December 2006 Kukai

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