Congratulations to Carol Raisfeld, winner of our Kigo section and to Jacek Margolak, winner of our Free Format section!
February 2007 Results
Kigo Theme:
Crocus
First Place -- 29 pts
crocus . . .
the balloon-man returns
to the park
Carol Raisfeld
(1,6,14) = 29 pts
** Like the oblique reference to the e.e. cummings poem.
** e. e. cummings territory. Perhaps it could have stopped at "returns."
Second Place -- 22 pts
first crocus
I make a promise
I can't keep
Tom Painting
(1,5,9) = 22 pts
** The special kind of ku that feels as though anybody could have written it, now that somebody has.
Third Place -- 20 pts
crocus
in grandmother's hand
spring again
Dany Fisher
(1,4,9) = 20 pts
** Nicely understated, even though "again" could be dispensed with.
Fourth Place -- 18 pts
budding crocus ~
the closed door
of my daughter's bedroom
Paul Hodder
(1,2,11) = 18 pts
** A perennial spring theme, deftly handled.
warm breeze
a white crocus
where the snowman was
RaV
(0,2,14) = 18 pts
** a fluid way to show the changing seasons.
Fifth Place -- 17 pts
first crocus . . .
so hard to be
original
Francine Banwarth
(0,4,9) = 17 pts
Sixth Place -- 16 pts
lonely crocus
a hole in the snow
just big enough
-me-
(1,5,3) = 16 pts
Seventh Place -- 15 pts
first crocus
a new spring
to my step
Susan Constable
(2,2,5) = 15 pts
crocus buds —
a neighbor's Christmas lights
still flashing
Dustin Neal
(1,3,6) = 15 pts
Eighth Place -- 14 pts
first crocus...
she leaks
my secret
ed markowski
(2,1,6) = 14 pts
sunny day...
first crocus in the garden
of a late neighbour
Rita Odeh
(1,1,9) = 14 pts
this crocus
like your friendship
still surprises
Beverley George
(0,4,6) = 14 pts
Ninth Place -- 13 pts
my first crocus
bobbing down the street
in a child's hand
Rose Marie Stutts, EdD
(0,3,7) = 13 pts
wild crocus
my finger touches
a saffron moon
Ron Moss
(0,4,5) = 13 pts
onions sprouting
in the pantry —
outside, a crocus
Barbara Snow
(0,5,3) = 13 pts
Tenth Place -- 12 pts
first crocus —
grandpa doesn't remember
his password
Israel López Balan
(0,3,6) = 12 pts
blue crocus . . .
the scented letter
returns unopened
Kathy Lippard Cobb
(0,2,8) = 12 pts
crocus buds
a new life stirring
in her belly
Karen Briggs
(0,2,8) = 12 pts
Eleventh Place -- 10 pts
One single crocus
Solitary survivor
Of a lost garden
Deirdre A. Godwin
(1,2,3) = 10 pts
our first crocus —
the neighbor's child
reaches to pick it
Mary Lee McClure
(1,2,3) = 10 pts
Twelfth Place -- 9 pts
crocus
in the old snow
glacier blue
Beth Powell
(2,0,3) = 9 pts
first crocus
what’s left of a snowdrift
beside the fence
DeVar
(1,1,4) = 9 pts
after her chemo...
the first blade
of a crocus
Joshua O Wikoff
(0,2,5) = 9 pts
crocuses on the snow
I am looking in
your sky-blue eyes
Piotr Mogri
(0,3,3) = 9 pts
** nice! This seemed very spiritual.
Thirteenth Place -- 8 pts
frozen ground
the crocus and i
wait for spring
Judi Honiker
(0,3,2) = 8 pts
first crocus
after recess soggy mittens
dot the playground
Edward
(0,2,4) = 8 pts
red crocus
she slowly removes
her rubber gloves
Petar Tchouhov
(0,1,6) = 8 pts
Fourteenth Place -- 7 pts
a crocus field —
the breeze plucks off one...
blue butterfly
Tom Maretic
(0,2,3) = 7 pts
yellow crocus
the class of children
burst into song
kjs
(0,1,5) = 7 pts
crocus bed:
outside the Buddhist Temple
a street beggar
-- ushi
(0,1,5) = 7 pts
mountain echo
the crocus never
come too soon
Collin Barber
(0,1,5) = 7 pts
Fifteenth Place -- 6 pts
first crocus —
my neighbor's pet pig
is missing
ito
(0,2,2) = 6 pts
dew spills
over the crocus lip
a groundhog's shadow
Pris Campbell
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
nursery crocus…
the half-open hands
of the napping baby
Keiko Izawa
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
in front of
the dryer vent
a sea of purple crocus
Michiko
(0,0,6) = 6 pts
Sixteenth Place -- 5 pts
another birthday —
crocuses in my garden
fade away again
Dorota Pyra
(1,1,0) = 5 pts
foolhardy —
early crocus
braves the snow
Geoff Sanderson
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
first crocus
a starling and I
have it to ourselves
Bill Kenney
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
now at dawn
the snowman becomes water —
white crocuses
Lech Szeglowski
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
starless night —
a white crocus opens
to the dawn
Nancy Smith
(0,0,5) = 5 pts
Seventeenth Place -- 4 pts
Crocus underfoot
I step toward the door
this time goodbye
Harvey Jenkins
(1,0,1) = 4 pts
the clouds break
crocuses fill
with an inner light
max verhart
(1,0,1) = 4 pts
this morning
in spite of the winter
a blue crocus
Jasminka Predojevic
(1,0,1) = 4 pts
victory garden
surrounding the crocus
young dandelions
Bill Hudson
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
morning twilight
saffron waits within
the crocus
Mark Hollingsworth
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
snow
on the crocuses
sunshine
oga
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
first crocus —
the new kid waves
goodbye
Roberta Beary
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
white crocus
in her old flower garden
the first sign
Magdalena Dale
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
a crocus
by the back door —
distant thunder
Ami
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
spring equinox
without fanfare —
the crocus
Jeannie Martin
(0,0,4) = 4 pts
Eighteenth Place -- 3 pts
crack
in the parched soil
first crocus
Sjs
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
first sunny day
after weeks of storms
yellow crocus
Bridget Cougar
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
From the wet soil
a bud appear —
the first crocus
miorita
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
in the charred ruins
of an old farmhouse . . .
white crocus flowers
-- Richard Kay
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
first crocus —
being watered by
the neighbour's dog
Pia Sousa
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
Purple crocus —
vibrant in her
sterile hospital room
Leslie Montgomery
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
along the river
two lines of light:
croci in bloom
Vasile Moldovan
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
Remembrance crocus
granddad planted in his time —
their burst of color
Zhanna P. Rader
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
crocuses bloom —
I stand up searching
for familiar birdsongs
Audrey Downey
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
Green crocus tips
Still frozen pond
I finger seed packets
yositaka
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
Free Format Theme:
Dreary
First Place -- 44 pts
dreary day —
only a gravedigger
whistling
Jacek
(4,8,16) = 44 pts
** Brings a smile, but there's real emotional complexity here.
** Happy and sad; I had to laugh. Well done!
Second Place -- 26 pts
dreary day . . .
he tells me all of it
again
Francine Banwarth
(3,1,15) = 26 pts
** One breath? More like one sigh.
Third Place -- 19 pts
dreary morning...
the taste and texture
of powdered eggs
ed markowski
(2,4,5) = 19 pts
Fourth Place -- 17 pts
dreary sunday
two magpies squabble
over a chip
Polona
(1,3,8) = 17 pts
Fifth Place -- 13 pts
dreary day
another phone call
offering condolences
Bill Hudson
(1,0,10) = 13 pts
** "another" says it all.
thick fog
the same
old news
Susan Constable
(0,4,5) = 13 pts
dreary morning —
I pull on the same socks
I wore yesterday
DeVar
(0,3,7) = 13 pts
dreary faces —
she plays the violin
in the subway
Jordi Climent
(0,1,11) = 13 pts
Sixth Place -- 12 pts
dreary day —
the rain gurgles
in the gutters
Angèle Lux
(0,2,8) = 12 pts
Seventh Place -- 11 pts
dreary day ~
the secrets
we keep
Paul Hodder
(1,2,4) = 11 pts
dreary alcove
between sips mother asks
my weight
Roberta Beary
(1,0,8) = 11 pts
Eighth Place -- 10 pts
the buzz of
florescent lights
deep winter
Michael Baribeau
(1,2,3) = 10 pts
dreary skies . . .
migrating geese struggle
to keep formation
Marie Summers
(0,2,6) = 10 pts
Ninth Place -- 9 pts
dreary winter morning
again the wail
of an ambulance
brephoenix
(1,1,4) = 9 pts
dreary light —
the withered bean plants
cling to their poles
max verhart
(0,2,5) = 9 pts
dreary day —
a second coat
of lip balm
Collin Barber
(0,1,7) = 9 pts
dreary weather —
the corner gargoyle's mouth
drips rainwater
Zhanna P. Rader
(0,1,7) = 9 pts
dreary day
I search for colour
in garden books
Beth Powell
(0,1,7) = 9 pts
dreary high tea —
a fly's long walk
over the host's cake
Ana Cadarin
(0,1,7) = 9 pts
Tenth Place -- 8 pts
how dreary!
these tiny bones
never left the nest
Joshua O Wikoff
(1,2,1) = 8 pts
** This one hit me in the gut-so sad!
** Well said!
dreary day —
he draws a stringless kite
on the room wall
Rita Odeh
(1,0,5) = 8 pts
dreary night
I look at the space
where the stars were
kjs
(0,1,6) = 8 pts
Eleventh Place -- 7 pts
dreary weather
no customers
at the car wash
Meredith Stern Cavalieri
(0,2,3) = 7 pts
so dreary
but listen!
a bird sings
miriam chaikin
(0,2,3) = 7 pts
dreary night
I google her name
for a hit
Tom Painting
(0,1,5) = 7 pts
** So modern, yet so common a moment!
dreary day —
their fight in the morning
still with them at dinner
Leslie Montgomery
(0,1,5) = 7 pts
dreary morning
the imprint on her pillow
already cool
RaV
(0,1,5) = 7 pts
Twelfth Place -- 6 pts
Look! A hummingbird
Sipping spring from the feeder
Dreary thoughts are gone
Deirdre A. Godwin
(1,1,1) = 6 pts
dreary thoughts
hot humid night in bed
trying to sleep
Michael Flack
(1,1,1) = 6 pts
dreary day
the meter man fumbles
for his flashlight
Earl Keener
(1,0,3) = 6 pts
dreary day —
an egret spreads its wings
to land
Ami
(1,0,3) = 6 pts
three nuns,
almost invisible...
dreary dreary day
Pris Campbell
(0,2,2) = 6 pts
dreary forecast —
stretched to the limit
a worm
George Hawkins
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
dreary day —
the empty coffee cup
still smells
Israel López Balan
(0,1,4) = 6 pts
Thirteenth Place -- 5 pts
Dreary clouds
my only blanket shrunk
with the last rain.
Harvey Jenkins
(1,0,2) = 5 pts
return after years
stairs of the old house
run to nowhere
Dorota Pyra
(1,0,2) = 5 pts
damp wool smell
in from the drizzle
fireplace cold
Ruth Powell
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
dreary morning
the cat peers out
thru runnels of rain
susan delphine delaney
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
dreary
all those ads for Viagra
in my email
Sue Stanford
(0,2,1) = 5 pts
dismal month —
now the shiki kukai
wants a dreary haiku
Jim Swift
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
** What a perfect irony!
February dawn —
dreary, bare branches moving
in a cold wind
P.O. Williams
(0,1,3) = 5 pts
chair by the window
a lamp on for reading
in afternoon light
Charles Hansmann
(0,0,5) = 5 pts
winter's long goodbye —
the dreariness
of freezing rain
Mike Montreuil
(0,0,5) = 5 pts
dreary day —
icicles melting
drip, drip, drip
Tristan Coleridge
(0,0,5) = 5 pts
Fourteenth Place -- 4 pts
dreary sky…
in kannon’s open arms
a still pigeon
Keiko Izawa
(1,0,1) = 4 pts
constant drizzle
at noon sparrows and wind chimes
still silent
Edward
(1,0,1) = 4 pts
life
so colourful and joyous
what is dreary
Pia Sosua
(1,0,1) = 4 pts
dreary morning —
the old women sings
her last hymn
Dustin Neal
(0,2,0) = 4 pts
dreary day
another planeload of bodies
home from the war
Karen Briggs
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
** Oh, yes...
dreary park
at the statue of Venus
two snails making love
Ginka Biliarska
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
dreary day
the snow fox’s shadow
grows fainter
martin
(0,1,2) = 4 pts
Between this and that
shadow and dust
dreary road
Ashi
(0,0,4) = 4 pts
this winter
a fresh new meaning
for dreary
Mary Lee McClure
(0,0,4) = 4 pts
Fifteenth Place -- 3 pts
dreary sky —
birds in the tree form
a leafy pattern
ito
(1,0,0) = 3 pts
dreary morn
unclear thoughts
too cold to think
Dr. Wm Fraenkel
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
blackish snow shrinks
off beer cans and wrappers
dreary clouds
gourdman
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
dreary
my husbands disposition
after doing the taxes
carmel lively westerman
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
fourth of July
unpacking the
muddy tent
Barbara Snow
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
on the highway
only the car's looming shadow —
Death Valley
Lech Szeglowski
(0,1,1) = 3 pts
midnight dreary —
clocks strike twelve
for hours
Anil Engin
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
dark and dreary . . .
the filthy child draws
a sunny day
Kathy Lippard Cobb
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
dreary afternoon —
turkeys wandering
in a village playground
Tom Maretic
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
dreary street
tinfoiled windows
blind to spring
Terry Ingram
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
another day
gray skies gray walls gray desk
colorless life
DJ
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
dreary sky —
from the yellow foliage
rain of light
Corneliu Traian Atanasiu
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
dreary afternoon
yesterday's snow
without a sparkle
Sandra Nickel
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
dreary night
cloud shadows
swallow the moon
soji
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
dreary summer day
the ice cream van's jingle
in the distance
Lynne Rees
(0,0,3) = 3 pts
candle-lit skin —
she laughs
at how dreary her day was
aom (tim)
(0,0,3) = 3 pts