World Haiku Association (153rd Haiga Contest)

Kuniharu Shimizu selected 24 out of 51.

World Haiku Association

(153rd Haiga Contest, May 2017)

Ribbons Winter 2016

STUPOR

no one 

calling my name

this morning

a cup of water stays cold

in the microwave

preparations

for the memorial 

the chrysanthemums

quietly wither

on the side

an avalanche 

of memories snowballing

into grief

the stories behind

a box of receipts

every now and then 

the flicker of a firefly . . .

still in my hand

all of you I need

to let go

not accepting

what goodbye really means

my breath lingers

in every shape and sound

of spring dusk

Seize the Poem (January 2015 prompt - April 2015 prompt)

January 2 prompt: branches

See comments here.

summer clouds

the taste of a moment

as it melts away

January 9 prompt: cloud watching

See comments here.

February 3 prompt: moon

See comments here.

healing after a good cry cloud break

February 5 prompt: one-liner/monostitch

See comments here.

magenta lips the kiss of summer wind

pink moon the taste of our make-up kiss

summer clouds my dreams sailing away

apple blossoms blowing kisses in the wind

Kathy Uyen Nguyen's response:

falling myrtle your apology a kiss away

fishtailed sky another wish woven through bubble wands

koi pond I stir my hopes into the patchwork of clouds

February 5 prompt: one-liner/monostitch

See comments here.

February 5 prompt: one-liner/monostich

See comments here.

watching

a seagull glide against

the overcast sky . . .

I forgot to tell the driver

to turn right

February 6 prompt: road signs

See comments here.

February 8: sky colors

See comments here.

February 9 prompt: straight lines

See comments here.

Kathy Uyen Nguyen's response:

opal blue skies

a robin pens its story

with a throaty flourish

February 10 prompt: grey

See comments here.

scarlet sky

diluted with dreams

of having you near . . .

this winter I dwell on

the love, not the pain

February 17: winter palette

See comments here.

February 23 prompt: petal

See comments here.

barn door . . .

horse grunts slide out

into the sunshine

* Previously posted at NaHaiWriMo. Thanks to Kathy Uyen Nguyen. I love the way she revised the second line for me.

February 21 prompt:

See comments here.

the frays of sadness

fading into the sunlight . . .

the yellow flowers

we planted together

now in full bloom

March 26 off prompt

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thunderstorm —

our pillows strewn

all over the floor

March 27 prompt: thunderstorm

See comments here.

not knowing

the exact moment

I knew I loved you . . .

footsteps of a flamingo

at the edge of the lake

April 2 prompt: sneak, light walking

See comments here.

the sparrow's last sip

from a birdbath . . .

on your birthday

how I didn't want to believe

in your goodbyes

*Thanks again to Kathy for helping me revise this.

April 3 prompt: drink, drought, birdbath

See comments here.

Missing Kathy

     While Kathy Uyen Nguyen is on her two-month hiatus, I'm posting some of my favorites which she had written for The Collaborative Photo-Haiku Project.


Click the entry for Tif Holme's photo.

1) Entry 17

    framing us
    in this sidewalk
    rain puddles...
    the way our love
    ripples into song

2) Entry 20

    new love
    fumbling for the keys
    and for the perfect kiss
    just as a firefly
    skips by our shadows

3) Entry 22

    spring buds...
    even after all these years
    we still count
    the firsts of everything
    in our love

4) Entry 23

    outside
    the sidewalks darken
    I learn the meaning
    of filling the cracks
    between us

5) Entry 25

    is it possible
    to long for so much...
    even these thorns
    cannot count the times
    my old wounds reopen

6) Entry 27

    looking over
    the ledge between love
    and the unknown
    like the pigeons I fight
    the urge to fly towards you

7) Entry 29

    the deep bloom
    of fuchsias outside
    until the days shorten
    I can only dream of what we
    will say when we meet again

    The perfect haiku to match the most gorgeous photo of the month! Indeed, there is so much to look forward when she comes back in May.
    As she leaves, a bittersweet goodbye seems to permeate from some of the last haiku.

    no luggage
    only the flower scent
    to remember

                         Ambra Quelleri

    sunrise light
                my heart opening
                              with welcome sorrow

                                                    Kris Lindbeck

    purple dusk...
    the last blueberries
    staining our tears

         The last one is mine, especially written for her. :-)

     To Kathy, I wish you well. When you come back, I'm sure you'll even have more beautiful poetry to share to all of us.