January 2010 Kukai

Kigo Theme: 

First Things

First Place — 29 Points

high up in a tree

the crow changes colour —

first sunrise

Pia So'Sua

(5,3,8) = 29 pts

Second Place — 17 Points

first love

my best friend's bike

at her house

Garry Eaton

(1,2,10) = 17 pts

Awww, I feel the little guy’s heart breaking from the betrayal.

Yes, such a grinding feeling!

first day back

the religion teacher

pregnant again

Terry O'Connor

(0,4,9) = 17 pts

Third Place — 16 Points

first sun —

beside the front door

an old coin

Israel Lopez Balan

(1,4,5) = 16 pts

Fourth Place — 15 Points

first snowfall

she spreads a new quilt

over the bed

Janice Hornburg

(1,2,8) = 15 pts

I think the juxtaposition works well here . . . the snow and quilt as covers for two kinds of beds. Despite the cold, there's so much warmth in this lovely haiku!

Fifth Place — 13 Points

first crow's cry...

the limb's icy glaze

shatters

Diane Mayr

(0,4,5) = 13 pts

first kiss...

yet the band plays

Auld Lang Syne

Earl Keener

(0,4,5) = 13 pts

Sixth Place — 12 Points

leaping in midair

a kitten loses the path

of the first snowflake

Cindy Tebo

(0,5,2) = 12 pts

new year

his same old song

and dance

Tom Painting

(0,4,4) = 12 pts

This one made me smile, very clever!

Seventh Place — 11 Points

first dawn

snow-clad mountains erupt

in sparrows' songs

Narayanan Raghunathan

(0,4,3) = 11 pts

new year's morning

her thousandth paper crane

as perfect as her first

Kate Creighton

(0,3,5) = 11 pts

before the first snow

the white

mum

Donna Bauerly

(0,3,5) = 11 pts

first toast

the circle of loved ones

grows smaller

Irene Golas

(0,0,11) = 11 pts

Eighth Place — 10 Points

first raven cry

spilling Basho's shadow

across fresh snow

Kurt R. W.

(1,1,5) = 10 pts

first cry

all I hear is

"It's a boy!"

Edward

(0,1,8) = 10 pts

Ninth Place — 8 Points

in the first snow

only my footprints

the morning after

Kilah C.

(1,0,5) = 8 pts

first visit —

my prayers are growing

longer

Barbara A Taylor

(0,3,2) = 8 pts

I love the simplicity of this one.

january 1

a different look

in his eye

Roberta Beary

(0,3,2) = 8 pts

first night ::

one deer wanders

across the snow

timothy russell

(0,3,2) = 8 pts

I like the purity of this observation, a very simple statement and a perfect picture for the mind's eye.

first sun

painting the white ridge

pink

og_a

(0,3,2) = 8 pts

blue moon

the first dream of the year

remains a dream

Audrey Downey

(0,2,4) = 8 pts

Year of the Tiger

I have my hair cropped

down to the white

Jan O'Loughlin

(0,2,4) = 8 pts

As I have recently "gone natural" I can relate to this "passage" haiku.

The feeling of enjoying your own skin, warts and all.

first blush of dawn —

things look rosier

this new year

Nancy Nitrio

(0,1,6) = 8 pts

Tenth Place — 7 Points

first snow -

the black kitten pounces

at falling flakes

Andrew Shimield

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

An adorable capture of that 'first' feeling. Also a striking color contrast of purity/decay.

pale moonlight

first raven pecking

the snowman's eye

Boris Nazansky

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

first walk —

the freezing fog hides

the horizon

Isabelle Prondzynski

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

Eleventh Place — 6 Points

New Year's Eve party

noise from the house boat

rises with the tide

Harvey Jenkins

(1,1,1) = 6 pts

first raven cry —

all of my friends are

growing old

Nancy Smith

(1,0,3) = 6 pts

first date

the porch light off

now on

Terri L. French

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

first sun

light from old stars

fading

Beth Powell

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

first kiss —

out of the elevator

she looks for a mirror

Quamrul Hassan

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

Twelfth Place — 5 Points

first morning

a grey bird traverses

the grey sky

polona

(1,1,0) = 5 pts

first email

"Happy New Year —

and Goodbye!

andrea

(1,1,0) = 5 pts

New Year starts —

a snowdrop blooming

in my garden

Miorita

(1,1,0) = 5 pts

morning after —

first broken fingernail

of the new year

Laurene

(1,1,0) = 5 pts

first kiss...

I touch peach

petals

Gosia Zamorska

(1,0,2) = 5 pts

his first cruise,

carrying only a backpack

and guitar

Chandra Bales

(0,2,1) = 5 pts

This really struck a chord with me - a couple of years ago my son went off moving around the continent (i.e. Europe) for a few months, carrying only a backpack and a guitar - the backpack was actually smaller than the guitar case.

ice moon

the new year begins

with a thaw

Francine Banwarth

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

Thirteenth Place — 4 Points

Painted dragon's head

And a hundred slippered feet

Dance the new year in

Geoffrey A. Landis

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

fingers stained

with holiday colors

her first painting

gerry

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

stepping from his bath,

my son declines my help

for the first time

Shelley Krause

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

shadows of the past

gliding over the hills...

first things first

Keith A. Simmonds

(0,2,0) = 4 pts

first, things

matter less than people —

this year's resolution

Jo McInerney

(0,2,0) = 4 pts

first dream —

someone's still out to

get me

Horst Ludwig

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

dawn snow —

in my headlight beam

a set of tyre tracks

offa

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

the juice

from seventeen prunes . . .

my first haiku

Mary Davila

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

first raven

on my chimneypot

steals the light

Ruth Powell

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

“amore”

his smile lights up

at my first Italian word

Meredith Stern Cavalieri

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

Fourteenth Place — 3 Points

a single rib

began man's submission,

first woman

Tom Conally

(1,0,0) = 3 pts

first dream —

the cash register tapes

in a tangle

Susan Constable

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

Very well executed and suggesting either a portent of the soon to arrive credit card statement from generous Christmas spending or maybe the just past rush of waiting on customers.

first love

the red wine of her kiss

goes to my head

Andre Surridge

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

first grandchild

first time on her lap

itching breasts

max verhart

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

the snow

in last year’s footprints

first sky

Ann K. Schwader

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

First New Year without him emptiness

Mary E. Gray

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

incoming geese —

the new moon is tip-toeing

on the lighthouse

Jon Espen Vassbotn

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

first day

already the blackened hills

turning green

Sjs Stevie Strang

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

new year's dawn

she tells me

I'm her first

Bill Kenney

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

New Year’s Day

deleting their names

from my address book

Lynda True

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

first scream...

silencing the firecrackers

a newborn baby

Dejan Pavlinovic

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

Fifteenth Place — 2 Points

Locked between

my bed and quilt

New Year's chill

R.K. Singh

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

how hard it is

to be sidewalk ice

first sun

anonymous

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

first New Year’s toast

too many bubbles

in the champagne

Elena Naskova

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

New Year's morning —

last night's champagne

filling the bowl

Brenda J. Gannam

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

first dream …

no gunfire

in starry night

Reza

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

snow white, this

first page in my new diary

oh pen! why so shy?

Anne Zooey Lind

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

bright red stars!

pomegranates open on the bush

New Year morning

Rose Marie Stutts

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

bleached deer antlers

among the new ferns

—harsh winter

if

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

first calligraphy —

amidst fireworks

the eraser of the moon

Kaiser

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

first Morning

the kettle whistles

and the sleepy cups lineup

fereshteh panahi

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

first streetcar —

passengers wish each other

a Happy New Year

Tomislav

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

proofreading

my new year's haiku —

first things first

Caleb David Mutua

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

first flakes of snow —

suddenly

faces of children at windows

Virginia Popescu

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

The kitten pounces

on the first fallen blossom

cherry trees weeping

Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Sixteenth Place — 1 Point

first game of Go

planning strategies

in a new year

A Dharma Bum

first day

new resolution

to break

anonymous

new book pack

...rolling over

the ballerina's toes

carol pearce-worthington

seeing the world

with new eyes

our first EVA

t_san

first drips

from an icicle

dint the snow

James Dobson

the big bang

of sky tower fireworks

expanding new year

Elaine Riddell

first things

finished the swing set

3 screws leftover

Terra Martin

jogging the forest path

first hawk sighting this year —

exhilaration

Leslie Montgomery

first dream —

a set of handmade books

with one missing

Marylouise Knight

first high jump —

my clothes are blown upward

by the wind

Anne Wairimu

first student —

tying a tie like

a rope

Eric Mwange

first sunrise —

in unison the beach crowd

lifts up their heads

Carmen Sterba

first city visit —

a traffic policeman assists me

to cross the street

Alex Wanambisi

first thaw —

neighbor cat

rolls on warm cement

anonymous

first morning

old glitter wiped clean

from the box

Jennifer Corpe

No points this time, sorry.

Hot zooni sizzles,

sharing camaraderie

and first day soup.

Jean Lewis

new year blizzard

the first shadow within a stranger’s hood

martin gottlieb cohen

first new year’s

challenge completed

waking up sober

Bill Hudson

turn of the year

my neighbour plys me

with my favourite cigar

Ralf Broker

Jar of pennies

cold star lite sky

price of New Years wishes

Jenn McSweeney

first sunrise reflects

from snow knocked from split wood

first fire

gourdman

first day cleaning

last year's resolution

holds onto the wall

Nana Fredua-Agyeman

earthquake

southwest visitor’s stumble

from their condo

anonymous

her first I do

all the places

I never knew

Ben Gieske

First kiss

New Year's ball

ten cheers away

Carlos Gesmundo

A first bath,

bed and breakfast for a homeless —

Does his pet get a dog house?

Daniela Bullas

returning crows caw

on garbage day collections

twice a week selections

Mr PC

illuminated sky

toasting his grandson

first New Year

Marlene Buitelaar

cultural exchange

my sister makes temari

for next year's Christmas

Deirdre Godwin

First things first, she said;

So she fried bacon and eggs...

And then she left home.

Tanja Cilia

wake up call

on silver birch

blackbird hails new year

Frances McCarthy

first date —

rushing into an exhibition

to pick a dress

Beryl Achieng

first trip to the city —

waiting for the traffic

to ease

Kelvin Muchiri

magnolia blossoms

a sixties song from my teens

rambles through my brain

John Thompson

the year’s first moon

is it brighter

than yesterday?

soji

New Year's in the park

first bread

for the ducks

Barbara Snow

New tulips

deer tracks in the snow

fresh food now.

Trevor Camp

naughts fade —

rooster's first crowing

awakens hungry tiger

John Hubbard

first walk

with grandma —

solar eclipse

Mary Wambui

first cock crow —

I get up for my morning

devotion

Vivian Adhiambo

first day

the pink sun rises

over the old earth

April Serock

headwaters

in her cupped hand

to baptize the boy

Bill Pauly

the first sunrise —

the appearance of long shadows

and a brown cat

Juhani Tikkanen

new year's task —

dirty storage room to my office

where do I begin....

Hazel A. Witherspoon

clinking wine glasses

celebrating our daughter's

first period

Hans Jongman

First Things in the new year —

sleep and dreams

then dreams and plans

Petru-Ioan Garda

first kiss

or already in bloom

cherries?

Goblet

Free Format Theme: Love

First Place — 26 Points

autumn love

letting him feel

my scar

Melissa Spurr

(3,4,9) = 26 pts

This one is full of trust and vulnerability.

It is an awesome thing to let someone really know you.

Second Place — 25 Points

we sleep

curved into each other...

old spoons

Jo McInerney

(1,8,6) = 25 pts

Simply sweet.

Impressive picture with a sepia character.

My favourite as it evokes a peaceful scene and I imagine an elderly married couple happy and comfortable with each other.

Wonderful how this plays on the concept of spooning.

Third Place — 21 Points

winter night

she stirs the embers

before bed

Tom Painting

(1,5,8) = 21 pts

Even though this might not be read as a love poem, the possibility is there . . . the winter of a couple's lives, the stirring of passion, and the 'togetherness' of the image all combine very nicely.

a year later

still leaving the porch

light on

Terra Martin

(1,4,10) = 21 pts

Of all the submitted poems, I think this one most clearly shows love, rather than telling us about it . . . or assuming we'll figure it out because of the 'assigned' topic. Whether the loved one has moved away or died, both the habit and the love remain.

my grandparents

stand at the end of the dock

casting one shadow

Edward

(0,5,11) = 21 pts

I like how the poet brings the intangibles together, showing us how close this couple has become after a lifetime in each other's company.

Fourth Place — 19 Points

midnight moon

my son's shoes missing

from the porch

Roberta Beary

(2,3,7) = 19 pts

Double love here -- the parent's for the son, who is off under the midnight moon, and (perhaps?) the son's for whomever he has gone to see... And the word "missing" shows a little bit of heartache too... thank you for a lovely picture.

Fifth Place — 14 Points

forty years later

giving me the bigger slice of pie

still

Sjs Stevie Strang

(0,3,8) = 14 pts

This one is so touching. It truly is the little things. . .

Very touching - chivalry is not dead...

Sixth Place — 13 Points

relaxed together

the river slips past

without words

Elaine Riddell

(1,4,2) = 13 pts

lying hand in hand

together we conceive

snow angels

A Dharma Bum

(0,3,7) = 13 pts

Seventh Place — 12 Points

she whispers

are you awake . . .

rain at the window

Bill Kenney

(1,1,7) = 12 pts

Eighth Place — 11 Points

yellow moon —

my neighbours turn off the lights

early

Israel Lopez Balan

(0,4,3) = 11 pts

one by one

into the open drawer

kitty drops her brood

Barbara A Taylor

(0,3,5) = 11 pts

at the end

of an ordinary day

. . . chocolates

Susan Constable

(0,3,5) = 11 pts

bedtime

he hides the puppy

under his quilt

Carmel Lively Westerman

(0,2,7) = 11 pts

Ninth Place — 10 Points

phoning him

how her voice

changes

Walter Franceschi

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

nodding off . . .

the taste of her night cream

on my lips

Andrew Shimield

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

I'm guessing these two have been together for awhile. A little bit of humor, which is lovely, and probably a lot of truth.

I want to say that any happily married man can identify with this. Anyway, this happily married man can.

his head in my lap

explaining a broken heart

to the spaniel

polona

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

a beaten path between two homes binds daughter to mother

Kilah C.

(0,1,8) = 10 pts

This one stood out, one of the few that spoke of the mother/daughter bond.

Tenth Place — 9 Points

even now

we move together

in the dark

Ruth Powell

(1,1,4) = 9 pts

winter twilight

old man and his woman

feed the doves

Narayanan Raghunathan

(0,2,5) = 9 pts

snow on the roof . . .

we sink into

the heart-shaped tub

Brenda J. Gannam

(0,2,5) = 9 pts

Eleventh Place -- 8 Points

afternoon tryst

the chili sauce

hotter than usual

Meredith Stern Cavalieri

(0,2,4) = 8 pts

The humor in the juxtaposition is delightful. A hot romance, indeed!

Twelfth Place — 7 Points

cold snap

our hands touch

reaching for a log

Harvey Jenkins

(1,1,2) = 7 pts

holding hands in the park

children play

amidst our silence

Bill Hudson

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

my love

I bring new flowers ...

on your grave

Andrzej Dembonczyk

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

The beggar and his dog —

everybody loves

somebody

Petru Ioan Garda

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

blind love -—

every stranger has

his eyes

Gosia Zamorska

(0,1,5) = 7 pts

Thirteenth Place — 6 Points

grandma knits

yet another

single mitten

Diane Mayr

(1,1,1) = 6 pts

comforted

by his snoring

this must be love

Terri L. French

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

humid hours

picking rice in the paddies

for her children

t_san

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

newborn dad learns to cradle

Beth Powell

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

Fourteenth Place — 5 Points

alone at home —

whistling tea pot

is missing you

Juhani Tikkanen

(1,1,0) = 5 pts

grasps one finger

in her minute hand

my innards clench

andrea

(1,1,0) = 5 pts

That amazing moment when you get to be a mom for the first time. The love between parent and newborns is visceral.

walking you

through the wintery forest ...

how warm it is

Ralf Broker

(0,2,1) = 5 pts

an old couple throws snowballs

at the blue sky

martin gottlieb cohen

(0,2,1) = 5 pts

reconnecting —

the zig zag of footprints

in the sand

Mary Davila

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

Fifteenth Place — 4 Points

hand in hand

in the afterglow

the old couple

laughing

og_a

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

north wind

taking your love

along

carol pearce-worthington

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

with just a touch

our long slow dance begins

a song within a song

gerry

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

love

at first sight

toddler meets puppy

Frances McCarthy

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

fireplace —

our hands move

closer to the fire

Goblet

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

autumn woodlands —

in privacy an elk

nuzzles her calf

Carmen Sterba

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

Calm dusk —

a bunch of red roses

for my mother

Miorita

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

I dream

of when we were young

February thaw

Janice Hornburg

(0,0,4) = 4 pts

Sixteenth Place — 3 Points

after the lovemaking

the reflection of the moon

in her eyes

Jacek M.

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

after his coma...

the light in father's eyes

when he sees me

Irene Golas

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

a new calf's bawl —

she heats his cocoa

at three a.m.

Barbara Snow

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

A great picture of love... and a very real scene!

covered bridge

in our flashlights

the outline of a heart

Cindy Tebo

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

all the cracks patched

we leave our house

hand in hand

Elena Naskova

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

on the park bench

an old couple holding hands...

cherries in blossom!

natalia kuznetsova

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

visiting, he leaves

dirt clods from his parents’ graves

on my kitchen floor

Donna Bauerly

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

allotment gardens

lovers cheek to cheek

between carrot leaves

Hans Jongman

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

Seventeenth Place — 2 Points

two hearts throbbing

with strains of Auld Lang Syne...

promises of love

Keith A. Simmonds

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

slippery slop

we walk as one

with four legs

anonymous

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

Heart drawn in the snow

walking towards their future-

two sets of footprints

Jenn McSweeney

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

a young couple

walks by hand in hand

we smile

soji

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

a shower

of cherry petals

lovers caress

Jan O'Loughlin

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

the safe silence

with cool breezes

from the first storm

Jon Espen Vassbotn

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

piglet runt

needing milk and love —

forgotten

James Dobson

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

anniversary —

spoon by spoon and slurp by slurp...

udon noodle soup

Earl Keener

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

just a kiss goodbye

mile after mile

of untouched snow

Francine Banwarth

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Morning

You are gone

The sun Is large on me

fereshteh panahi

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

expectant and alone

she shares her love sickness

with the autumn moon

Garry Eaton

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

first hot day —

out with his new love

the old neighbour

Isabelle Prondzynski

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

This is quite moving - exploring the dynamics of life and love, how both evolve, often in unexpected directions.

first date

gone well

he takes the long way home

April Serock

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Eighteenth Place — 1 Point

A thin moon

on her neck hides love

in silk gauge

R.K. Singh

empty bottle . . .

the jagged aftertaste

of love

anonymous

able to spell love

he watches under grey clouds —

not the spell

gourdman

A granite boulder

A narrow crack —

That's how you broke my heart

Geoffrey A. Landis

proposal —

the snowflakes make instant

a bride dress

Kaiser

watching the moon rise

I cannot feel the cold frost

with you in my arms

Deirdre Godwin

bright icicles

sparkle from above

angels on high

Jeanne Fiedler

wine cups …

red rose forgets

on table

Reza

parking for lovers —

many crocuses between

the tire tracks

Tomislav

blind date and

miracle! —

love at first sight

Virginia Popescu

nothing much

but she is crying —

her cat climbs onto her lap

jill

trapped in the house

for three blizzard-hushed days —

how happy we were!

Shelley Krause

A lonely swan

call for her lost mate,

love hurts

Tom Conally

No points this time, sorry.

my student's students

teach haiku

love of poetry goes on

Rose Marie Stutts

Warming grandma's heart,

you shine like the summer sun,

bringing love again

Jean Lewis

a huge crucifix

lots of family and friends

merry wedding march

Horst Ludwig

cold wind whistles —

she calls long-distance

closer than the miles

if

a red ribbon

round life's bundle

the sweet shared silence

miriam chaikin

amongst demolished ruins

one pillar still stood

it's red graffiti heart

Terry O'Connor

words and promises

budded and blossomed

echoes of springlike years

Ben Gieske

sunset walk

gulls soaring overhead

heavenly!

Washi

the moon after yule~

his kisses her favorite

way to fall asleep

Kate Creighton

June vows

chicken noodle

from scratch

Carlos Gesmundo

back to school —

pupil dilatation and heart palpitation

seeing him…

Daniela Bullas

a buzzard's call

all the way he carries

her skates

marlene buitelaar

love is ....

LOVE

IS

Mr PC

empty bottle

your endless love...

decree absolute

Andre Surridge

A four-letter word

That has a million meanings —

But not one I like.

Tanja Cilia

l'il red rubber boots

splash through mud puddles she calls

chocolate for feet

John Thompson

a clear-out …

my favorite sweater

goes in the box

Marylouise Knight

high dose of morphine

ends the pain forever-

this is also love

Leslie Montgomery

cool evening —

two people sharing

ideas about love

Marion Masinde

Up on the hill

the cherry blossoms guarded

by your sight

Oprica Padeanu

from your lips

the first words of love —

autumn snail

Orbi

happy for her

cold nose on my bare feet —

puppy's love

Chandra Bales

Loving thoughts

a small granddaughter,

big grandson.

Trevor Camp

New Year hangover...

wiped out in the snow

yesterday's heart

Dejan Pavlinovic

Facebook chat

email pas de deux —

cyber love

John Hubbard

yo my two great-grannies

side by side, cheerfully seeking

old beaus on facebook

Anne Zooey Lind

she helps the stutterer

struggling to get out

"I love . . . "

Bill Pauly

best friend's birthday soon —

making her favorite cheesecake

during machine rebuilds

Hazel A. Witherspoon

moonlit laughter the richest cream

anonymous

open cage —

red-faced lovebirds

taken with each other

Iga

a lure and bobber

entwined in the tree

prom day

Jennifer Corpe

Love spirals love lifts

the living breath shares grief or

bliss forevermore

Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Bla