Congratulations to Ron Moss, winner of our Kigo section and to Polona Oblak, winner of our Free Format section!
December 2006 Results
Kigo Theme:
Starry Night
First Place -- 25 pts
starry night . . .
what's left of my life
is enough
ron moss
(3,7,2) = 25 pts
** This haiku hits the mark completely. Reading it, I immediately felt the radiance of it's fullness and richness. Well done!
Second Place -- 18 pts
starry night
the fox's eyes
in the headlights
Polona
(2,4,4) = 18 pts
** that swift narrowing of focus, and it's all about light
counting the ways
I could have said goodbye
~ starry night
Paul Hodder
(1,5,5) = 18 pts
Third Place -- 15 pts
starry night
breathing deeper
and deeper
Grzegorz Sionkowski
(2,3,3) = 15 pts
starry night . . .
she adds another name
to the family tree
Francine Banwarth
(1,1,10) = 15 pts
starry night . . .
hot popcorn
in white paper cups
Carol Raisfeld
(1,4,4) = 15 pts
** WOW, It conjures blockbuster entertainment, shared experience, awe, even hunger and satiation; its original and easy for a reader to associate. And then a little more detail - white paper cups - takes it to another level. Very Nice.
Fourth Place -- 14 pts
starry night
a jet blinks across
the empty spaces
Bill Kenney
(1,4,3) = 14 pts
starry night
the scarecrow's hat
gleaming with frost
Jacek
(1,2,7) = 14 pts
starry night:
lowering
our voices
Linda Marucci
(1,2,7) = 14 pts
Fifth Place -- 13 pts
starry night
I smooth the goosebumps
on her arms
RaV
(1,2,6) = 13 pts
Sixth Place -- 12 pts
starry night
hearing the snow
underfoot
Ann K. Schwader
(1,3,3) = 12 pts
starry night
ice crystals sparkle
on the sidewalk
Warren Gossett
(0,3,6) = 12 pts
Seventh Place -- 10 pts
starry night
wail of a trombone
from the ninth ward
Ellen Compton
(1,3,1) = 10 pts
starry night;
the coolness of quarters
while ringing you
koast
(1,2,3) = 10 pts
starry night . . .
the scent of fresh snow
fallen on the mountain
--Michael McClintock
(1,1,5) = 10 pts
starry night
an angel peers through
the theater curtain
Earl Keener
(0,3,4) = 10 pts
slice of skates
on the frozen lake
starry night
Ruth Powell
(0,1,8) = 10 pts
Eighth Place -- 9 pts
starry night
counting the sleeps
until Christmas
Susan Constable
(0,2,5) = 9 pts
** A clever pun with sleep/sheep instead of a groaner
starry night —
I locate Polaris
through my breath
Audrey Downey
(0,2,5) = 9 pts
Ninth Place -- 8 pts
starry night -
drifting snow
alters the constellations
MAM
(1,2,1) = 8 pts
starry night - -
the shimmering riverside
lantern procession
Daniela Bullas
(1,1,3) = 8 pts
** The lights below mirror the lights above-nice visual.
starry night...
one light missing in
the jeweler's neon
Keiko Izawa
(0,3,2) = 8 pts
starry night
my neck is tired
from looking up
Bill Hudson
(0,2,4) = 8 pts
starry night
snow angels and footprints
dot an open field
-- Karen Cesar
(0,0,8) = 8 pts
Tenth Place -- 7 pts
lighting off the candle
on the villa's terrace
-- starry sky
Tom Maretic
(1,1,2) = 7 pts
starry night--
the perfume
of white flowers
Autumn Moon
(0,1,5) = 7 pts
** Yes! Yes! We best not disturb them in their peace and quiet.
starry night
the sparkle
in her eyes
Meredith
(0,1,5) = 7 pts
starry night
the red kettle filled
with pocket change
tom painting
(0,0,7) = 7 pts
Eleventh Place -- 6 pts
starry night . . .
on every single twig,
an ice crystal rainbow
mike farley
(1,1,1) = 6 pts
sleepless night -
I scribble a poem
amidst the stars
Kala Ramesh
(1,1,1) = 6 pts
cold little hands
slip inside my mittens
a starry night
Barbara Snow
(0,2,2) = 6 pts
starry night
even the crickets are silent
only the wall clock
Johannes Manjrekar
(0,3,0) = 6 pts
starry night -
the old man
counting his years
miorita
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
starry night
over new snow
trees crack
Mike McCulley
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
starry night --
she blows out the candles
with one breath
Ana Cadarin
(0,0,6) = 6 pts
Twelfth Place -- 5 pts
starry night --
the doe's breath steams above
the ice as she drinks
Angela
(1,0,2) = 5 pts
starry night--
when the meteorite flashes
she holds me tighter
--LGD
(1,0,2) = 5 pts
starry night-
I blow warmth into the wings
of the rescued bird.
Cristian Mocanu
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
starry night
Cassiopeia breathing
diamonds
--Jazmine
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
one day
these bones will lie apart --
starry night
Sue Stanford
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
last call
he walks
into the starry night
aom
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
starry night . . .
in my new Zen book
I flip to any page
Andrew Riutta
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
** a genuinely witty juxtaposition.
Starry night
your icy toes
startling my thigh
Yositaka
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
starry night--
blossoms embroidered
on blue silk
Tristan Coleridge
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
starry night
fulfilling wishes
we never had
emile molhuysen
(0,0,5) = 5 pts
starry night
after each pause the cricket
a higher octave
Bruce Ross
(0,0,5) = 5 pts
** After some hesitation, I was won over by what I came to hear as the complexity and expressiveness of the rhythm.
Thirteenth Place -- 4 pts
starry night--
the window is wet
against my cold finger tips
Michael
(0,2,0) = 4 pts
starry night -
searching the internet
for constellations
robert naczas
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
starry night
galaxies of frost
in his hair
Andria Plowman
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
starry night
I try to listen
through Van Gogh's ear
Darrell Lindsey
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
starry night -
they are ever so old
her grandson explains
Jim Swift
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
** And I can see Gramma's patient smile as he does this.
** Most kiddy ku are cute or sentimental; this one rings true.
Evensong,
the church doors open,
starry night.
Trevor Camp
(0,0,4) = 4 pts
one last ornament
for the listing pine
starry night
Pris Campbell
(0,0,4) = 4 pts
starry night
under the blanket
a flashlight
w.f. owen
(0,0,4) = 4 pts
Fourteenth Place -- 3 pts
starry night -
my small hand firmly
in dad's big paw
max verhart
(1,0,0) = 3 pts
again
hand in hand;
starry night
Magdalena Dale
(1,0,3) = 3 pts
a cold and starry night
with the moon high overhead
we wonder what is out there
Mr PC
(1,0,0) = 3 pts
starry night
the tugboat's noise fades
on the playground
martin
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
starry night -
Venus close to
the moon
il.balan
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
starry night--
snow's
overture
William M. Gottlieb
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
** I love the anticipation of the snow keenly felt by the word "overture". Beautifully done.
Winter landscape
so clear in my mind
starry night
Ashi
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
the scratch a wool scarf
on the back of my neck--
starry night
DeVar
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
starry sky
the scream
of the owl
D.V. Rozic
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
starry night
the moon shivers
in the chill
Sjs
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
starry night
the twinkle in her eyes
when she smiles
Karen Briggs
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
starry night
i count
my blessings
Roberta Beary
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
Free Format Theme:
Memories
First Place -- 25 pts
dusty seashell
the words he whispered
in my ear
Polona
(1,5,12) = 25 pts
Second Place -- 23 pts
All Souls' Day
I open my father's
black umbrella
Petar Tchouhov
(2,4,9) = 23 pts
** The moment a memory is triggered. "open" is such an eloquent word here.
Third Place – 20 pts
gran’s handwriting
I email my daughter
her recipe
-- ushi
(0,6,8) = 20 pts
** Finding the recipes brings out a daughter’s memories of her mother, and then the email brings out the granddaughter’s memories of two people. Well done!
.
Fourth Place -- 14 pts
memories--
wondering if all of them
are true
Mary Lee McClure
(0,4,6) = 14 pts
**Bravo. I'm not sure all mine are true!
Reading this I had to LOL. So true, so true.
Fifth Place -- 13 pts
falling star
his last words
in a foreign tongue
Susan Constable
(0,6,1) = 13 pts
box of crayons
how hard I tried to keep
within the lines
--Irene Golas
(0,4,5) = 13 pts
Sixth Place -- 12 pts
frosty morning
the children smoke
pretend cigarettes
-- Karen Cesar
(0,1,10) = 12 pts
retirement -
no need to remember
the name of today
Jim Swift
(0,1,10) = 12 pts
Seventh Place -- 11 pts
stalactite
the first time my heart
was broken
Agnes Eva Savich
(1,4,0) = 11 pts
** Would have given you more pts. if possible. Ouch, the sharp pain....so simply yet fully captured.
**A stalactite will do it if anything will. But the poet lets us define the exact connection.
fallen leaves -
two names carved
upon the tree
il.balan
(1,2,4) = 11 pts
talking about her...
a trace of honey
on your lips
Ana Cadarin
(0,3,5) = 11 pts
Eighth Place -- 10 pts
memories
grandma asks
who I am
Carmel Lively Westerman
(1,0,7) = 10 pts
Ninth Place -- 9 pts
relapse-
these wet streets
just as dark
Andrew Riutta
(1,1,4) = 9 pts
**It may help if you've been there, but I find this incredibly powerful.
memories:
I open the door;
no one there
Linda Marucci
(0,3,3) = 9 pts
wedding photo
i tell myself
we were happy
-Roberta Beary
(0,2,5) = 9 pts
Tenth Place -- 8 pts
his high school picture
still in my wallet
MIA 1972
Sjs
(1,1,3) = 8 pts
obituaries...
was it seventh or eighth grade
English class we shared
Joann
(1,1,3) = 8 pts
remembering him
a leaf falls
a butterfly rises
brephoenix
(0,3,2) = 8 pts
empty house
once filled with voices
winter day
Beth Powell
(0,1,6) = 8 pts
Eleventh Place -- 7 pts
depressed wild flowers
between the leaves of a book;
my first tryst
Magdalena Dale
(2,0,1) = 7 pts
sand beaches
surviving in these sandals;
Indian summer
koast
(2,0,1) = 7 pts
Christmas Day--
wood smoke and memories
mingle in the fireplace
Tristan Coleridge
(1,1,2) = 7 pts
trembling hands
dad points out where each ship was
Pearl Harbor
Edward
(1,1,2) = 7 pts
** A great theme addressed and powerfully worded too.
"Alzheimer" --
a snowflake winks
into the sidewalk
Earl Keener
(0,2,3) = 7 pts
leaving ...
my mother's hand
colder
oga
(0,0,7) = 7 pts
Twelfth Place -- 6 pts
granny's funeral
our tears run swifter
than memories
john tiong chunghoo
(1,1,1) = 6 pts
every day ~
passing the street
where she died
Paul Hodder
(1,1,1) = 6 pts
memories --
the old woman's mouth closed
like a drawstring bag
Sue Stanford
(0,2,2) = 6 pts
** Wonderful visual. Imitating this Ku I find feelings of sadness and loneliness. Wonderful job.
fireflies twinkle
in the old milk jug
that first kiss...
Pris Campbell
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
after the funeral
we serve food
on Mom's favorite platter
Leslie Montgomery
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
graduation
remembering her first
baby steps
Meredith
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
I can't remember
struggling so hard before
to remember
Johannes Manjrekar
(0,2,2) = 6 pts
gift wrappings
blaze in the fireplace
again
gourdman
(0,2,2) = 6 pts
no snowflakes
only a few notes
of silent night
Jul
(0,2,2) = 6 pts
Thirteenth Place -- 5 pts
memories -
in granny's flat-iron
sepia photographs
D.V. Rozic
(1,1,0) 5 pts
eating kale -
back at grandma's table
longing for home
max verhart
(1,1,0) = 5 pts
memories
changing like the leaves
the truth fades
DJK
(1,1,0) = 5 pts
old home place -
a blackened chimney
twined in wisteria
Nancy Smith
(1,0,2) = 5 pts
new mattress arrives
your indentation
goes out with the old one
Elizabeth Fanto
(1,0,2) = 5 pts
tearful stare
she holds the old letter
from western union
Bill Hudson
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
he always sang
rummy tum tum rummy tum tum
my tipsy caroler
doris kasson
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
Evening,
thoughts of yesterday.
We both smile.
Trevor Camp
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
** Very good. I (we) have done this often.
coffee trees...
thick with white blossoms
memories of snow
shanna
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
Closing the eyes -
I meet again
my childhood
miorita
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
old photo
your face as a child
little sister
Ruth Powell
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
wedding anniversary--
remembering
how we used to do it
ash of moth
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
Fourteenth Place -- 4 pts
I carry it home
after my brother's wake
his mushroom basket
Francine Banwarth
(0,2,0) = 4 pts
carved jade
mother buries in my hand
a good luck charm
Audrey Downey
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
memories linger...
sunsets
we no longer share
MAM
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
over the minefield
autumn wind bending the grass ...
and my memories
Boris Nazansky
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
late winter
children's fridge art
now pastel
Alice Frampton
(0,0,4) = 4 pts
spring alley --
old lilacs breathe
seventeen
Ann K. Schwader
(0,0,4) = 4 pts
Fifteenth Place -- 3 pts
nursing home
my father turning over
a memory
tom painting
(1,0,0) = 3 pts
Valentine's Day-
on her coat an immortelle
just since then
Vasile Moldovan
(1,0,0) = 3 pts
Christmas past
river traffic lights up
the window rain
martin
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
baby's bib --
my father learns
first steps again
miriam chaikin
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
new puppy
curled up with a clock
fast asleep
--Senile Butterfly
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
sandpiper tracks
decorate the beach
then high-tide
Mike McCulley
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
that first bite
of the wild apple --
old, old memories
Michael McClintock
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
writing my memoirs:
so much of the forgotten
gets recollected
Zhanna P. Rader
(0,1,1) = 3 pts