October 2015 Kukai

Kigo Theme:

SCARECROW

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First Place -  41 Points

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full corn moon

a scarecrow guards

the emptiness

Vinay Leo R.

(3,7,18) = 41 pts

**"emptiness" opens this up in a very interesting way.

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Second Place -   33 Points

---------------------------------

returning home—

only the scarecrow

with open arms

Shrikaanth Krishnamurthy

Birmingham, UK

(1,9,12) = 33 pts

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Third Place -   23 Points

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sunset

the scarecrow's shadow

creeps across the field

Simon Hanson

(0,4,15) = 23 pts

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 20 Points

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scarecrow -

the language

I cannot speak

Ana Drobot

(Bucharest, Romania)

(1,6,5) = 20 pts

**Perhaps "a" in place of "the" in line 1?

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19  Points

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scarecrow

the kids

wave back

Bill Kenney

(2,2,9) = 19 pts

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16  Points

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leaving me in stitches the scarecrow’s smile

Roberta Beary

(1,5,3) = 16 pts

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15  Points

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that border

between wild and tame

scarecrow

Michele L. Harvey

USA

(1,3,6) = 15 pts

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 13 Points

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east wind --

the scarecrow’s sleeves

both point west

~ Isabelle Prondzynski

(Ireland)

(0,3,7) = 13 pts

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 12 Points

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his old clothes

given a new life—

scarecrow

Carole MacRury

(1,2,5) = 12 pts

a drunkard

passing by the scarecrow

raises his hat

Tomislav

(0,3,6) = 12 pts

moving day

taking the scarecrow

with us

Paul Hodder

(0,1,10) = 12 pts

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 11 Points

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final rites

the scarecrow's hat

askew in the rain

Anitha Varma,

Kerala, India.

(0,4,3) = 11 pts

the silence

between the scarecrow

and the crows

Dejan Pavlinović

Pula, Croatia

(0,2,7) = 11 pts

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10  Points

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dusk ...

a raven breaks its flight

on the scarecrow

Jayashree Maniyil

(0,1,8) = 10 pts

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 8 Points

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tipsy

with moonlight

the vineyard

scarecrow

Anonymous

(0,2,4) = 8 pts

**Mostly, I like the "delay" effect the 4-line format allows.

unplowed field

last year's scarecrow

keeps on flapping

Adelaide B. Shaw

(0,1,6) = 8 pts

**In failing to notice that the world has gone on without him, the scarecrow sounds quite human.

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 7 Points

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evening walk

alone, you too

scarecrow

oga

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

**Poignant...

fallen down

on the job again-

scarecrow

Gregory Longenecker

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

beneath the scarecrow

field mouse gathers straw

October dusk

--Diane Mayr

(0,2,3) = 7 pts

**It wasn't until the third time through that this little gem got my attention, almost like the mouse the scarecrow doesn't notice.

autumn moon

a scarecrow lost …

in the corn maze

Nancy Nitrio

(0,1,5) = 7 pts

coming home

the scarecrow's

outstretched arms

Kevin Knezevic

(0,1,5) = 7 pts

barren field

a scarecrow points to

the harvest moon

Kaiser K.

(0,0,7) = 7 pts

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 6 Points

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homecoming ...

the scarecrow welcomes

with open arms

Arvinder kaur

Chandigarh, India

(1,1,1) = 6 pts

wheat chaff

harvest moon slips into

the scarecrow’s pocket

Harvey Jenkins

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

rice fields —

the scarecrow sways

to harvesters' song

Paresh

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

**Well, of course it's just the wind, but the imagination plays tricks, fortunately.

first snow

the old scarecrow

in deep meditation

Svend A. Doggfall

(0,0,6) = 6 pts

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 5 Points

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slow-wave sleep

a scarecrow guards

the silence

Cyndi Lloyd

(1,0,2) = 5 pts

dense fog

today the scarecrow

without face

(Ramona)

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

**I like the "today"... which leaves me wondering whether it has a face on other days... nice sense of mystery there.

scarecrow...

now I need not wear

hand-me-downs

Vandana Parashar

India

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

Atlantic fog

the scarecrow's scarf

hanging loose

Michael McClintock

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

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 4 Points

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silent as a gun

sparrows twitter from the brim

of a scarecrow's hat

Hansha Teki

(0,2,0) = 4 pts

empty fields

the scarecrow left

drooping straw

Beth Powell

(0,2,0) = 4 pts

garden scarecrow

a small fawn

nibbles at his leg

Edward

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

Heart entombed in chaff

Never to be understood

By those fleeing fools

Jim Thoune

Bowling Green, KY USA

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

on the narrow road

a shabby scarecrow

points to the left

L.Csilla

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

arm’s length

the scarecrow hosts

a murder of crows

Tom Painting

(0,0,4) = 4 pts

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 3 Points

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harvest festival -

the scarecrows also having

their days off

Zhanna P. Rader

(1,0,0) = 3 pts

the scarecrow

straight teeth

crooked smile

Carol Raisfeld

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

across the highway

scarecrow watches condos rise

where corn used to grow

Deirdre Godwin

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

falling leaves . . .

the raggedy scarecrow's

faded red shirt

Catherine J.S. Lee

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

harvest time

the scarecrow's poker-face

on the pumpkin field

Rafał Zabratyński

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

scarecrows

differently dressed up

in a row

Yukiko Yamada

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

scarecrow

in a rainstorm

looking so sad

Barbara Campitelli

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

Longer nights...

wandering the fields

to see the scarecrow

~Devika

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

harvest moon-

the rising haystack

dwarfs the scarecrow

-Kashinath Karmakar

India

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

grape harvest -

some bunches in

scarecrow's pockets

Petru-Ioan Gârda

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

kale garden --

an old scarecrow bends

in the wind

~ Anthony Waswa (Kenya)

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

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 2 Points

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a scarecrow

wears dad’s felt army hat

I blink back tears

Anonymous

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

windy moonlight--

scared by shadows

of the scarecrow

Bill Pauly

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

autumn dusk;

on a threadbare scarecrow

a heron alights

-manoj saranathan

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

his spine storm-snapped beheaded scarecrow still shelters a red ant army

krw

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

The Ravens gather

On the shoulders of

The SCAREcrow

MR PC

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

bullet train --

the scarecrow gets

a scare

Kumarendra Mallick Hyderabad India

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

scarecrow stand-up

with an audience

of smiling snowmen

Jon Espen Vassbotn

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

laughing scarecrow

the cornfield buddha

wearing only rags

todd eddy

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

veggie garden--

we stuff grandpa’s clothes

with straw

--Kirsty Karkow

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

blackbirds fight

for a spot

on the scarecrow

Anonymous

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

so many cornfields

so many scarecrows

unemployed

Ginny Hoyle

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

an old crow

merrily sitting on

a scarecrow

Munia Khan

Dhaka, Bangladesh

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

a squirrel waiting

for the scarecrow to go --

green farm

~ Sammy Kilonzo

(Kenya)

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

rain and wind

the scarecrow's sleeve

waves back

Sheila K. Barksdale

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

autumn wind

what's left

of the scarecrow's clothes

Tim Singleton

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

bushy maize farm --

a monkey tries to scare

a scarecrow

~ Lawrence Muema (Kenya)

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

a speeding sparrow

suddenly changes direction-

roadside scarecrow

~ Colfax Otieno (Kenya)

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

fallen scarecrow --

a crow lands

on his shoulder

James Dobson

Prudhoe, UK.

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

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 One Point

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scarecrow waiving

crows cross their way to the hills

pumpkin patch saved

Neal Whitman

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

first Sunday--

a child dresses up

the scarecrow

Ernesto P. Santiago

Athens, Greece

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

all alone

with not even a bird friend -

scarecrow

Gillena Cox

St James, Trinidad

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

old scarecrow

sporting dad’s plaid shirt

lightning strike

Ignatius Fay

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

gentleman's farm

his scarecrow's little black dress

vintage Chanel

maxianne

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

who's who in distance?

my old clothes are her new clothes

the scarecrow is me

Daniela Bullas

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

incoming fog . . .

let's see what these scarecrows

can do

Ajaya Mahala

Pune, India

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

alone in the dark

our scarecrow

doesn't budge either

Barbara Snow

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

a lone erect squirrel

regarding a scarecrow --

fenced farm

~ Susan Wakini (Kenya)

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

game park fence --

a scarecrow stands guard

on a nearby farm

~ Michael Cosmas (Kenya)

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

night breeze ...

the undone clothes

of a scarecrow

Samar Ghose

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

whistling wheat fields -

wrapping another scarf

around the scarecrow

-Priscilla Cook

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

ragged scarecrow--

empty fields await

the first snow

Ruth Powell

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

a wooden scarecrow

sternly staring at me --

roadside garden

~ Sheila Induswe (Kenya)

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

moonless night --

a scarecrow's white jumper

shines in my flashlight

~ Collins Mugusi

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

autumn wind...

the cornfield scarecrow's

annual moan

S.E. Buffington

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

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No Points This Time, Sorry.

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Stuffed silly with straw -

angel of death

to crows on the wing.

Robert C. Howard

Belleville IL

undeterred by

rain or shine

guards the crop

purush-

Nolensville. Tn[usa]

scarecrow

no brooding angels

in the old apple tree

Oddbjørn Aardalen

A bold blackbird

singing boisterously

on a scarecrow’s head

Keith A. Simmonds

Rodez, FRANCE

 trying a haiku

a crow lands on

a scarecrow

Israel López Balan

Mexico City, Mexico

looming in the field

a motionless scarecrow...

red supermoon rise

Natalia Kuznetsova

scarecrow contest

bride & groom zombies kill

the competition

Anonymous

the scarecrow

come rain or snow

his scarf still waves

Bernard Gieske

harvested field

leans into its own shadow

the scarecrow

Vishnu P Kapoor

Chennai, India

passing fields -

not a single scarecrow

for the cow corn

Laurene

winter sunset

the glow of robin red breast

warms a scarecrow

Garry Eaton

in the middle row

a scruffy scarecrow

guards rotten fruit

Barbara A. Taylor

Mountain Top, NSW

Australia

scarecrow --

the politician

on the dais

quamrul hassan

(bangladesh)

a hesitant monkey

stares at a scarecrow --

maize field

~ Hannah Kiruki

(Kenya)

cabbage garden --

a scarecrow wearing

rasta colour clothes

~ Anthony Joseph

(Kenya)

our maize field --

over the hedge a monkey

teases a scarecrow

~ Patrick Wafula

(Kenya)

the girl walks away

on the scarecrow’s shoulder

warmth of a crow

Anonymous

fall twilight

the baby scarecrow

a blue shadow

Alegria Imperial

mischief in the corn field

the scarecrow

now a cyclops

Bill Hudson

hands of a scarecrow

never reaching

the beer can

Anonymous

fledging raucous crows

will not scare

even for blue jays

Donna Bauerly

Dubuque, IA

scarecrow

never more

the family farm

jill

scarecrow's

thin bones freezing -

harvest moon

Juhani Tikkanen

sparrows peck

the tattered wedding dress

on standing scarecrow

Jone Rush MacCulloch

Portland, OR

roadside garden --

a dusty scarecrow

in tattered clothes

~ Margaret Wangui (Kenya)

an old scarecrow

balances on a fence --

rugged field

~ Kelvin Akidiva (Kenya)

relentless rain

even smiling scarecrow

a bit down

Anonymous

the old scarecrow

under the draconids

guarding earth

Anne Zooey Lind

 ***Secretary's comment: One of my favorites

man of straw

stuck in one place

work keeps you grounded

Frances O'Keeffe

naked scarecrow

no buttons to count

catch at a straw

Helvellyn Lewis

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General Comments:

 **Some outstanding entries in this kukai. Thanks again for the invitation.

 **#23, #75, and #104 repeated many words but #23 was clearly the best of them.

**"Why say everything?" Basho asked. Many of this month's less successful entries simply say too much, leaving the reader with little to do. Not a matter of "minimalism;" simply of knowing when to stop.

 **Too much good ones to award more than a single vote...sigh

**I really enjoyed the scarecrows.

 **I am sorry I didn't feel like giving the rest of the marks to any other..

**Very nice collection this, which I enjoyed reading and re-reading.

 **Some great kigo ones here. Too bad some of them repeated the season. To narrow the strongest contenders I selected those haiku that moved away from cliché and presented a different perspective on scarecrows. It was very difficult awarding points.

**Enough to put the scare in us!

Free Format Theme:

SPARK

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First Place - 25 Points

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last sparks

from the dying embers...

my hand in his

sanjuktaa

India

(2,4,11) = 25 pts

**The dying beautifully portrayed. The tenderness is so palpable.

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Second Place - 24 Points

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the sparks

in a soldier's ashes -

all those dreams

Arvinder kaur

Chandigarh, India

(3,3,9) = 24 pts

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Third Place -  17 Points

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flare of sparks

...one potato tucked

into the ashes

--Diane

(0,3,11) = 17 pts

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16 Points

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between

voice and word

the sparks

Hansha Teki

(2,2,6) = 16 pts

night sky . . .

I entrust my heart

to a falling star

Paresh

(0,4,8) = 16 pts

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15 Points

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rising sparks

lost among the stars

shortest night

Ignatius Fay

ifay@vianet.ca

(1,3,6) = 15 pts

**Vast distances, brief moments, and a poet's imagination.

**Love the new getting lost in the old. Subtly melancholic and beautiful!

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14 Points

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flint

on steel;

starfall

Bill Pauly

(0,2,10) = 14 pts

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13 Points

----------------------------------

bonfire

the first spark sends us

to the moon

Tom Painting

(1,3,4) = 13 pts

dying embers---

her fingers shrink

from my touch

Shrikaanth Krishnamurthy

Birmingham, UK

(0,2,9) = 13 pts

----------------------------------

12 Points

----------------------------------

sparks in the maple autumn sun

S.E. Buffington

(2,1,4) = 12 pts

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10 Points

----------------------------------

the campfire ends

in a sigh of embers

starlit sky

Anitha Varma

Kerala, India.

(0,4,2) = 10 pts

**I'm not sure about "sigh of embers," but it reaches. One thing it does is to make the moment human.

last sparks

from the campfire

moonless sky

Ann K. Schwader

(0,2,6) = 10 pts

**No wasted words, and the last line closes things down strongly. Certainly, a sense of the end of something.

fireworks –

falling sparks among

the stars

Tomislav

(0,1,8) = 10 pts

**"falling" is what makes this work.

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9 Points

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autumn night

kindling and the spark

between us

jill

(0,3,3) = 9 pts

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8 Points

----------------------------------

maize roaster --

golden sparks fly

into the dusk

~ Isabelle Prondzynski

(Kenya)

(1,2,1) = 8 pts

bonfire night ...

a beggar struggles

with wet coal

Vinay Leo R.

(0,3,2) = 8 pts

----------------------------------

7 Points

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borrowed fire

Szymborska's spark

on the wind

Ginny Hoyle

(1,2,0) = 7 pts

**Had to Google Szymborska – glad I did – she’s a Polish poet who won the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature (I’m so happy to have this opportunity to discover a new poet and read some of her poetry!). I’m having trouble with the phrase “borrowed fire.” Not sure how fire is borrowed – perhaps “shared” would be a better word choice? Otherwise a touching, lovely haiku.

middle age

the spark between us

still warming the years

Tim Singleton

(1,1,2) = 7 pts

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6 Points

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farewell bonfire

a stream of sparks

hits Orion

Rafał Zabratyński

(1,0,3) = 6 pts

her presence

the heart of an autumn leaf

sparkles

Svend A. Doggfall

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

**Beautiful and heartwarming!

sunrise

a spark

in the mornings eye

Oddbjørn Aardalen

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

just one

among many

wildfire spark

Gregory Longenecker

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

autumn chill;

a spark from the crackling fire

joins the milky way !

-manoj saranathan

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

**The exclamation point is a mistake, as it usually is.

of the children

only fireflies

in his blindness

Alegria Imperial

(0,2,2) = 6 pts

grandpa's ghost tales—

campfire sparks reflected

in the kids' wide eyes

Catherine J.S. Lee

(0,1,4) = 6 pts

a spark from the campfire

flits and dies

my mother was right

maxianne

(0,0,6) = 6 pts

picnic bonfire -

sparks fly into

the dry grass

Carmel Westerman

(0,0,6) = 6 pts

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5 Points

----------------------------------

that spark

when our hands meet . . .

my old friend

Bill Kenney

(1,0,2) = 5 pts

grinding sparks –

the fountain sculpture gets

an impish smile

(Ramona)

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

flatline—

the cricket starts up again

Samar Ghose

Australia

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

**I’m usually not a fan of two-line haiku, but this one is quite effective.

50 years at the anvil

the blacksmith's forearms

pitted with scars

Sheila K. Barksdale

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

alpine lake—

our campfire sparks

mingle with the stars

Carole MacRury

(0,1,3) = 5 pts

backyard fireworks

the neighbors quickly

water their lawns

Edward

(0,0,5) = 5 pts

----------------------------------

4 Points

----------------------------------

just in time

CPR delivers

a spark of life

Barbara A. Taylor

Mountin Top, NSW

Australia

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

a sudden spark too late I turn away

Donna Bauerly

Dubuque, IA

(1,0,1) = 4 pts

One line

acorn kindling

campfire sparks chase

shooting star

charlie smith

raleigh, nc

(0,2,0) = 4 pts

spark -

fir-trees hang on

to the sun

Ana Drobot

Bucharest, Romania

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

Her first kiss

under the cherry tree…

sparks in her eyes

Keith A. Simmonds

Rodez, FRANCE

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

catching her eye

as the campfire story drags on

orange sparks

Paul Hodder

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

unseen sparks

in her eyes --

morning glory

Kumarendra Mallick Hyderabad India

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

in the shadows

of an empty apple tree -

a tiny spark

-Priscilla Cook

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

sunset --

sparks from a welding machine

brighten my path

~ Wellington Mulima (Kenya)

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

flat soda

wet matches

starless sky

Jon Espen Vassbotn

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

**This trifold absence of spark - yes!

new moon

the spark

of hope

L.Csilla

(0,1,2) = 4 pts

moonless night

the spark in her eyes

lights my world

Vandana Parashar

India

(0,0,4) = 4 pts

sparks

in the eyes of a blacksmith...

she passes by

Dejan Pavlinović

Pula, Croatia

(0,0,4) = 4 pts

----------------------------------

3 Points

----------------------------------

Sipping cider together

A fire log sparks

in the October chill.

Robert C. Howard

Belleville IL

(1,0,0) = 3 pts

a surge current —

those deep dimples

of the young sparky

Jayashree Maniyil

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

lightning . . .

I walk on a river

in the dazzle

Ajaya Mahala,

Pune, India

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

the rain stops

in the flooded basement

stars tremble

Nancy Smith

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

static electricity

the spark at first touch

still there

Adelaide B. Shaw

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

keeping me company -

the sparks from the campfire

and the stars above.

dsnake1

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

a lone spark

lifts into the night--

my campfire

Ruth Powell

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

one lone spark -

thirty acres of dry brush

ablaze

Jane DeJonghe

(0,1,1) = 3 pts

wall to wall carpet

we feel a jolt

at every light switch

Harvey Jenkins

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

his abuse

makes her an anvil

without spark

Munia Khan

Dhaka, Bangladesh

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

**I felt the blow this one delivers. Oh my, this haiku has stayed with me.

comet days -

grandfather sharpens knives

at the grinder

Petru-Ioan Gârda

(0,0,3) = 3 pts

----------------------------------

2 Points

----------------------------------

listening to

poetryreincarnations...

the waxen sparks

--Kirsty Karkow

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

bonfire

a spark makes the two laugh

even louder

oga

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

I jump away

from the welder's glowing sparks --

car repairs

~ Cynthia Mberi (Kenya)

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

winter sparks --

the presence of

a fireside mat

James Dobson

Prudhoe, UK.

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

adorned with dew drops

rainbow-flashing in the sun -

a spider web

Anonymous

(0,1,0) = 2 pts

rising heat...

the repairman's touch

sets off a spark

~Devika

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

mating fireflies

tiny sparks in the picture

on her gravestone

Kaiser Kahn

(0,0,2) = 2 pts

----------------------------------

One Point

----------------------------------

strike after strike

before the match sparks -

frustration

Gillena Cox

St James, Trinidad

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

an ember

flames, dies…

midnight hour

Michele L. Harvey

USA

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

a spark

dazzling in her eyes

new found love.

purush-

NOLENSVILLE[USA]

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

sad eyes

beginning to spark --

the peek-a-boo game

Michael McClintock

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

when earth is shaking

a volcano coughs and sparks -

swallows migration

Daniela Bullas

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

on the cobblestones

spitting sparks from horseshoes

disturb the night

Bernard Gieske,

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

**Great imagery in this one!

bright sparks

from a welding shop --

twi-light

~ Hannah Kiruki (Kenya)

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

trying to fly

with Blaze Foley

the record skips

todd eddy

normal, il

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

yellow sparks

on lighting a brazier --

evening wind

~ Dorothy Syombua (Kenya)

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

two tango steps

spark

lifetime of passion

Jone Rush MacCulloch

Portland, Oregon

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

spark

the reason

you and I are together

Bill Hudson

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

refracted light

through the selenite crystal

my third eye sparks

Cyndi Lloyd

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

burning rubbish --

unable to count

erupting sparks

Mary Kamau (Kenya)

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

yet a bonfire spark

mingling with ten

thousand stars

Anne Zooey Lind

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

glint of life

the sparkling eyes of

the lame old codger

Frances O'Keeffe

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

sparks

in the eyes of

run over nightjar

Helvellyn Lewis

(0,0,1) = 1 pts

--------------------------------------

No Points This Time, Sorry.

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one high school teacher

said I would spark in college

summa cum laude       

Neal Whitman   

North Star--

the spark excites

my taste buds

Ernesto P. Santiago

Athens, Greece

sparkles of ice

decorate the dogwood tree ~

christmas is near

Pat Geyer

flintstones

the sparks lay dreaming

Simon Hanson

wandering lost trails

the forgotten spark

of my first love

hawktalk

sudden spark

in smouldering ashes

that look of the old flame

Vishnu P Kapoor

Chennai, India

 a shower of sparks

rises from Hallowe’en’s fire

rivaling the stars

Deirdre Godwin

sun blasting sparks

October red sky morning

quaking crimson leaves

Susan Harman

a tall leafy tree

leaning on electric cables --

bright sparks

~ Michael Cosmas

the last fireworks

sparks fall

the summer ends

Yukiko Yamada

horde of sparks,

added some stovewood --

cold evening

Juhani Tikkanen

lights out...

but for a candle spark

in the hallway

~ Catherine Njeri Maina (Kenya)

three sparks appear

from a matchstick strike --

dark dormitory

~ Onyango Valary (Kenya)

 windy night --

glittering sparks rising

from a burning log

~ Mary Mueni (Kenya)

Tiny spark

The mustard seed

Of the conflagration

Jim Thoune

Bowling Green, KY USA

everywhere sparks

flying around

those fireflies

Barbara Campitelli

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General Comments:

**Surprising amount of confusion re: "spark/sparkle" in this month's entries.

 **It is a great pleasure to read and enjoy so many good haiku.

 **Interesting haiku in this edition, but too many "campfires"?

 **Not too many of these entries lit a fire within me. Sorry. Even some of these [that I voted for] were a stretch.

**With summer temperatures in now Spring, we are always alert and aware of the threat from sparks...Not looking forward to our Summer and the strong El Nino...

**I like very many haiku with the kigo of "scarecrow", but I hardly like any of the "sparks" haiku - they all sound plain to me, I am sorry to say. Sad smile emoticon