Note:
Honoured to be the Focus Poet for this issue. The full text may be accessed in the "Articles/About" section of this blog.
last campout . . .
sandhill cranes call down
the northern lights
Honourable Mention
2017 Robert Spiess Haiku Award
dried curls
of gray reindeer moss
crunch softly
underneath our boots . . .
no other sound, but breath
1st Place
2016 San Francisco Tanka Competition
stone cairns
a faded cap drifts
downriver
1st Place
2015 Harold G. Henderson Contest
tracks of birds
meander through snow . . .
the surgeon
marks her left breast
with a cross
1st Place
2016 British Haiku Society Tanka Awards
on the tundra
caging a winter sky
caribou bones
3rd Place
2014 Hortensia Anderson Awards
bitterns boom
among the rushes . . .
father recites
his favourite poems
from memory
dust clouds
behind the plough
a fuss of gulls
Sunday, December 03, 2017
The Right Touch of Sun, Tanka Society of America Members' Anthology 2017
this hagstone
I hold to my eye . . .
suddenly,
another world looks
right through me
animal trails
curve through brush . . .
my wild feet
still yearn to follow
someone home
bluegrass blares
from loud speakers . . .
we get high
on night music
under a banjo moon
Note:
I was honoured to provide the following photographs for this anthology:
I hold to my eye . . .
suddenly,
another world looks
right through me
animal trails
curve through brush . . .
my wild feet
still yearn to follow
someone home
bluegrass blares
from loud speakers . . .
we get high
on night music
under a banjo moon
Note:
I was honoured to provide the following photographs for this anthology:
Ribbons, Volume 13, Number 3, Fall 2017
I can hear
clouds rustling against
taffeta skies . . .
my senses sharper
since you went away
Note:
This issue also contains a lovely review of my book, Warp and Weft: Tanka Threads (Michelle Brock, Australia). It may be accessed in the "Books & Reviews" section of this blog.
clouds rustling against
taffeta skies . . .
my senses sharper
since you went away
Note:
This issue also contains a lovely review of my book, Warp and Weft: Tanka Threads (Michelle Brock, Australia). It may be accessed in the "Books & Reviews" section of this blog.
The Cherita, Book 5, September 2017
Issue: "be amazed"
candied violets
every birthday cake
a celebration
of who we were,
and who we are
becoming
at high tide
the call and response
of water
we are made of this,
but we are also,
other
A Cherita Lighthouse Award
candied violets
every birthday cake
a celebration
of who we were,
and who we are
becoming
at high tide
the call and response
of water
we are made of this,
but we are also,
other
A Cherita Lighthouse Award
Skylark, Vol. 5, Number 2, Winter 2017
honeysuckle
swathes my doorway . . .
its sweetness
calls to something hungry
that used to live inside
So Much More Than
we walk
under laden boughs
into silence . . .
a place of worship,
this architrave of snow
we make camp
in a dark sky preserve . . .
no stellarium
could rival
this magnitude of light
we become
so much more than
our wounds
lovely are the bruises
of crushed magnolias
Outcasts
the quiet
susurrus of stones
with each wave . . .
a refugee hushes
her frightened baby
silhouettes
of deer splashing
in puddles . . .
the bullied child
never that carefree
a cowbird
lays eggs in the nest
of her host . . .
too many people
feel they don't belong
swathes my doorway . . .
its sweetness
calls to something hungry
that used to live inside
So Much More Than
we walk
under laden boughs
into silence . . .
a place of worship,
this architrave of snow
we make camp
in a dark sky preserve . . .
no stellarium
could rival
this magnitude of light
we become
so much more than
our wounds
lovely are the bruises
of crushed magnolias
Outcasts
the quiet
susurrus of stones
with each wave . . .
a refugee hushes
her frightened baby
silhouettes
of deer splashing
in puddles . . .
the bullied child
never that carefree
a cowbird
lays eggs in the nest
of her host . . .
too many people
feel they don't belong
Under the Basho, 2017
Personal Best 2017
glassy lake
flocks of snow geese
pull up the moon
1st Place
Autumn Moon Haiku Contest 2017
Modern Haiku
luna moth
unfolding the hidden
part of you
frayed sunflowers . . .
this is the part where
we say goodbye
the sky ripens . . .
snow stars
decorate your sweater
river stories
we always begin
at the end
the pulse
of oncoming storms . . .
our windows flex
Stand-Alone Hokku
snow flurries
the softened edges
of shadows
morning haze . . .
the bright blue flashes
of kestrels
deep forest
mushroom gills filter
rays of light
glassy lake
flocks of snow geese
pull up the moon
1st Place
Autumn Moon Haiku Contest 2017
Modern Haiku
luna moth
unfolding the hidden
part of you
frayed sunflowers . . .
this is the part where
we say goodbye
the sky ripens . . .
snow stars
decorate your sweater
river stories
we always begin
at the end
the pulse
of oncoming storms . . .
our windows flex
Stand-Alone Hokku
snow flurries
the softened edges
of shadows
morning haze . . .
the bright blue flashes
of kestrels
deep forest
mushroom gills filter
rays of light
Daily Haiku, Charlotte Digregorio's Writer's Blog, November 2017
transience . . .
petal by petal
we let go
Winning Haiku, Canada
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Invitational, 2017
petal by petal
we let go
Winning Haiku, Canada
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Invitational, 2017
Creatrix, Anthology Number 2, 2017
Issues 15 - 35, 2012 - 2016
first crocus
the grey stubble
on his chin
first crocus
the grey stubble
on his chin
Creatrix Poetry and Haiku Journal, Number 39, December 2017
lantern festival
we come together
in the dark
dark days
we learn to sing
in the key of rain
bone density . . .
the broken stems
of sunflowers
spin cycle . . .
newspapers cartwheel
down the street
charred trees
the horizon wider
today
we come together
in the dark
dark days
we learn to sing
in the key of rain
bone density . . .
the broken stems
of sunflowers
spin cycle . . .
newspapers cartwheel
down the street
charred trees
the horizon wider
today
Atlas Poetica, Number 30, November 2017
Luminosity
cloudberries
float above moss stars . . .
amber beacons
in forest shadows
call us to taste the light
the shimmer
of diamonds on snow
and water . . .
sometimes we take
small gifts for granted
mudlarks . . .
everything we buried
as children
surfaces at last
into the light of day
in her eyes
deep wells of pain . . .
and yet,
glimmers of light
at the bottom
cloudberries
float above moss stars . . .
amber beacons
in forest shadows
call us to taste the light
the shimmer
of diamonds on snow
and water . . .
sometimes we take
small gifts for granted
mudlarks . . .
everything we buried
as children
surfaces at last
into the light of day
in her eyes
deep wells of pain . . .
and yet,
glimmers of light
at the bottom
Friday, November 17, 2017
Failed Haiku - A Journal of English Senryu, Vol. 2, Issue 23, November 2017
Jane Reichhold Haiga Competition 2017
First Honorable Mention ("extremely close runner-up") - Mixed Media Category
First Honorable Mention ("extremely close runner-up") - Mixed Media Category
Judge's Comments:
"Silver Linings" is subtle in concept and execution and leaves a lasting impression. Everything about this is in a resonating balance. The embossed silvery effects add elegance to "the things that startle us into flight". Another superb haiga from a modern master.
—Kris (Moon) Kondo
Prune Juice, Issue 23, November 2017
peeling paint
all the backstories
we don't know
last testament
we inherit the bulk
of her shame
hard drive the unexpected crash of his memory bank
all the backstories
we don't know
last testament
we inherit the bulk
of her shame
hard drive the unexpected crash of his memory bank
Note:
This issue includes the results of the 2017 Jane Reichhold Haiga Competition, in which my work received First Honorable Mention ("extremely close runner-up") from Judge Kris (Moon) Kondo. Please see Failed Haiku, Issue 23, November 2017, for details.
Tanka Society of America - 18th Sanford Goldstein International Tanka Contest, 2017
Honorable Mention
light spills
through a fallstreak hole
onto water . . .
if nothing else,
this will be enough
Judges' Comments:
Finally, we chose "light spills" for its classical beauty and sense of the ethereal in terms of style and theme. A fallstreak hole is a large gap in certain cumulus clouds that occurs when supercooled water droplets meet up with ice crystals; what a sight that relatively rare phenomenon must be for the narrator. She literally sees the light pouring onto a body of water below (water being symbolic in its own right). She also figuratively "sees the light," the hole representing "a break in the clouds" for her (possibly in the form of a much-needed answer or relief from a pressing matter). Perhaps, even more spectacularly, the narrator experiences a breakthrough in terms of a spiritual quest—a glimpse of heaven that, if need be, "will be enough."
light spills
through a fallstreak hole
onto water . . .
if nothing else,
this will be enough
Judges' Comments:
Finally, we chose "light spills" for its classical beauty and sense of the ethereal in terms of style and theme. A fallstreak hole is a large gap in certain cumulus clouds that occurs when supercooled water droplets meet up with ice crystals; what a sight that relatively rare phenomenon must be for the narrator. She literally sees the light pouring onto a body of water below (water being symbolic in its own right). She also figuratively "sees the light," the hole representing "a break in the clouds" for her (possibly in the form of a much-needed answer or relief from a pressing matter). Perhaps, even more spectacularly, the narrator experiences a breakthrough in terms of a spiritual quest—a glimpse of heaven that, if need be, "will be enough."
—Janet Lynn Davis and James Chessing
(note: there were 650 entries to the contest)
Autumn Moon Haiku Journal - Autumn Moon Haiku Contest 2017
glassy lake
flocks of snow geese
pull up the moon
First Place
Judge's Comments:
Many haiku have been written about the effect of moonlight and the moon's reflection. This haiku is unique and highly poetic in its expression.
flocks of snow geese
pull up the moon
First Place
Judge's Comments:
Many haiku have been written about the effect of moonlight and the moon's reflection. This haiku is unique and highly poetic in its expression.
—Bruce Ross
Australian Haiku Society, 2017
Spring 2017 AHS Haiga Kukai: Seasonal Entry
homecoming . . .
a bouquet of sky
in an old jar
First Place
Spring 2017 AHS Haiga Kukai: Non-Seasonal Entry
dark matter . . .
we never plan
to be alone
(Note: these haiku were written in response to artwork by Ron Moss)
homecoming . . .
a bouquet of sky
in an old jar
First Place
Judge's Commentary:
A lovely evocative haiku that links beautifully with the image's soft and hard shapes and also the interesting connection with a bouquet of sky. The feeling of a homecoming is embedded deep within the words and image colours. The soft focus adds a feeling of memory and passing of time. Something new has come from the blending of haiku and image which is the hallmark of a really excellent haiga.
—Ron Moss
Spring 2017 AHS Haiga Kukai: Non-Seasonal Entry
dark matter . . .
we never plan
to be alone
(Note: these haiku were written in response to artwork by Ron Moss)
Scryptic Magazine First Annual Halloween Contest 2017
Judge's Choice - Visual Art
I wear
a different mask
each night
no one but you knows
the monster in me
I wear
a different mask
each night
no one but you knows
the monster in me
Judge's Comments:
Each of us have our own idea of "terrifying". For me, it's real-life monsters as I have come to face many in my short twenty-five years. This haiga really hits home for me and as soon as I saw it, I couldn't help but think it deserved an award. First of all, the image is startling. I love that you can't tell exactly what it is... dinosaur, fish, sea monster—it's just unclear, but I think that's what complements the tanka so well. I'm sure we have all met someone who wears a mask and leads you to believe they are someone they aren't. Those are the most terrifying of people. They prey on your vulnerability and wait for the right moment to attack. What takes the horror a step further is that only you know who they really are. All I can say is be careful who you put your trust in... the real-life monsters are the ones that can really hurt you.
—Lori A. Minor
Note:
The art is based on my black-and-white photograph of a bleached fish skull. I inserted a stick into the cavity and held it up to the sky so that the background would be free of distraction.
The following tanka art also appeared in the print issue:
Haiku Canada Review, Vol. 11, Number 2, October 2017
Front Cover - (Watercolour Avocet)
Back Cover
early snow
pumpkins hide
their light
***********************************************************************************
the droop
of mother's smile
mudslide
rooibos
we can almost taste
the sunset
haikutensilences
eclipsenso
Thursday, November 09, 2017
Cattails, October 2017
brush strokes
of wings against
blank skies . . .
how can I write
these words to you
pancake ice
on the lake's surface . . .
stepping stones
to some other life,
on some other shore
guitar lick
the dog teaches me
a new one
polliwogs . . .
the ripple effect
of music
of wings against
blank skies . . .
how can I write
these words to you
pancake ice
on the lake's surface . . .
stepping stones
to some other life,
on some other shore
guitar lick
the dog teaches me
a new one
polliwogs . . .
the ripple effect
of music
VerseWrights, 2017
Haiku Sequence (individual poems previously appeared in Brass Bell)
Sisters
first chemo
a yellow leaf caught
in her hair
day moon
(dis)appearing
sister's thin face
squash blossom
creases form between
her brows
fingerprints
on yellowed recipes
she is here, still
planting a Three Sisters garden we remember you
They Gave Us Life: Celebrating Mothers, Fathers & Others in Haiku, 2017
Editor: Robert Epstein
quaking aspens . . .
we have inherited
mother's hands
(originally published in Modern Haiku, Volume 48.1, Winter-Spring 2017)
quaking aspens . . .
we have inherited
mother's hands
(originally published in Modern Haiku, Volume 48.1, Winter-Spring 2017)
The Wonder Code: Discover the Way of Haiku and See the World With New Eyes, 2017
Editor: Scott Mason
cloudless sky
a pelican's pouch
full of light
(originally published in The Heron's Nest, Volume 18, 2016)
cloudless sky
a pelican's pouch
full of light
(originally published in The Heron's Nest, Volume 18, 2016)
Tinywords, Issue 17.2, October 2017
I inhale
and my lungs fill up
with bees
though all hope is lost
there is still this hum
(originally published in Hedgerow Poems, December 2016)
and my lungs fill up
with bees
though all hope is lost
there is still this hum
(originally published in Hedgerow Poems, December 2016)
The Cherita, Book 3, August 2017
Issue: "Find Me"
so many songs
inside the harmonic curve
of my ribcage
there is wind, too,
but it learned the words
from me
my old home
the prairie
redolent with sage
nothing left,
but everything
I have been missing
so many songs
inside the harmonic curve
of my ribcage
there is wind, too,
but it learned the words
from me
my old home
the prairie
redolent with sage
nothing left,
but everything
I have been missing
NeverEnding Story, November 2017
Translated into Chinese by Chen-ou Liu
homeless child
spent cherry blossoms
in his hair
First Honourable Mention
2016 Craigleigh Press Haiku Contest
Chen-ou Liu's comments:
The emotionally and visually resonant juxtaposition of "homeless child" and "spent cherry blossoms" successfully creates a sense of poignancy, making readers wonder the fate of this homeless child.
homeless child
spent cherry blossoms
in his hair
First Honourable Mention
2016 Craigleigh Press Haiku Contest
Chen-ou Liu's comments:
The emotionally and visually resonant juxtaposition of "homeless child" and "spent cherry blossoms" successfully creates a sense of poignancy, making readers wonder the fate of this homeless child.
The Mamba, Issue 4 - Africa Haiku Network, September 2017
open market
we taste the sound
of other languages
sundown
the lion's mane
on fire
we taste the sound
of other languages
sundown
the lion's mane
on fire
On Down the Road, Haiku Society of America, Members' Anthology 2017
the whistle
of a wood duck . . .
her last breath
Honourable Mention
Betty Drevniok Award 2015
of a wood duck . . .
her last breath
Honourable Mention
Betty Drevniok Award 2015
Mariposa, Number 37, Autumn/Winter 2017
the silver lake
without reflection
a mirror
that never shows me
what I want to see
without reflection
a mirror
that never shows me
what I want to see
Daily Haiku, Charlotte Digregorio's Writer's Blog, November 2017
blue sea glass
a man of war decays
in the sun
Honourable Mention
Lyrical Passion Poetry World Haiku Competition, 2015
a man of war decays
in the sun
Honourable Mention
Lyrical Passion Poetry World Haiku Competition, 2015
Brass Bell, November 2017
dark cavern
glow-worms where
my sister was
bedridden
my aunt only smiles
at birds
empty apartment
we fold mother's shadow
into boxes
glow-worms where
my sister was
bedridden
my aunt only smiles
at birds
empty apartment
we fold mother's shadow
into boxes
Friday, October 06, 2017
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, Haiku Invitational, 2017
the pink nose
of a feral rabbit . . .
sakura
Sakura Award, Canada
transience . . .
petal by petal
we let go
Winning Haiku, Canada
Judges: Angelee Deodhar, DeVar Dahl, and Billie Wilson
(more than 1200 entries)
Commentary:
Transience encloses the world without and within each of us. Because we feel more secure when we have a sense of predictability, we develop a great capacity for denying a simple truth: that nothing stays the same. That can be a challenge, but the gentleness of "petal by petal" reminds us that we'll be just fine.
of a feral rabbit . . .
sakura
Sakura Award, Canada
transience . . .
petal by petal
we let go
Winning Haiku, Canada
Judges: Angelee Deodhar, DeVar Dahl, and Billie Wilson
(more than 1200 entries)
Commentary:
Transience encloses the world without and within each of us. Because we feel more secure when we have a sense of predictability, we develop a great capacity for denying a simple truth: that nothing stays the same. That can be a challenge, but the gentleness of "petal by petal" reminds us that we'll be just fine.
The Cherita, Book 2, July 2017
Issue: "No Sat Nav...No Map...No Regrets"
looking behind
there is no trace
of you
no footfalls
announce your presence,
but when I close my eyes, you come
rest yourself
the time will come
for fightsongs
when jealous gods come courting,
do not be tempted
to lay your body down
in the old dovecote
throaty coos
of pigeons echo
I call out
your name,
for the first and last time
looking behind
there is no trace
of you
no footfalls
announce your presence,
but when I close my eyes, you come
rest yourself
the time will come
for fightsongs
when jealous gods come courting,
do not be tempted
to lay your body down
in the old dovecote
throaty coos
of pigeons echo
I call out
your name,
for the first and last time
The Cherita, Book 1, June 2017
Issue: "Telling a Story:
summersweet
that last memory
of you
among the berries,
with bees singing
in your hair
hello
I thought
you might be lost
take my hand,
we will walk backward
until we become stars
A Cherita Lighthouse Award
summersweet
that last memory
of you
among the berries,
with bees singing
in your hair
hello
I thought
you might be lost
take my hand,
we will walk backward
until we become stars
A Cherita Lighthouse Award
World Haiku Review, August 2017
dewfall
the weight of light
on bent grass
Hon. Mention
Neo-Classical Haiku Category
high humidity
a snail shoots love darts
at its mate
Zatsuei Haiku of Merit
Shintai Haiku Category
family dinner
the upside down world
of nuthatches
Zatsuei Haiku of Merit
Shintai Haiku Category
owl-light
our shadows mingle
then separate
Zatsuei Haiku of Merit
Vanguard Haiku Category
the weight of light
on bent grass
Hon. Mention
Neo-Classical Haiku Category
high humidity
a snail shoots love darts
at its mate
Zatsuei Haiku of Merit
Shintai Haiku Category
family dinner
the upside down world
of nuthatches
Zatsuei Haiku of Merit
Shintai Haiku Category
owl-light
our shadows mingle
then separate
Zatsuei Haiku of Merit
Vanguard Haiku Category
Wild Plum, Issue 3:2, Fall & Winter 2017
family circles . . .
a kingfisher stabs
the fat moon
morning frost
every blade of grass
a candle
a kingfisher stabs
the fat moon
morning frost
every blade of grass
a candle
VerseWrights, 2017
Haiku Sequences (individual poems previously appeared in Brass Bell)
Unfolding
CT scan
will I emerge
a butterfly
folding unfolding the origami of monarch butterflies
Birds
we hover around our mother hummingbirds
sunrise sunflower heads dangling a charm of finches
waxwings again not enough berries for jam
winter bird am I the only one who knows your song
The Cicada's Cry, A Micro-Zine of Haiku Poetry, 2017
The Firefly Special
hints of light
in my darkness
fireflies
hints of light
in my darkness
fireflies
Ribbons, Volume 13, Number 2, Spring/Summer 2017
on the rooftop
a colony of honeybees . . .
the buzz
among the homeless,
another shelter closing down
a colony of honeybees . . .
the buzz
among the homeless,
another shelter closing down
NHK World TV, Japan, August 2017
Haiku Masters Online Gallery
Haiku Master of the Week, Video - August 15th
Haiku Master of the Week, Video - August 15th
Commentary by Kazuko Nishimura:
In the photo, you can see empty shells abandoned on the beach, yet we can imagine children playing on the beach through the use of the phrase "echoing cries of children". Although the photo seems devoid of life, the haiku adds excitement to the work, filling the audience with the image of a lively summer day. We can also feel nature in the photo, as sand-filled shells allude to waves crashing on the beach. The black frame around the work also seems to add a sense of melancholy, as if it is preparing the audience for the end of summer.
Commentary by Kit Pancoast Nagamura
The delicate ear-shapes of shells half buried in sand works perfectly with the content of the haiku, about the fading echoes of summer. The stillness of the sand, leveled by waves inside the shell hollows, suggests the passing of time, and the possibility that the poem's narrator is referring to summers years gone. Without the photo, the haiku would verge on the simplicity of song lyrics, but combined, the elements are more than the sum of their parts. The words in black, and the photo framed in black (which works visually well with the shell shadows), add a somber note to the work, suggesting a funereal sadness.
(note: NHK holds copyright)
NeverEnding Story, August 2017
Translated into Chinese by Chen-ou Liu
rocky ledge
a wolf with the moon
in its mouth
3rd Place
Irish Haiku Society
7th International Haiku Competition, 2015
Chen-ou Liu's comments:
Combined with the zoom-out technique, the unexpected yet visually powerful last line lifts this imagistic haiku up a notch.
rocky ledge
a wolf with the moon
in its mouth
3rd Place
Irish Haiku Society
7th International Haiku Competition, 2015
Chen-ou Liu's comments:
Combined with the zoom-out technique, the unexpected yet visually powerful last line lifts this imagistic haiku up a notch.
Kokako, Number 27, September 2017
caribou migration here then gone midnight sun
fog hangs in the hollow a nest of owlets
tent city . . .
salamanders scurry
in all directions
fog hangs in the hollow a nest of owlets
tent city . . .
salamanders scurry
in all directions
Gusts, Number 26, Fall/Winter 2017
whisperings
among long-eared bats
remind me
of all the secrets
that used to be mine
wormholes
in the acorn necklaces
we made . . .
even on dark days,
small points of light
minnows flash
through silver shoals
at dusk . . .
you teach me how
to be a mermaid
among long-eared bats
remind me
of all the secrets
that used to be mine
wormholes
in the acorn necklaces
we made . . .
even on dark days,
small points of light
minnows flash
through silver shoals
at dusk . . .
you teach me how
to be a mermaid
Frogpond, Vol. 40.2, Spring/Summer 2017
A kind mention of my work in the review of Dust Devils by Randy Brooks:
lilac buds
no one notices
the bruises
Haiku Canada Review, Vol. 10, Number 1, February 2016
lilac buds
no one notices
the bruises
Haiku Canada Review, Vol. 10, Number 1, February 2016
Dwarf Stars 2017 - The Best Very Short Speculative Poems Published in 2016
our bodies
no more than stardust
we fall
from constellations
and for a moment, shine
Kokako 25, September 2016
no more than stardust
we fall
from constellations
and for a moment, shine
Kokako 25, September 2016
Daily Haiku, Charlotte Digregorio's Writer's Blog, September 2017
curling leaves
you turn your face up
to the sun
Hon. Mention
Autumn Haiku Contest, 2015
Japan Information and Culture Centre
you turn your face up
to the sun
Hon. Mention
Autumn Haiku Contest, 2015
Japan Information and Culture Centre
Daily Haiku, Charlotte Digregorio's Writer's Blog, August 2017
rusted gate
old lilacs blooming
for no one
Selected Haiku
7th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum Contest, 2015
old lilacs blooming
for no one
Selected Haiku
7th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum Contest, 2015
Creatrix Poetry and Haiku Journal, Number 38, September 2017
graveyard snow
the call and answer
of chickadees
dandelions . . .
every bee flecked
with light
the call and answer
of chickadees
dandelions . . .
every bee flecked
with light
Brass Bell, October 2017
morning dew
the galaxies between
our toes
fiddleheads
the curled ears
of newborns
snow mounds
the growing roundness
of her belly
the galaxies between
our toes
fiddleheads
the curled ears
of newborns
snow mounds
the growing roundness
of her belly
Brass Bell, September 2017
a fever of migrating stingrays summer graces
glazed pond
a beaver's tail breaks
the hush
starfish
in your arms
the sea
glazed pond
a beaver's tail breaks
the hush
starfish
in your arms
the sea
Blithe Spirit,, Vol. 27, Number 3, August 2017
sakura . . .
my mouth full of stones
at the news
old vineyard . . .
our shadows ripen
between rows
beneath
the merlin's nest,
an ossuary . . .
it all comes
down to this
we lived
above a bake shop
that summer
of bread and tempers
rising through the night
my mouth full of stones
at the news
old vineyard . . .
our shadows ripen
between rows
beneath
the merlin's nest,
an ossuary . . .
it all comes
down to this
we lived
above a bake shop
that summer
of bread and tempers
rising through the night
Blithe Spirit, Vol. 27, Number 2, May 2017
dust motes . . .
the worn patches
on his saddle
robinsong . . .
the scent of earth
newly warm
awakening
to find myself grown
out of this skin . . .
will you recognize me
each time I am reborn
acquainted
with the ocean's rhythms
a dolphin
carries me on its back
to my home among stars
Please note that the results of the 2016 British Haiku Society Awards also appear in this issue. Commentaries may be viewed in the British Haiku Society post of April 15, 2017 on this blog.
Tanka Section
tracks of birds
meander through snow . . .
the surgeon
marks her left breast
with a cross
1st Place
impossible
to hold the light
of mercury . . .
your memory
slips away
Runner-up
Haiku Section
harsh winter
squirrels gnaw the tines
of shed antlers
Special Mention
the worn patches
on his saddle
robinsong . . .
the scent of earth
newly warm
awakening
to find myself grown
out of this skin . . .
will you recognize me
each time I am reborn
acquainted
with the ocean's rhythms
a dolphin
carries me on its back
to my home among stars
Please note that the results of the 2016 British Haiku Society Awards also appear in this issue. Commentaries may be viewed in the British Haiku Society post of April 15, 2017 on this blog.
Tanka Section
tracks of birds
meander through snow . . .
the surgeon
marks her left breast
with a cross
1st Place
impossible
to hold the light
of mercury . . .
your memory
slips away
Runner-up
Haiku Section
harsh winter
squirrels gnaw the tines
of shed antlers
Special Mention
Atlas Poetica, Number 29, August 2017
Individual Cherita:
in our courtyard
the dead snag
has silvered with age
we still hear
faint echoes of birds,
but have forgotten how to sing
you lift me up
from this vantage point
I can see
a parallel universe,
in which the only truth
is mercy
Tanka Sequence:
Reaping
the highway
smothered with ashes . . .
every year,
this debate between
urbanites and farmers
city allotments,
each marked by fencing . . .
when did we start
being afraid of strangers,
being afraid to share
greening . . .
even arctic foxes
build gardens—
with one seed at a time,
could we not feed the world
Individual Tanka:
clouds break
against desert peaks . . .
shards fall
into the open mouths
of thirsty children
beyond
this inner darkness,
snowlight
erases the stains
on my conscience
bullets of crows
on gunmetal nights . . .
a deeper shade
of anguish echoes
in her bones
nothing
but cold comfort
in knowing
that the sea you loved
now spirits you away
in our courtyard
the dead snag
has silvered with age
we still hear
faint echoes of birds,
but have forgotten how to sing
you lift me up
from this vantage point
I can see
a parallel universe,
in which the only truth
is mercy
Tanka Sequence:
Reaping
the highway
smothered with ashes . . .
every year,
this debate between
urbanites and farmers
city allotments,
each marked by fencing . . .
when did we start
being afraid of strangers,
being afraid to share
greening . . .
even arctic foxes
build gardens—
with one seed at a time,
could we not feed the world
Individual Tanka:
clouds break
against desert peaks . . .
shards fall
into the open mouths
of thirsty children
beyond
this inner darkness,
snowlight
erases the stains
on my conscience
bullets of crows
on gunmetal nights . . .
a deeper shade
of anguish echoes
in her bones
nothing
but cold comfort
in knowing
that the sea you loved
now spirits you away
Asahi Haikuist Network, September 2017
(first appeared in the September 2016 issue)
blues festival
stray dogs howling
at streetlights
blues festival
stray dogs howling
at streetlights
Monday, July 31, 2017
The Haiku Foundation Haiga Galleries, 2017
The following galleries showcase 39 award-winning haiku and tanka:
Haiku
and Tanka Sketches Gallery
#1
downriver
stone
cairns
a faded cap
drifts
downriver
1st Place
H.G. Henderson Haiku Contest 2015
Frogpond 38.3 Autumn
2015
watercolor/digital elements
#2
light
two deep
valleys
in a
mountain’s shadow
village
children
pleading at
day’s end
for one
more shaft of light
Certificate
of Merit
Japan
Poets’ Society 8th Int’l Tanka Festival Competition 2016
Ribbons
12.3 Fall 2016
watercolor/digital
elements
#3
still
great blue
heron
leaning
into the mirror
I become
still
Front Cover
Illustration Contest Winner
The
Heron’s Nest 2014
cattails May 2014
digital
sketch
#4
bones
on the
tundra
caging a
winter sky
caribou
bones
3rd
Place
Second
Annual “AHA” Awards 2014
cattails
May 2014
watercolor/digital
elements
#5
wings
the
stillness
of a
dragonfly’s wings
first frost
Judge’s
Choice
Craigleigh
Press Haiku Contest 2016
watercolor/digital
elements
#6
small
split
chrysalis
all the
ways we learn
to become
small
Museum of
Haiku Literature Award
Blithe
Spirit 26.1 February
2016
digital
sketch
#7
curve
the curve
of an
avocet’s bill . . .
sickle moon
Editor’s
Choice
cattails
April 2017
watercolor/digital
elements
#8
curling
curling
leaves
you turn
your face up
to the sun
Honorable Mention
Japan Information and Culture Center
Autumn Haiku Contest 2015
watercolor/digital elements
#9
moth
atlas moth
the places
I thought
we’d go
Honorable
Mention
Jane
Reichhold International Prize
15th
Annual ukiaHaiku Festival 2017
digital
sketch
#10
symphony
your
fingers
played a
symphony
in my hair
when I was
a cello
and you
were the bow
Editor’s
Choice
cattails January 2015
watercolor/digital
elements
#11
blossoms
gone too
soon
sakura
blossoms
my old
friends
Sakura Award, Canada
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Invitational 2015
Wordless: Haiku Canada – 40 Years of Haiku Anthology
2017
watercolor/digital elements
#12
cupped
in cupped
hands
the harvest
moon rests
for a
moment
1st
Place
Bangor Haiku Group
Autumn Moon Contest 2015
digital sketch
#13
wind
out to
pasture
only the
wind upon
her bent
back
Commendation
Romanian Haiku Group
Sharpening the Green Pencil 4th Haiku Contest 2015
watercolor/digital elements
#14
cranes
last
campout . . .
sandhill
cranes call down
the
northern lights
Honorable Mention
Robert Spiess Memorial Haiku Award Competition 2017
Modern
Haiku 48.2 Summer
2017
watercolor/digital
elements
Tanka Nature Photography
Gallery
#1
rainsong
with
rainsong
whispering
in my ear
how could I
not have
known that
the time
had come for leaving
Commended
British
Haiku Society Awards 2014/15
Soft
Thunder Anthology 2015
photo
#2
swans
mute swans
under a
moon bridge . . .
the things
I should
have confessed
make no
difference now
1st
Place
Fleeting
Words Tanka Contest 2016
cattails
September 2016
macro photo
#3
numbered
each moment
here on
earth is numbered . . .
so why not
fly too close
to the moon,
and hang
our hats on stars
1st
Place
Mandy’s
Pages Annual Tanka Contest 2016
photo
#4
cursive
migrating
geese
writing
cursive letters
across the
sky . . .
I finally
read between
the white
of your lies
Runner-up
British
Haiku Society Awards 2014/15
Soft
Thunder Anthology
2015
macro photo
#5
smile
they called
us
to collect
her things . . .
not knowing
what to do
with her teeth,
we left her
smile in the trash
Honorable
Mention
World Tanka
Competition 2013
Lyrical
Passion Poetry 2013
photo
#6
miracles
wishing
seeds
cartwheel
through warm air
how quiet
this
fleeting moment
this belief
in miracles
2nd
Honorable Mention
Fleeting
Words Tanka Contest 2015
cattails
September 2015
macro photo
#7
softly
dried curls
of gray
reindeer moss
crunch
softly
underneath
our boots . . .
no other
sound, but breath
1st
Place (tie)
San
Francisco Int’l Competition 2016
Mariposa
36 Spring/Summer
2017
macro photo
#8
meander
tracks of
birds
meander
through snow . . .
the surgeon
marks her
left breast
with a
cross
1st
Place
British
Haiku Society Awards 2016
Blithe
Spirit 27.2 May 2017
macro photo
#9
nesting
gulls
nesting
on the
cottage roof . . .
fallen
feathers
sprouting
from my boots
today, my
feet have wings
Honorable
Mention
Undertow
Tanka Review Annual
Tanka Contest 2015
Undertow
Tanka Review September
2015
photo
#10
mercury
impossible
to hold the
light
of mercury
. . .
your memory
slips away
Runner-up
British
Haiku Society Awards 2016
Blithe
Spirit 27.2 May 2017
macro photo
#11
mythology
fallen
leaves
in uncured
cement . . .
we imprint
our own
mythology
upon each
other’s lives
Short-listed
Eucalypt Distinctive Scribblings
Award 2016
Eucalypt
21 December 2016
macro photo
#12
ache
the dry
ache
of a long
goodbye . . .
how do we
reach the
other side
with the
bridge washed out
Editor’s
Choice
cattails January 2016
photo
Haiku
Mixed Media Gallery
#1
broken
broken eggs
in the
chicken coop
I find your
note
2nd
Place
Penumbra
Haiku Competition 2017
Seven
Hills Review 22
2017
photo/digital
elements
#2
breath
the whistle
of a wood
duck . . .
her last
breath
Honorable Mention
Betty Drevniok Award 2015
On Down the Road, Haiku Society of America 2017 Members' Anthology
watercolor/digital
elements
#3
mindscapes
mindscapes
the
childhood pets
i never had
Honorable Mention, Mixed Media Category
Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition 2016
Failed Haiku 11 November 2016
layered
sketch and photo/digital elements
#4
wolf
rocky ledge
a wolf with
the moon
in its
mouth
3rd
Place (tie)
Irish Haiku
Society 7th Int’l Haiku Competition 2015
Wordless: Haiku Canada - 40 Years of Haiku Anthology 2017
photo/digital elements
#5
flowering
stark
branches
the first
flowering
of
snowflakes
Award of Excellence, WHAC8
World Haiku Association Commemorative Haiga Contest 2015
World Haiku 12 2016
watercolor/digital elements
#6
shine
fireflies
so many reasons
to shine
Honorable Mention, Shintai Category
World Haiku Review June 2016
layered
photos/digital elements
#7
between
fog weaving
between fence posts
a coyote’s song
Honorable Mention
Griffin-Farlow Haiku Award 2015
Pinesong 52 2016
photo/digital elements
#8
tines
harsh
winter
squirrels
gnaw the tines
of shed
antlers
Special Mention
British Haiku Society Awards 2016
Blithe Spirit 27.2 May 2017
photo/digital
elements
#9
moonlight
weathered
barn
the silence
of cobwebs
in
moonlight
Honorable Mention
European Haiku Society Prize 2016
photo/digital elements
#10
circles
painted
ponies
going
around in circles
we find
ourselves
Honorable Mention, Mixed Media Category
Jane Reichhold Memorial Haiga Competition 2016
Failed Haiku 11 November 2016
photo/digital
elements
#11
rusted
rusted
bucket
cherry
blossoms patch
every hole
2nd
Place
Bulgarian
Haiku Union
2nd
Int’l Haiku “Cherry Blossom” Contest 2016
layered photos/digital elements
#12
silence
lavender
we pack her
clothes
in silence
Selected Haiku
Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum
English Haiku Contest 2016
watercolor/digital
elements
#13
night
fog deepens
the sound
of rabbits
nibbling
night
Grand Prize
World Haiku Competition 2016
Lyrical Passion Poetry 2016
photo/digital
elements
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