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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 Once entries are posted, they can be revised or withdrawn ONLY by making another Comment.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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What age do we learn
That we should apologize
Right after we cry?
Autumn at the door
When she paints the wild air,
Everything is new.
porch with memories –
just the fireflies still fuel
the old hand lantern
the childhood alleys –
all day long roaming among
the sidewalk chalk suns
glorious morning –
from icicles rarely fall
the drops of cold light
Upon the sidewalk,
ants march in a line to the
silent cicada.
A stray monk comes in
to sip his green, morning tea:
a mute flowering.
The infant babbles
his weaningful expressions.
A morning dove calls.
recycled stardust
such radiant energy
deadly in excess
veils on stone, intent
botanical acrobats
whisper dark romance
by lunar control
aqueous salutations
unburden my soul
through the silver frame
of my mother’s old mirror
I see butterflies
Flitting mother bird
Weaves a nest to raise her young
In the church’s eaves
Crying crickets sing
Preluding dawn’s symphony
Of joyful song birds
Bright starry clusters
Form a temporary home
For stars that wander
Trees swaying as one
Stars sparkling in the night sky
We all recite Om
It is an honor
To kiss leaves and walk the hills
Where ancestors wept
To sleep a good sleep
Lie close to a willow tree
Near honeysuckle vines.
The soft rain is late
Tomatoes slowly ripen
But God is on time.
Hurricanes are named
Female felines bold enough
To rant and to rage
The root of a rose
Remembers aromas when
fragrance buries deep
Sun through half closed blinds
show patterns on things that try
To ignore the light.
Autumn snow falling
Soft beauty of a white night
City lights misty
The sky above me
Reaches down and kisses me
Can I marry it?
Chilled moth a shadow
Intrusion under my palm
Still it rubs its wings
False sun River Birch
Stiff leaves hanging low enough
to absorb my gaze
Wind ridges my hair
It makes holes out of plots and
walks the running time
Thank you for running this competition – here are my entries:
Bridesmaids’ dresses,
the colour of the peacock
which softly creeps past.
Old house is empty
(I’m told he died in his sleep)
At night fox-cubs scream.
Farmer’s wife smirks: Don’t
Let the horse out the stable.
My flies are undone.
The brightest skin sings
a summer afternoon’s dream;
blind music in grass.
Dewey light within
the mimosa plant’s frail eyes
hums a secret woods
Alive beads of hush
glide beneath the city crowd.
Bosoms trip on time.
autumn equinox
the rail tie retaining wall
spits out a chipmunk
Bright early evening
view of the castle garden
Supermoon appear
hyacinth patches
on meandering river
all my drifting thoughts
a flock of parrots
flies over sunflower fields–
scarecrow’s long shadow
pomegranate tree…
a child takes it for his home
waiting across seas
Smooth lake in autumn
Red leaves reflected color
The call of the loon
Street light flickering
In it’s final death rattle
No one notices
Leaves turning colors
Is like a drawn out goodbye
That should last longer
Ocean Flowing across the Sky into the Bridges
Insects Flying into Heaven with Many spiders under Rivers and streams
Animals swimming with the Gods into the fires
Talking to God with Me and You listening
Gardens overwhelm
produce, insects, constantly
weeding. Still my joy.
Kittens playfully
chasing crickets, jumping at moths
bringing toys inside
Fauna and flora
breathing, living, reproducing
cuter than a bug
The world is a stage
The life of theatre inspires
Thespians bring joy
Name: Shamik Banerjee
1)
Late summer famine
Roti on her children’s plate—
Mother’s sacrifice
2)
Nomad buffaloes
Croc-infested summer stream:
A river of horns
3)
Starless summer night
Indra’s thunderous outcry
Toads: His true prophets
Lilacs have arrived
however will soon depart
now to be enjoyed
To small to see them
Living, breathing, growing there
The child in the womb