July 2013 Kukai

Free Format Theme:

VEGETABLE(S)

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First Place -  40 Points

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shelling peas—

the idle chit chat

of sisters

Beth Powell

(1,12,13) = 40 pts

** This is so evocative of the lovely atmosphere when shelling peas

together. Beautiful summer haiku

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Second Place -  25 Points

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onions...

I feel her absence

cutting through

Vinay Leo R.

(2,5,9) = 25 pts

**Very poignant, and a very good haiku.

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Third Place -  24 Points

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tomato soup

we compare

our accents

Michele L. Harvey

(0,5,14) = 24 pts

**This one made me laugh!

**Simple but highly effective haiku.

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23 Points

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kitchen confession...

one onion skin

after another

Hugh Waterhouse

(0,7,9) = 23 pts

**British serial dramas used to be called Soaps because they

advertised soap products I believe. Often the drama was around the

main family room, the kitchen, though times have changed.

But kitchens still have their dramas, be it the drinks room for

parties and bbqs, or someone drinking too much wine while preparing a

late meal. The phrase creates a great tension because of the first

line.

We have information left unsaid and we as readers have been shown

respect in that we can create our own backstory and become a co-poet

as we read this haiku.

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21 Points

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in between

rows of squash

a picker's rump

h. gene murtha

(2,4,7) = 21 pts

my wife's hands

carving radishes

into roses

Michael McClintock

(1,3,12) = 21 pts

**Romance should never die, even with radishes. Enjoyed this.

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16 Points

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old woman –

in her wrinkled hands

a smooth tomatoe

Virginia Popescu

PHOENIX

(0,5,6) = 16 pts

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15 Points

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cilantro--

letting my nose

lead me to it

Kirsty Karkow

(0,4,7) = 15 pts

rainy afternoon

the art class paints a basket

of yellow peppers

Catherine J.S. Lee

(0,4,7) = 15 pts

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14 Points

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chopped cucumber

she asks me to get

a vasectomy

John McManus

(1,2,7) = 14 pts

**Ouch. Not quite a match between the two, er, parts, but it evokes a response.

abandoned house --

a tomato plant thrives

in the rubble

~ Isabelle Prondzynski

(0,1,12) = 14 pts

**A familiar sort of theme, but there is nothing wrong with that.

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13 Points

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heat wave—

even the green beans

lose their snap

Lynda True

(0,2,9) = 13 pts

**I love a bit of humor in haiku! Is there a name for that?

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12 Points

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tiny kitchen —

mother and son

chopping celery

Roberta Beary

(0,3,6) = 12 pts

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11 Points

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the balance

in a vendor's hand ...

my wavering mind

Kala Ramesh

(1,2,4) = 11 pts

carrots

in every pocket

for my therapy horse

Marie Stutts

(0,2,7) = 11 pts

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10 Points

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discarding

the rotten tomato

the end of the affair

Bernard Gieske

(1,2,3) = 10 pts

peeling onions

he tries to remember

when did he last weep

--kashinath karmakar

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

**We all suffer at times in trying to explain too much, to cram too

much into a haiku and this often creates awkward syntax e.g. the word

"did" undoes the haiku. It's a terrific penultimate draft and kudos to

you in flipping the cliché on its head to create something fresh. The

last line is simply too "full" and I wonder whether:

 peeling onions

he tries to remember

when he last wept

winter morning --

the farmer counts

the cabbage heads

Kumarendra Mallick

Hyderabad, India

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

**A quiet and typical haiku for the farming culture, quietly

atmospheric, one to enjoy reading many times in a collection.

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8 Points

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patiently sewn--

vegetables in the corners

of grandma's tea towels

Barbara Snow

(1,2,1) = 8 pts

**I hope not real ones, but a child might show that unique care and

attention lost to an adult. Or it could be that grandma is sewing

depictions of vegetables into her tea towels to add something original

and unique to her.

after parting...

onion rings scattered

in the plate

Rita

(1,0,5) = 8 pts

nothing better -

acres of sweet corn

for hide-and-seek

Carolyn Coit Dancy

(0,2,4) = 8 pts

**Why should those acres be seen as scary when they are great

playgrounds for children, and much needed food for everyone later when

matured.

cabbage

the way she looks

at him

gogatsu

(0,1,6) = 8 pts

**I don't think I know what this is saying, but my bafflement is worth a point.

October wind...

the rattle of pole beans

missed in August

Diane Mayr

(0,1,6) = 8 pts

**Atmospheric, and using sound, not merely a visual haiku.

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7 Points

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vegetable mart

parking lot opposite

cars of many colours

Vishnu P Kapoor

(2,0,1) = 7 pts

recounting

her abused childhood

fresh ears of corn

if

(1,1,2) = 7 pts

**Terribly poignant. Abuse has been covered up for far too long and

not often enough covered as a suitable subject in poetry. Bravo for

bringing this vile practice up in a haiku. The last line is haunting

in connection with the previous two lines.

he ignores

another suggestion...

sparrows stealing peas

polona

(1,1,2) = 7 pts

early fall

the squirrel tastes

the first tomato

Ramesh Anand

Bangalore, India.

(0,1,5) = 7 pts

**Might be more effectively organized, but the moment has an impact.

crookneck squash

she says i don't understand

her orgasm

--iokua

(0,1,5) = 7 pts

**She sounds familiar. Eccentric jux; I like it.

**53.

This must be from a heterosexual man. The first line is deliciously

erotic whilst the phrase is brutally honest.

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6 Points

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blanching peas

in my mother's kitchen

my heart is full

Ruth Powell

(1,1,1) = 6 pts

snow on the porch

basil plant on the benchtop...

tiny smell of summer

Aalix Roake

New Zealand

(1,1,1) = 6 pts

**Such a powerful picture with the snow on the porch and the scent of

the basil.... like a painting... So beautiful haiku!

ripe tomatoes

bursting with fire in the sun...

her shameless eyes

natalia kuznetsova

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

homeless camp

sharing

the stolen vegetables

Garry Eaton

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

**The big supermarkets throw out, as trash, a huge amount of

vegetables and other food products every single day of the year, yet

too often they make it difficult for the homeless to take them, due to

locked bins and spraying the food with something nasty. There is more

generosity shown in that sharing than dumping huge amounts of

perfectly good food out just to rot.

vegetable market -

wandering among

fresh colors

Eduard TARA

Romania

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

a group of girls

picking bedstraws -

the first stars

Miorita

(0,0,6) = 6 pts

small town

my freckled neighbor

sells tomatoes

Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu

(0,0,6) = 6 pts

**Very sweet! Tomatoes are fruit though, not vegetables, didn't your

neighbour know that?

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5 Points

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tomatoes ripen

in the summer heat . . .

skin on skin

Ron C. Moss

(0,2,1) = 5 pts

**Hot, anyway.

market square –

all the colors of

the vegetables

Tomislav

(0,2,1) = 5 pts

lunch time...

playing hide and seek

with a cherry tomato

Dejan Pavlinovic

Pula, Croatia

(0,2,1) = 5 pts

blossoming eggplants…

the flutter

in the hen house

Stella Pierides

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

blue skies

a long row of daikon

pierce red earth

Barbara A. Taylor

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

late autumn...

red tomatoes are ready

for the next life

Tuvshinzaya Nergui

Tsetserleg city, Mongolia

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

these tomatoes

in my hand, the robin's

daytime song

Angie Werren

(0,0,5) = 5 pts

cutting tomatoes

the full moon

in the window

Israel López Balan

(0,0,5) = 5 pts

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4 Points

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here a squash

there a squash everywhere

a squash--squash

Donna Bauerly

Dubuque, IA

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

** This one amusingly reflects nature’s seemingly sudden bounty.

**If you have ever grown squash, you know the truth!

village show

marvelling at the size

of the onions

Katrina

(0,2,0) = 4 pts

pea picking -

dad's basket full

of opened pods

JOHN McDONALD

EDINBURGH SCOTLAND

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

an old cook

sings himself in his dialect--

the taste of gazpacho

Dorota Pyra

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

**An interesting order and choice of words in the middle line. I

wonder if "in his" is revised to "his own" might tighten up that

wonderful middle line a bit more?

aubergine patch-

this short-lived

summer

Anonymous

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

volunteer spuds

last year's peelings

bloom on the compost

Frances O'Keeffe

(0,0,4) = 4 pts

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3 Points

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tomato blossoms  climbing over their support  squirrels check daily

D W Skrivseth

(1,0,0) = 3 pts

**This is my favorite. I imagine the cute squirells researching

tomatoes. I just love it!

giant kelp

whip whipping

itself

Bill Gottlieb

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

"Eat your veggies, man,

so that you live long on earth

and see what is good."

Horst Ludwig

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

A Latin song -

I crunch on a carrot

to the music beat.

Zhanna P. Rader

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

Grilled eggplants –

The postman brings me

an old friend letter

Steliana Cristina Voicu

Ploiesti, Romania

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

my cabbage patch

resists Monsanto . . .

white butterflies

Hansha Teki

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

**It's sad that now we have to struggle against the big companies who

want to make our foodstock unnatural for great profit. We forget that

as much as some insects might be considered pests, that the natural

order of nature works for everyone. A fine haiku, plus containing a

contemporary issue that will haunt us for generations to come.

vegetable lady

her proceeds kept

in a coffee can

Tom Painting

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

my gardener friend —

so pleased when I ask about

this year’s snow peas

Shelley Krause

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

licking my fingers

the last leaf

of the artichoke

Ellen Compton

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

Soweto roadside —

a woman dusts and waters

her spinach

~ Naomi Andausa

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

**I love this seemingly illogical action of dusting a spinach and

watering it, then dusting then watering. Very atmospheric, and a great

action haiku.

farmers market

vendors try to give away

their zucchini

Edward

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

her muffled sniffle

amidst the kitchen clatter -

chopping onions

-Nandini

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

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2 Points

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tools of my calling

caldron and a wooden spoon

ratatouille time

Deirdre Godwin

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

twining vines

shade mama's porch--

green beans

jill

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

he selects

vegetables soup

and prime rib

Anonymous

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

late supper —

my brother fills his mouth

with pumpkin

~ Aidah Kageha

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

tommy toes

the squishy feel

of summer

michaelb205

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

picking tomatos--

leave the green ones

for another day

John Daleiden

Phoenix, Arizona in the Sonoran Desert

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

a solar system

in the garden

sunflower and pumpkins

Robert Kania

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Soweto market —

a woman chasing a goat

eating her cow peas

~ Agness Aruda

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

**Always good to include a place name, and the humor is infectious

with the play of goat and cow. It's also a great action haiku!

the basic numbers -

another spoon of spinach

before the dessert

Cristina Oprea

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

street children squabble

over squashed avocados --

Soweto dump site

~ Patrick Wafula

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

**I would change around the order of lines in this poem, and lose "site" e.g.

Soweto dump

the street children squabble

over squashed avocados

**So much of our food is thrown away, this is a good poem in its

penultimate draft stage, that shows that at least street children can

appreciate the food more than someone with a lot of money.

the green salad

undressed

on wikileeks

Jon Espen Vassbotn

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

honeymoon fare…

my first bite of quartered

artichoke hearts

Alegria Imperial, Canada

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

**Interesting tension in this well-crafted haiku.

steady drought ...

dreaming of

growing lettuce

Cezar-Florin Ciobîcă

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

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One Point

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july fourth

ripe tomatoes

on my plate

Tom Conally

Gibsonville, NC

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

iron deficiency

doctor prescribes

leafy vegetables.

purush-guntur

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

week-long heat wave

rubbing across my arm

a cucumber

Adelaide B. Shaw

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

farmers market--

trade a smooch

for a zucchini?

Bill Pauly

Dubuque, Iowa USA

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

morning market

on a pregnant woman's t-shirt

picture of a water melon

Niiko

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

children's quiz

are tomatoes fruits

dad?

Ralf Bröker

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

**Yes! Someone knows their vegetables! It's a fruit! Although the

United States Supreme Court, see Nix v. Hedden, has caused confusion

by naming it a vegetable instead. We have the amazing Mexican people

to thank for because they had already cultivated tomatoes to a fine

art by 500BC, boy were the rest of us really slow as it took us a

thousand more years to eat them!

my eskimo kiss

brr grandma your nose

turNIPS mine

Karin Anderson

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

Soweto market —

a woman washing aphids

from fresh kales

~ Esther Nyangweso

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

**I imagine that is a common sight, with no handy factories doing the

work of insect removal. A great scene is put to us. Wonderful!

red volcanic soil

an eruption of green

vegetable seedlings

Elaine Riddell

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

simple broth-

peeling the ingredients

I say I love you

Alan Summers

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

cool evening —

my grandmother picking

ladybirds from kales

~ Melvine Ayako

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

Veggie destiny -

scything crops from tranquil rows.

They call it harvest .

Robert C. Howard

Belleville IL USA

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

july 4th

our modest celebration

with sugar snaps

Anonymous

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

gathering corn

in a dragonfly breeze -

sultry afternoon

Sandi Pray

USA

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

tomato curry -

neighbour's kitchen wafts in

for rumbling stomachs

Paresh Tiwari

Hyderabad, India

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

I make carrotnoises

waiting for a hare

to jump into the kukai

Oddbjørn Aardalen

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

farmer’s market

Amish boy’s calloused hands

rutabaga

Doris

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

face full of

pillow strips …

cabbages

Reza

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

toddler gasps --

discovering carrot's orange

beneath feather green leaves

Jane DeJonghe

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

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No Points This Time, Sorry.

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supermarket

frozen vegetable medley

from a plastic husk

R. D. McManes

bus stop

the squashed tomato’ shadow

touches me

martin gottlieb cohen

five potatoes

on a messy bench -

breakfast conversation

Anonymous

clinging

to the taste buds...

glistening aubergines

Keith A. Simmonds

T & T

so many ways

to say goodbye -

beaten with tomatoes

STOPS

she grins around

snow peas fresh from the vines

full fists and cheeks

assu

 tilling potatoes

did someone bury

a football?

Bill Hudson

newlyweds

planting their first garden -

"love apples"

maxianne

my cat

sits in window

plays charades with me

let me guess -- eggplant?

miriam chaikin

All is quiet

no one makes a sound.

Sweet peas sleep.

Trevor Camp

walnut-endive salad

he ignores the absence

of the steak

(Ramona)

green pearls--

as alike as the peas

in this pod

James Dobson.

 this heat

the jalapeños

set on

Ann K. Schwader

 vacant lot-

overnight

tomatoes appear

Jone. Rush MacCulloch

cabbage spring rolls

amid chanting of mantras--

monsoon wedding

Arvinder kaur

Chandigarh, IIndia

fresh vegetables

her grandma is hoping

I don’t lose hunger

Ernesto P. Santiago

Philippines

lots of snow...

sparrows try to find

the scraps I throw

Anitha Varma

garden at evening

a tomato's reflection

on the table

--Highlander

dilly beans-

letting my sister-in-law teach

me how to "pickle"

Anonymous

in a pickle

the clock has broken

late again!

Brenda Roberts,

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General Comments:

** I was attracted to those haiku that didn't just tell a story, but

left something unfinished for the reader to think about.

**I believe the tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable. But (just this

once) let it pass.

[I’ll take the blame for that – GH]

**It was very interesting to read all the haiku and to evaluate them.

It is not that easy a task.

**This was such fun! I thoroughly enjoyed it! thank you!!

**Thanks so much for this wonderful chance to read and vote on some

very good haiku!!

**Had a nice Shiki month this time.

**“Love Apples” - a folk name for tomatoes ;-)

**So glad you used one of Hortensia’s fine haiku for an

example...though none of us may match it.

**There is also a Soweto in the outskirts of Nairobi (Kenya). This is

where the haiku mentioning Soweto were written.