November 2007 Kukai

Kigo Theme: 

Turkey

First Place -- 20 points

autumn morning

strutting behind his shadow

the old turkey

Rita Odeh

(3,3,5) = 20 pts

Second Place -- 15 pts

turkey dinner

three generations

bickering

Beth Richards

(1,4,4) = 15 pts

Were you at the same family dinner I attended! This is so unpleasant and unfortunate, but also so true.

Alas!

awkwardly

I carve the turkey

in dad's place

Karen Briggs

(1,4,4) = 15 pts

Effectively delivers the emotion of the scene, which I think might make it a popular submission for many. But it's a sentence, not a haiku. Drop the 'ly' of 'awkwardly' and add a kireji mark, I think.

Third Place -- 14 pts

late november —

the turkey's shadow

suddenly shorter

Mary Davila

(0,4,6) = 14 pts

The countdown to the celebration day! This haiku captures both the shortened days of daylight and the fewer and fewer days of life left for the turkey. This haiku effectively selects images that serve double duty.

nap time —

hand print turkeys

line the classroom window

tim

(2,0,8) = 14 pts

This one was "show" compared to #39's "tell". 

Evocative and seasonal.

late Autumn sun —

a turkey

tries to fly

Paul Hodder

(1,3,5) = 14 pts

the first snow...

dad and the butcher

talk turkey

Dejan Pavlinovic

(0,3,8) = 14 pts

turkey calls

the urge

to reply

Audrey Downey

(0,1,12) = 14 pts

I've called my turkeys like this on the farm many times, but in the woods it could get me shot! Very compactly written to describe a second-guess.

12 points

call of wild turkeys . . .

i move my finger closer

to his house of cards

Francine Banwarth

(2,1,4) = 12 pts

autumn dawn

the gobble of a wild turkey

through the fog

---Jacek M.

(0,4,4) = 12 pts

Sensual and nicely done.

11 points

Thanksgiving gossip

picking over

the turkey carcass

w. f. owen

(0,2,7) = 11 pts

10 points

thanksgiving turkey —

farmer's smallest daughter

cries by the table

Gosia Zamorska

(1,3,1) = 10 pts

limping

one turkey has become

an individual

max verhart

(1,1,5) = 10 pts

9 points

son is overseas

quiet surrounds our table

turkey in deep freeze

Harvey Jenkins

(1,2,2) = 9 pts

kindergarten turkey —

the crayon outline

of each child's hand

Cherie Hunter Day

(1,2,2) = 9 pts

Utterly charming and nostalgic for us older parents.

turkey overdose

even the dog

won't bite

Roberta Beary

(0,3,3) = 9 pts

8 points

Thanksgiving turkey

my least favorite relative

sits down beside me

-- Karen Cesar

(0,1,6) = 8 pts

muffled clucking

in the stubble field mist —

wild turkeys

Barbara Snow

(0,1,6) = 8 pts

Lovely sound.

7 points

autumn feast...

days later the turkey

still giving

--Irene Golas

(2,0,1) = 7 pts

cold turkey —

a tsunami

in his teacup

Earl Keener

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

woods edge —

a wild turkey checks

the feeder

Mary Lee McClure

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

rainy afternoon —

turkeys wander in the town's

playground

Tom Maretic

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

herb-roasted turkey —

last year's tablecloth stain

noticed during grace

- Deborah P Kolodji

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

Election day...

a few wild turkeys

gobbling for attention

Deb Bauer

(0,0,7) = 7 pts

Laughed out loud at this one.

Thanksgiving Dinner —

the men squabble over

who shot the turkey

Nancy Nitrio

(0,0,7) = 7 pts

6 points

turkey legs

in a row

grandpa's missing teeth

Raquel D. Bailey

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

cleaning the attic

mom's turkey napkin holder

as if nothing changed

tish davis

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

The poet gave up

November's melancholy

Cold turkey

Jon Espen Vassbotn

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

the next hole

in my old leather belt —

turkey stuffing

DeVar

(0,0,6) = 6 pts

5 points

farm turkey

the flip-flapping

of double chin

kala ramesh

(1,0,2) = 5 pts

Vegetarians

toss their leftover food

to the turkey

Carmel Lively Westerman

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

turkey carving -

my little grandson's mouth

already open

Zhanna P. Rader

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

4 points

cold turkey —

a starving junkie begs

for a slice

Gautam Nadkarni

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

blood moon

the wild turkeys feast

on bonfire night

Janice

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

Spooky!

what we know —

the weight of white turkeys

in afternoon light

Joyce Clement

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

I love the subtle peacefulness of them eyeing up the flock for market with the turkeys in blissful ignorance. Almost overlooked on first reading.

Turkey Day —

the poor person eats

a croissant

miorita

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

old diary

a turkey feather

for Nov. 24

Petar Tchouhov

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

seed-scratching turkeys

Black Friday shoppers

scour the sale racks

Sherry Weaver Smith

(0,2,0) = 4 pts

Thanksgiving turkey, 

after hours in the oven,

kidnapped by our dog

Rey Barreto

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

between gravestones

a wild turkey wanders

thanksgiving ghost

-Neil Muscott

(0,0,4) = 4 pts

3 points

after dad's death

old hunting gear still packed

his gun and turkey caller

bre 

(1,0,0) = 3 pts

indian corn —

a flock of plastic turkeys

on the neighbor's lawn

Laurene

(1,0,0) = 3 pts

young wild turkeys

come out to browse

first autumn

Bruce Ross

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

family reunion

over turkey dinner

comfortable conflict

Bill Hudson

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

again and again

dialing his wife's number —

cold turkey

Lech Szeglowski

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

rustling leaves

a wild turkey darts

between birches

Catherine J.S. Lee

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

candlelit kitchen —

the turkey's final hour

in the barbecue

Susan Constable

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

A memorable power failure that makes a great funny story, in retrospect. Nice show without tell in the first line, a set up for romance and then down to earth with emergency measures.

Renaissance faire

the old jouster

gnaws a turkey leg

Agnes Eva Savich

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

The robust humour of seeing this old geezer chewing on a turkey leg captures a familiar moment at our modern re-enactments of Renaissance events. 

Staying in character, even though turkey has to substitute for some other medieval European bird.

Thanksgiving...

a turkey feather

in grandpa's cap

Carole

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

Free Format Theme:

Marker

First Place -- 26 pts

new moon

the distant curve

of highway markers

Susan Constable

(2,3,14) = 26 pts

civil war marker

a tour bus

re-loads

Roberta Beary

(1,5,13) = 26 pts

The levity of visiting of civil war graves is suddenly brought into sharp present time focus with the image of "re-loads" in line 3. The past and the present meet. This haiku has a kind of sardonic, almost black comedy humor that makes me smile when I read it. 

Ok, I laughed at 'reloads' versus ‘re-loads’.

Second Place -- 18 pts

scattering ashes

only this granite ledge

as a marker

Cherie Hunter Day

(1,4,7) = 18 pts

Stark and sensual!

Third Place -- 13 pts

back-country road

the stone mile marker

splotched with lichen

Catherine J.S. Lee

(0,4,5) = 13 pts

autumn rain —

a tattooed man sells

permanent markers

Israel Lopez Balan

(0,3,7) = 13 pts

12 points

grave markers...

how much

does anyone need

--Irene Golas

(2,2,2) = 12 pts

grandma's Bible

the silk bookmark ribbon still

in the same place

Dorota Pyra

(1,3,3) = 12 pts

winter light on the kitchen floor

the cat

a sundial marker

April Serock

(1,2,5) = 12 pts

Nice, even if it is a cat-ku. 

Lovely images and "catness".

10 points

night classes

her long slender fingers

around the marker

Petar Tchouhov

(2,0,4) = 10 pts

open road

a red-tail perched

on a mileage marker

tom painting

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

line markers etched

into the old closet door —

the inches we grew

Francine Banwarth

(0,1,8) = 10 pts

9 points

lonely journey

counting the mile markers

on the way home

RaV

(2,0,3) = 9 pts

8 points

passed down

the highway of life

genetic markers

Bill Hudson

(0,3,2) = 8 pts

spider web

between grave markers —

a fly's last flight, too

Deborah P Kolodji

(0,2,4) = 8 pts

old cemetery

Grandpa's grave marker

so hard to read

Jeanne Jorgensen

(0,1,6) = 8 pts

The dual meaning associated with attempting to read Grandpa's grave is moving. It is difficult to read the legends on the marker because they are old and weathered, but it is also difficult to read because the emotions being experienced obscure the markings. Nice layers of meaning here.

7 points

after the hurricane

a boat on the highway

high tide marker

-Neil Muscott

(0,1,5) = 7 pts

Magic Markers —

the child's trees and cows

are all bright pink

Zhanna P. Rader

(0,1,5) = 7 pts

The smile in this haiku will not stop beaming! I remember so well our children's bright color scenes proudly posted on our refrigerator door. It was a real competition for each of them.

6 points

mile marker —

we calculate the distance

left to travel

Karen Cesar

(1,0,3) = 6 pts

...and who has not traveled over this or any other holiday. The endless weary miles roll past and we count, count, count them by noting the mile markers. This mind numbing experience is well captured in simple language.

on the marker

where her ashes lie

 —dewdrops

Paul Hodder

(1,0,3) = 6 pts

spring green —

still looking for the magic

in the markers

Carolyn Hall

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

treeless tundra

inuksuk casts

the only shadow

Beth Powell

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

path markers lost,

but my basket is filled

with mushrooms

Tom Maretic

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

his grave marker

3 months later

still no name

bre 

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

living room artwork

he hides his magic markers

under the couch

Edward

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

5 points

the stain

of a permanent marker

lipstick on his shirt

Raquel Bailey

(1,0,2) = 5 pts

on his tombstone

I leave a pebble marker . . .

will he know?

Carol Raisfeld

(0,2,1) = 5 pts

marker

a faded teddy bear

laid on the roadside

Sherry Weaver Smith

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

Tenderly depicts so much sadness and loss.

the new editor —

circles with green marker

all the male pronouns

jill

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

4 points

girl in the mirror…

with a green marker pen

colouring hair

Daniela Bullas

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

a small beginning

under these big carrot tops —

the old row marker

P. Williams

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

Graffiti artist

Choosing each of his markers

with the utmost care

Rey Barreto

(0,2,0) = 4 pts

snow in the air

counting the pole markers

for my curved drive

Audrey Downey

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

mile marker —

a couple hugs

in my shadow

Rita Odeh

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

rainy day

the smiling toddler's

fistful of markers

Agnes Eva Savich

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

art therapy...

a gray marker mist

across the sun

Carole MacRury

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

grave marker —

on each letter

the leaves

Lech Szeglowski

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

empty saddlebags —

a felt marker line

across the map

DeVar

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

I felt the journey with this one.

another dead bee

the channel marker

obscured by fog

josh

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

3 points

magic marker…

fireflies flow

into sprites

Nancy Smith

(1,0,0) = 3 pts

early darkness —

the page marker in my second-hand book

is a love note

andrea

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

holy man

a morning glory vine

climbs his marker

erk

(0,1,1) = 3pts

pencil lines

etched in the door frame

mark our lives

Ruth Powell

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

dry clover leaf

still a marker between

my "Leaves of Grass"

Boris Nazansky

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

snow storm —

no route markers

by the highway

Jacek M.

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

Nicely made haiku—a scary situation!

last marker buoy

may the Lord watch

between you and me

George Hawkins

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

fall foliage —

the white dog's marker

on every tree

Leslie Montgomery

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

coming home

to a new address . . .

grave marker

Mary Davila

(0,0,3) = 3 pts