5th Annual Poet's Choice Kukai 2007

Kigo Poems

First Place -- 37 pts

starry night . . .

what's left of my life

is enough

ron moss

(5,7,8) = 37 pts

A wonder-full sense of melancholy and satisfaction.

An effective use of personal statement set against the broad expanse of a starry night sky. A very open haiku that takes our eyes heavenward and then back to complete agreement with the poet. This is what haiku is all about to me; the fact that on any certain moment one can be suffused with the feeling that right now, this moment is all I need. There is the sense of connection and complete fulfillment.

The warm and satisfied immediacy of this realization contrasts with the cold distance of the stars.

This one stood out for me among all the entries during the past year, and I have often returned to it in thought.

This is just how I feel in a beautiful summer night. I will quote this again and again. Thank you for putting it in words.

A Zen-like moment of appreciation and acceptance.

It is tough to get philosophical in a haiku, this is well done, subtle and effective!

When something is too beautiful for words, I'll remember this haiku.

Second Place -- 28 pts

spring dusk —

the earth's fragrance

after the plow

Mary Lee McClure

(2,2,18) = 28 pts

My farmer father used to say he could pour cream on it and eat it.

It’s always nice to see the sense of smell used, the word fragrance is a great choice because it tells us so much about this rich soil.

Third Place -- 27 pts

crocus . . .

the balloon-man returns

to the park

Carol Raisfeld

(1/6/12) = 27 pts

The allusion to e.e. cummings' 'balloon man', whether intended by the poet or not, makes this poem more enjoyable for me.

Beautiful imagery!

I love the shape of the crocus/balloon, the start of a new season, the bright purples and yellows, not mentioned, but implied.

Fifth Place -- 26 pts

spring wind —

the moon slips by

the open door

hortensia anderson

(1,3,17) = 26 pts

I see the season, the wind, the moon, and time itself slipping past, but sense the narrator's enjoyment of every moment.

Fifth Place -- 24 pts

blizzard

the barber's attention

not all mine

Bill Hudson

(2,3,12) = 24 pts

Does it snow in Seville? The forced wonder at what the barber is thinking is marvelous.

A haiku that makes me a bit nervous, hoping that the person in the chair doesn't lose anything more than hair!

Sixth Place -- 20 pts

dandelion fluff

a new mother caresses

her baby's head

Carmel Lively Westerman

(1,4,9) = 20 pts

I can feel and see these images beautifully, based in reality, very tender comparison.

Seventh Place -- 19 pts

summer's end

the morning glories

enter the mailbox

RaV

(1,5,6) = 19 pts

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of summers end against the unchecked growth of the morning glory. The mood of this moment provides various interpretations that would depend on how one felt about the end of summer. Despite the fact it portrays the end of a season, there is something liberating about the morning glory finally reaching the top of the mailbox. Or, perhaps it's a lonely feeling. Perhaps the mail box has been empty all summer with no one to open it allowing the morning glory free reign; a focused image that allows the reader to fill in the blanks.

taking the combs

out of her hair

Spring wind

carol bleichert

(1,4,8) = 19 pts

Sensual, maybe she also feels some sap rising.

Eighth Place -- 18 pts

blizzard . . .

the garden Buddha's

enduring smile

Nancy Smith

(1,4,7) = 18 pts

This gives me such a serene haiku moment, thank you...I'd give more points if possible!

Ninth Place -- 17 pts

morning glories

in the chain link fence

an inmate's finger

Josh Wikoff

(2,3,5) = 17 pts

I love its ambiguity.

If the key element of good haiku is the juxtaposition of the two images, then this one does a great job by contrasting of the soft beauty of flowers against the harsh chain link. An inmate’s finger is a great line because it lets the imagination fill in the details of this inmate: male or female? Clutching the fence or trying to touch the flowers? Or beckoning you to come closer?

Tenth Place -- 16 pts

father's day —

teaching him to walk

again

sanjukta

(0,5,6) = 16 pts

In seven words, a lifetime of relationship.

Eleventh Place -- 14 pts

a dew drop

full

of autumn light

Helge Torvund

(1,2,7) = 14 pts

sharing my plan

to travel the world -

dandelion

Cherie Hunter Day

(0,2,10) = 14 pts

Lovely...lofty.

I like this one about the ambitious dandelion, a note of humor.

Twelfth Place -- 13 pts

spring dusk

she would have stopped here

to smell the lilac

RaV

(0,3,7) = 13 pts

flea haiku ~

I scratch

my head

Paul Hodder

(0,5,3) = 13 pts

autumn light —

the smell of tomato vines

on my fingers

DeVar

(0,1,11) = 13 pts

A breathtaking moment of oneness...a twin to the haiku of "earth's fragrance after the plow".

Thirteen Place -- 12 pts

first crocus

I make a promise

I can't keep

Tom Painting

(1,3,3) = 12 pts

starry night

the fox's eyes

in the headlights

Polona

(0,4,4) = 12 pts

counting the ways

I could have said goodbye

~ starry night

Paul Hodder

(0,3,6) = 12 pts

starry night . . .

hot popcorn

in white paper cups

Carol Raisfeld

(0,2,8) = 12 pts

All five senses in this neat little sketch from nature.

A very sensual haiku: seeing stars, feel the heat of the popcorn through the paper, the smell of butter and salt, but it lets the reader fill in the location, perhaps a country fair or the drive-in.

Fourteenth Place -- 11 pts

Father's Day —

fresh forget-me-nots

on a soldier's grave

Zhanna P. Rader

(0,3,5) = 11 pts

either side

of the privacy fence

dandelions

tom painting

(0,3,5) = 11 pts

Wonderfully understated! I am always in awe of a haiku that allows me to finish the thought myself. I envy the freedom of that healthy weed that has no need for privacy fences and in fact, seeds itself despite them.

Fifteenth Place -- 10 pts

starry night . . .

she adds another name

to the family tree

Francine Banwarth

(1,0,7) = 10 pts

sand fleas

the bites don't stop

at her tan line

Susan Constable

(0,3,4) = 10 pts

Great sense of humor and predicament.

spring wind

I catch

. . . my hat

Collin Barber

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

new neighbors —

blue morning glories

in the weed pile

Laurene

(0,1,8) = 10 pts

autumn light ...

squeak of an empty swing

in the breeze

Boris Nazansky

((0,1,8) = 10 pts

Sixteenth Place -- 8 pts

Father's Day...

a cigar band

on her doll's ponytail

Scott Mason

(0,0,8) = 8 pts

Nicely indirect way to comment on his day.

Seventeenth Place -- 6 pts

taking a bow

in the late autumn light

sunflowers

Karen Briggs

(0,0,6) = 6 pts

Eighteenth Place -- 5 pts

the hair

between the cat's toes

autumn light

---Autumn Moon

(1,1,0) = 5 pts

autumn light —

the onyx heron

turn to amber

-- Karen Cesar

(1,0,2) = 5 pts

flea market

the bargainer stops

to scratch his head

jul

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

starry night

breathing deeper

and deeper

Grzegorz Sionkowski

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

crocus

in grandmother's hand

spring again

Dany Fisher

(0,0,5) = 5 pts

A mixture of show and tell that puts, for me, the light and sparkle of memory on to the face.

Father's Day

without him . . .

half-moon

w. f. owen

(0,0,5) = 5 pts

Nineteenth Place -- 2 pts

spring dusk

scratching the first

mosquito bite

Bill Hudson

((0,0,2) = 2 pts

Twentieth Place -- no points

blizzard . . .

in the knitted throw

the scent of Mom

Alice Frampton

GENERAL COMMENTS:

A great crop and a hard choice!

Such a great selection of haiku made voting extremely difficult. I think they're ALL winners!

These are certainly worth a second look.

Free Format Poems

First Place -- 36 pts

mountain bridge —

I pass through

the clouds

Kala Ramesh

(4,5,14) = 36 pts

A haiku I have remembered since it first appeared. An example that I try to aspire to.

Second Place -- 23 pts

dawn

in every direction

birdsong

Bridget Cougar

(2,6,5) = 23 pts

It takes me there.

Such a potent scene, five words and I am there with the writer, beautiful.

Beautifully depicted in perfectly simple words. I'm right there.

Third Place -- 22 pts

old dog

up the stairs

in my arms

Roberta Beary

(1,5,9) = 22 pts

Fourth Place -- 20 pts

bird song

the motionless shadow

of the cat

Petar Tchouhov

(2,5,4) = 20 pts

long weekend.

the gardener cultivates

his shadow

Nancy Smith

(0,3,14) = 20 pts

An evocative juxtaposition between 'long' weekend and 'cultivates his shadow'. There is the sense of time stretching out, shadows stretching out, until one can not escape one's own shadow.

Nice play on the visual image of how he stands with his shadow.

In reading this haiku, I hope that both gardener and garden will continue to grow and flourish.

Fifth Place -- 19 pts

bedtime

the book she knows

by heart

tom painting

(2,1,11) = 19 pts

I just love this one.

bedtime —

a yawn travels

around the room

Zhanna P. Rader

(1,4,8) = 19 pts

Ah-h-h-h-h-h, yes.

I'll never watch a traveling yawn again without remembering this!

Sixth Place -- 17 pts

his guide dog

bolts from room to room -

funeral day

Mary Davila

(0,4,9) = 17 pts

dreary day —

only a gravedigger

whistling

Jacek

(0,3,11) = 17 pts

It is the word "only" that does it! A fine image.

How can something so sad be so lovely?

Seventh Place -- 16 pts

packing .

unpacking .

weekends with dad

Nancy Nitrio

(2,1,8) = 16 pts

home run ~

my two year old cheers

the wrong team

Paul Hodder

(1,3,7) = 16 pts

This clearly goes to show how judgmental adults can be and with time, we only get worse!!!!

Eighth Place -- 15 pts

white breath

nothing between it

& the moon

Ann K. Schwader

(2,2,5) = 15 pts

Ninth Place -- 14 pts

fifteen below

a man with ski mask

enters the bank

Richmond Williams

(2,2,4) = 14 pts

A classic senryu with a nice touch of visual humour.

jazz festival . . .

the glint of a sax

at sunset

Carol Raisfeld

(1,3,5) = 14 pts

after a storm

the rainbow bending over

what's left

Bill Kenney

(1,2,7) = 14 pts

A different rainbow, often reduced to the cliché warm fuzzy feeling, here the rainbow looks down, almost personified, over the devastation that follows a storm.

Very effective!

icy mustache

the last rusty lug nut

begins to turn

Edward

(0,3,8) = 14 pts

Oh yes, THE moment captured as sharply as the frigid breath.

A great image of having a flat tire in winter weather. My fingers and toes almost feel cold while reading this.

Tenth Place -- 13 pts

autumn stillness —

rainbow trout

bump my waders

John Healey

(1,2,6) = 13 pts

old man on the bridge —

his still face

in the flowing water

Gosia Zamorska

(1,2,6) = 13 pts

Another fabulous juxtaposition. The first line opens with a broad image of a bridge with an old man looking over the edge then zeros in to focus on the reflection of his face. I find it poignant when I realize this man's approaching the end of life, yet the river keeps flowing, flowing, flowing. A profound haiku.

A touching haiku with so much implied by the images: flowing water as the unstoppable river of time; bridges we all cross as old age approaches; the still face could be deep thought, a touch of melancholy day-dreaming or perhaps an acceptance of time/death.

All Souls' Day

I open my father's

black umbrella

Petar Tchouhov

(0,5,3) = 13 pts

This has haunted me since the first time I read it. It has, on second view, lost none of its power.

Eleventh Place -- 12 pts

bedtime:

even the moon snuggles

under a cloud

--Karen Cesar

(1,1,7) = 12 pts

Will there be no end to beautiful haiku on the moon?!

hanging bridge...

only the stars

from side to side

Dorota Pyra

(1,2,5) = 12 pts

Twelfth Place -- 11 pts

dusty seashell

the words he whispered

in my ear

Polona

(1,1,6) = 11 pts

This makes me think of the shape of the ear and the seashell, and how we hold onto memories.

the arc

of his line at sunrise

rainbow trout

Susan Constable

(1,1,6) = 11 pts

double rainbow

her second wish

a small one

--Irene Golas

(1,1,6) = 11 pts

I am completely captivated by the human aspect of this haiku. It's as if the wisher is afraid to spoil things by asking for too much, so she makes one big wish, then thinks maybe a double rainbow allows for another one. She doesn't tempt fate though, and chooses a small wish. I like the sense of humbleness to this haiku and of course it opens with a broad vivid image of the double rainbow.

Thirteenth Place -- 10 pts

rainbow's end. . .

the trawler's gillnet

drawn tight

Carole MacRury

(1,1,5) = 10 pts

bedtime —

she asks if her doll can stay

awake a little longer

Kala Ramesh

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

Fourteenth Place -- 9 pts

old songbook

the faint stain of whisky

on a farewell song

Keiko

(0,1,7) = 9 pts

Fifteenth Place -- 8 pts

narrow bridge ~

the distance

between us

Paul Hodder

(0,3,2) = 8 pts

This one speaks volumes, yet still provides an interesting setting of the narrow bridge and the two people on it who seem unable to bridge their differences. Wonderful juxtaposition.

hazy moon —

a love song

lost to static

Collin Barber

(0,2,4) = 8 pts

gran's handwriting

I email my daughter

her recipe

-- ushi

(0,1,6) = 8 pts

dreary day . . .

he tells me all of it

again

Francine Banwarth

(0,0,8) = 8 pts

Perhaps not only bad news being told, but also a statement about the narrator's mind. Dealing with dementia is difficult; the repetition of bad news even worse.

Sixteenth Place -- 7 pts

the sweeping arch

of the pitcher's curve

summer solstice

tom painting

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

Seventeenth Place -- 6 pts

sudden downpour

bleeding on a concrete sky

the chalk rainbow

Laura Orabone

(0,0,6) = 6 pts

Eighteenth Place -- 5 pts

dreary morning...

the taste and texture

of powdered eggs

ed markowski

(0,0,5) = 5 pts

Nineteenth Place -- 3 pts

bedtime . . .

a half-moon cradles

the crow's nest

sheila windsor

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

bedtime

the cat already sprawled

where my feet should go

Beverley George

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

Twentieth Place -- 2 pts

the Yankees lost —

his hesitation

to answer the phone

Audrey Downey

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

GENERAL COMMENTS:

How to choose when they are all so excellent!!

It is so enjoyable reading these haiku again, thank you for this w