autumn equinox
a morning chill reminds me
to prepare for change
a bin of cortlands . . .
selling the scent of autumn
at the roadside stand
ready with ribbons
I weave a winter rainbow
through my daughter’s hair