HAIKU CONTEST
THE WHEN, WHERE, WHAT TECHNIQUE of WRITING HAIKU
There are many ways of writing haiku. Here is a good technique that makes a difficult form seem simple. The first line shows the reader when the haiku is happening, the second line shows where it is happening, and the final line shows what is happening. The following samples were written by Myron Lysenko
early autumn ---
trees along the railway track
hold onto their leaves
summer flood –
the back garden
moves to the front
morning rainbow ---
above the four-leaf clover
a dying flower
wind and rain –
chess players in a tent
do not move
All these examples of haiku follow these guidelines:
RULES OF THE CONTEST:
:
1- the language must be plain and unpoetic
2- the haiku must consist of images that the poet sees
3- there must be one clean break in the syntax (at the end of the first line OR the second line)
4- the haiku must be in the present tense
5- you must not use any poetic techniques, such as rhyme, metaphor, simile or personification
6- haiku don't have titles; use the first line of your haiku in lieu of a title
7- all haiku must follow the WWW technique
MORE EXAMPLES OF THE WWW TECHNIQUE:
full moon
over my father’s orchard
the thump of an apple
Rich Krivcher
summer shower –
a woman sits
gazing outside
Kikaku
lightning flash –
where there were faces
plumes of pampas grass
Basho
spring rain –
in our sedan
your soft whispers
Buson
winter solstice –
in mid-air the waterfall
frozen
Sandra Fuhringer
Azure85 comments:
2 entries per person
no prewrites
myron will be judging, since he is very knowledgeable and wrote the contest rules.
It would be nice for everyone to comment on a few of the other entries. We learn from each other, I know I learned a lot from the last contest. I am not making this a requirement, just a suggestion.
This contest will close on July 4 or when it reaches 100 entries. If there is a good response for this contest like the last one, we will hold another haiku contest very soon.
1st place: 300 points
2nd place: 200 points
3rd place: 100 points
If anyone would like to work on revisions, the contest will be judged within the next few days. This will allow you time to work on anything you feel needs changed. Thank you for everyone who has written such helpful critiques on these pieces, and special thanks to myron who offered such wonderful advice and encouragement to everyone.
THE WHEN, WHERE, WHAT TECHNIQUE of WRITING HAIKU
There are many ways of writing haiku. Here is a good technique that makes a difficult form seem simple. The first line shows the reader when the haiku is happening, the second line shows where it is happening, and the final line shows what is happening. The following samples were written by Myron Lysenko
early autumn ---
trees along the railway track
hold onto their leaves
summer flood –
the back garden
moves to the front
morning rainbow ---
above the four-leaf clover
a dying flower
wind and rain –
chess players in a tent
do not move
All these examples of haiku follow these guidelines:
RULES OF THE CONTEST:
:
1- the language must be plain and unpoetic
2- the haiku must consist of images that the poet sees
3- there must be one clean break in the syntax (at the end of the first line OR the second line)
4- the haiku must be in the present tense
5- you must not use any poetic techniques, such as rhyme, metaphor, simile or personification
6- haiku don't have titles; use the first line of your haiku in lieu of a title
7- all haiku must follow the WWW technique
MORE EXAMPLES OF THE WWW TECHNIQUE:
full moon
over my father’s orchard
the thump of an apple
Rich Krivcher
summer shower –
a woman sits
gazing outside
Kikaku
lightning flash –
where there were faces
plumes of pampas grass
Basho
spring rain –
in our sedan
your soft whispers
Buson
winter solstice –
in mid-air the waterfall
frozen
Sandra Fuhringer
Azure85 comments:
2 entries per person
no prewrites
myron will be judging, since he is very knowledgeable and wrote the contest rules.
It would be nice for everyone to comment on a few of the other entries. We learn from each other, I know I learned a lot from the last contest. I am not making this a requirement, just a suggestion.
This contest will close on July 4 or when it reaches 100 entries. If there is a good response for this contest like the last one, we will hold another haiku contest very soon.
1st place: 300 points
2nd place: 200 points
3rd place: 100 points
If anyone would like to work on revisions, the contest will be judged within the next few days. This will allow you time to work on anything you feel needs changed. Thank you for everyone who has written such helpful critiques on these pieces, and special thanks to myron who offered such wonderful advice and encouragement to everyone.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on July 9, 2006
- Rewards: Gold: 300
- Final notes: This was a wonderful contest, it was a delight to read every entry. The active participation of everyone with helpful comments and encouragement were a delight to behold.
Myron was a marvelous judge, who helped every entry with kind and thoughtful comments. His selection of the winners are the ones I will post, it was so hard to choose from so many great entries. I would like to thank you Myron, for the time and patience you extended to everyone for judging this contest.
Below will be listed the Honorable Mentions, from Myron’s list and I have included one other. I want to thank Myron for illustrating for us the WWW technique and assisting everyone to grasp this important format.
I look forward to the next haiku contest, and I hope everyone will have as much fun as we did with this one. I want to thank you all for sharing your talents with us.
Yours in haiku,
Susie
1st place: Tishu
flash flood
beneath the lighthouse
a wrecked car
2nd place: ShelleyA
blossoms half open
on scented trees~
gust of wind
3rd place: NoWayJo
sun sinks
over the strike zone --
ninth inning
Honorable mention:
black night
lovers behind park gates
shut eyes
bethan-gaze
moonlit night
where stars twinkle -
the lights of an airplane
Crystal Phoenix
a fossil
beneath slate stone
tiger-lily
Poetryality
Autumn
the leaves on my porch
lift with the breeze
Lilac Butterfly
first snowfall-
the child gazes skyward
and out pops the tongue
Old Doc Wit
(the child in me loved this one!)
Entries [47]
1 - 47 of 47
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In the early spring---• Commented on by judge.
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by The Pole Star 8 lines, 14 comments, on Jun 28 7:21 AM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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summer breeze
paper glider sails near shoreby chonsigirl 2 lines, 5 comments, on Jun 28 7:54 AM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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Early Christmas eve
surrounded by evergreens• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
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golden leaves fall
into piles of childhood sportby chonsigirl 2 lines, 3 comments, on Jun 28 3:39 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge. -
Dew sparkles on grass.by WolfHeart 3 lines, 5 comments, on Jun 28 4:30 PM 2006. In Contemporary• Commented on by judge.
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by Haiku-bless-you 15 lines, 17 comments, on Jun 28 8:16 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge.
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moist eyes tears cascade on cheeks...pungent onions• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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by Amber Silverhair 2 lines, 15 comments, on Jun 30 8:29 AM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge.
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harvest moon
in the skyby Lone Wolf 97 2 lines, 9 comments, on Jun 30 3:01 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge. -
bottled mule piss
Brings joy and painby deercatcher 3 lines, 10 comments, on Jun 30 5:44 PM 2006. In Nature• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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evening tide
in the bay a craneby Lone Wolf 97 2 lines, 7 comments, on Jul 1 7:15 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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high above the grass,
maple leaves hiding sunshineby daniellomello 2 lines, 8 comments, on Jul 3 7:25 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge. -
Dark Night Sky
Two in the green pastureby Amanda Rhea 88 6 lines, 5 comments, on Jul 3 10:40 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
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right now sun rises--
rainbows illuminate dew• Commented on by judge. -
by poetic-enigma21 3 lines, 8 comments, on Jul 4 8:51 AM 2006. In Other• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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________________________________________________________by bubbasamuel 7 lines, 9 comments, on Jul 4 10:57 AM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge.
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nmhahahahahahhhahahah crazyby butterflydoll 2 lines, 6 comments, on Jul 4 11:51 AM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge.
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Early Morning-
shimmering pondby Mrs Johnny Ramone 2 lines, 5 comments, on Jul 4 3:06 PM 2006. In Nature• Commented on by judge. -
a childs first snowfall-
front yard smile wide eyes skywardby Old Doc Wit 2 lines, 11 comments, on Jul 4 3:09 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge. -
I just finished a great haiku book with basho, buson, issa, kikaku and many other greats.• Commented on by judge.
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concrete streets; alone
am i to stalk shadows leptby cirtualillusuon 4 lines, 6 comments, on Jul 4 6:53 PM 2006. In Other• Commented on by judge. -
the street turns drunkenly, all green,
above skies a darker green, -emeraldby cirtualillusuon 2 lines, 10 comments, on Jul 4 7:16 PM 2006. In Dark• Commented on by judge. -
by o20kimberlyn06o 3 lines, 3 comments, on Jul 4 10:48 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge.
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by o20kimberlyn06o 2 lines, 10 comments, on Jul 4 10:58 PM 2006. In Haiku• Commented on by judge.
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last July shadows
across tropical gardens• Commented on by judge.
Gold trophy winner
Add a comment
Comments
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Well that does define it quite explicitly. I didn't know it had to be so plain. I thought it was just about 5,7,5 syllables. I guess not(although I guess it makes sense since English is so different and syllables might be irrelevent).
Reading a contest
the computer's virtual red glare
confusion overtakes brain -
hi! great to see your contet. though, I am not perfect at haiku but I have tried doing this
Maybe I have some mistkaes there 
but u can correct them? Can't u 
Anyways, do we have two post 2 poems here? Is it a rule 
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Is it alright if I use the revised form of the last contest's haiku?
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Hentle, it does not have to be in the 5/7/5 form, it just does not go over 17 syllables. Myron constructed a contest so those who are new to writing this form can learn it.
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Pole Star, you do not have to post 2 poems. It is just an option if someone wants to enter twice. You can revise your haiku as comments are made on it.
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yes...thank you
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Duluoz, yes, you can use a revised form of the last contest.
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hi Duluoz - i don't think your haiku follows the WWW technique, so perhaps you could write another one?
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Hi! What is the WWW technique?
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hi Char - the WWW technique is just ONE WAY that we can write haiku. not all haiku have to be written using this technique, it's just one that we have decided to use for this contest.
i look forward to your entries.
myron. -
I love these haikus you give as examples and it DOES MAKE ME WANT TO TRY WRITING some!
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I thought that haiku had to contain 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second, and 5 in the third. I am confused now.
Ethereal Melody
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You do not have to be strict about the syllable count, Ethereal. You cannot go over it, but you can definitely write them shorter.
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Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.
Ethereal Melody
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congratulations on another great looking contest .... its great that the rules contain a guide for people that aid in learning to write haiku .... good luck with the judging and happy reading >>> GINA
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Thanks goes to myron, who wrote out the WWW to help us all learn more about haiku.
Edited on Jun 28, 4:53 p.m. because ''. -
thinking ... Myron ... you may like to add a few other examples - of contemporary and masters' haiku that show the WWW technique ... yours are great but a variety may extend imaginations and one then learns to recognise WWW from different expressions ....
(i hope i am making sense ... I KNOW WHAT I MEAN !) >>> GINA -
Love Haiku!
Love your Haiku contests! Cannot be enough of them and I so love it when Myron is around. He always gives great advice, so it is good to listen, but stay true to yourself if you think you know what your doing. Fun, fun, fun! -
Good idea Gina - i've added more examples of the WWW technique.
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the examples are great .... these two of yours i love ...
summer flood –
the back garden
moves to the front
*
wind and rain –
chess players in a tent
do not move
both show your great sense of humour to varying degrees and fabulous powers of observation recording moments experienced ... i think the chess players is my new fave of yours ...
love the juxtapositioning - one can see the whole world moving (including the tent) but chess players (and the chess pieces) are in that statue-like mode they do so well ....
lovely >>> GINA -
Thank you myron for adding additional examples, this is so helpful and fun to read them.
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for your contest did you want 5/7/5 or something else in mind?
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hi sss - i prefer haiku under 17 syllables usually. the 5/7/5 format seems to be an old-fashioned and out-dated notion of haiku.
what kinds of haiku do you write?
i hope you read the rules and enter the contest,
myron.
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I read through all the comments and I'm still unclear as to what the WWW technique is. No one has actually explained it. I would be quite interested to enter this, if it wasn't for my stupid writer's block...
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hi DF - does this explain the WWW technique, or do you think i need to give more information?
"There are many ways of writing haiku. Here is a good technique that makes a difficult form seem simple. The first line shows the reader when the haiku is happening, the second line shows where it is happening, and the final line shows what is happening."
myron.
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JUDGE’S REPORT
It was wonderful to see so many haiku entered into this contest. It was especially pleasing to see how diligently some poets worked at revising their poems to get them as perfect as possible, according to our contest rules.
A haiku looks simple on the surface, but when it’s well written, it has layers which reward each subsequent reading.
The reason behind this contest was that the entrants would broaden & deepen their knowledge of what a haiku could be. A haiku is not just a 17 syllable poem with a reference to nature. There is a lot more to the form than that.
The WWW technique of haiku is just ONE way of writing a haiku. There are many more ways to write a haiku. We will explore them in future contests.
Thank you very much to all the poets who entered the contest & especially to those who revised their poems.
A very special thanks to poets who left constructive suggestions or perceptions on other poet’s works. This is very important as polite encouragement is not really enough, as it diesn;t really help the poem the peot has written.
FIRST PRIZE:
flash flood
beneath the lighthouse
a wrecked car
Tishu
This is a wonderfully evocative haiku with vivid images. The second line is a pivot on which both the first lines & second lines can swing from. It’s a haiku where every word is important. The final line is a wonderful surprise moment, because as readers we expect the image to be a ship. In this case it’s a car. It’s a startling and memorable haiku.
Second Prize:
blossoms half open
on scented trees~
gust of wind
ShelleyA
I love the emotional impact of this haiku. It follows all the rules of the contest and it brings more to the poem as well in the evocative images. It evokes spring which is the season of growth & yet these blossoms are blown away before they can develop. That’s what happens to most of us creative people in this economic world.
THIRD PRIZE:
sun sinks
over the strike zone --
ninth inning
NoWayJo
I love the way this haiku contrasts a sporting event with nature. The sinking sun over a sporting event is a remarkable juxtaposition. It is an open-ended poem which allows the reader to interpret the result of the game & its relevance to a world which lives on day after day.
mid-summer
by the babbling brook
her laughter
bengalibelle
Most Improved:
summer evening~
the pool pump gently hums
while crickets chirp
Haiku-bless-you
HONOURABLE mentions:
black night
lovers behind park gates
shut eyes
bethan-gaze
moonlit night
where stars twinkle -
the lights of an airplane
Crystal Phoenix
a fossil
beneath slate stone
tiger-lily
Poetryality
Autumn
the leaves on my porch
lift with the breeze
Lilac Butterfly
All judgments of a contest are subjective. These may not be the best haiku in the competition. They are just my opinions which probably reflect my bias. The reason why I love these haiku contests is that they make us aware of the many different ways a haiku can be written.
I had short list of 15 haiku in this contest. Any one of them could have won.
Thanks to Susie for allowing me to give my comments & suggestions over her contest.
I love haiku & I hope you do too.
Perhaps she will give a few honourable mentions as well.
Myron.
Edited on Jul 09, 8:29 because ''. -
an excellent competition ... very well done to the host and the judge ... great choices, wonderful suggestions and helping poets get a handle on the form .... congratualations to everyone entering and engaging in the intent of the contest - exploring haiku ....
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Thank you for the verdict Myron and thanks to Susie for running this contest. I have enjoyed participating immensely.
Well done to the other prizewinners - great stuff.
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Great Job everyone, and thanks for all the constructive ideas, and gentle proddings!!
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Congratulation to the winners - those are great haikus! Thanks for the opportunity to write haiku again - I know that mine didn't fully comply with the WWW-techniqe and that I decided to leave them as they were, yet I learned a lot! Best wishes.
~ Nicolette
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thank you both so much Azure and Myron and Tishu for all your help and guidance. I love the interactive nature of these contests, and I really appreciate! Thanks again and congratulations to all!
Jo -
wonderfull contest ,learnt something new
congrats to all
thank you myron and azure85
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wow.. reading those final notes and the haikus there... gosh.. really, they were totally awesome! This contest has REALLY helped me with one of the easiest techniques of writing a delightful haiku... I really really hope to see more of these contests! Thanks!!
Thanks also for the HM! I really feel honoured and happy! Congrats to all the winners, and bless the judges + everyone! 
>~CrystalPhoenix~< -
Congratulations to the winners and well done everyone. This contest has been interesting and challenging and I've learned a lot from it. Thank you azure and myron..
take care~ -
I love haikus. Someday I hope to create a chapbook of those I have writtten. Thank you for holding this challenge to give us a chance to improve our skills. Thank you myron for always being such a great help.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE TROPHY WINNERS AND HONORABLE MENTIONS
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