an’ya, Judge
“Thank you very much to the hundreds of fine poets who entered Vancouver’s Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Invitational 2011 and helped us celebrate the wonders of cherry blossom time. Congratulations to everyone who placed, and special congratulations to the top five winners for “Best-Haiku” in the British Columbia, Canada, United States, International (outside North America), and Youth categories.
In previous years, it was always stated that “a maximum of two poems could be submitted”, but this year it was not. Thus you will notice (although I judged blindly and fairly) that there were multiples chosen by certain authors.
Not only as contest judge, but as a fellow haiku poet, it is my most sincere intent to offer the following humble and heartfelt comments, in good faith, as a future learning aid.
Within the diversity of worldwide submissions, it was obvious that many writers used multiple adjectives to reach the 5/7/5 syllable count mistakenly taught in our school systems (no longer accurate criteria) which made for haiku that appeared padded. Still, the images were good and the concepts original. Other entries contained, personification, simile, metaphor, rhyme, and other poetic devices that may work in mainstream poetry but are not recommended or suited for haiku (unless used very subtly.) Such devices block the minds of both writer and reader to grasp the natural simplicity of this ancient form.
On a more important and purely positive note, the entries were quite impressive overall, and final haiku selections are simple, straightforward, clear and concise, use everyday language, incorporate juxtaposition, contain pauses and pivots, flow smoothly, and include an element of surprise. In every category, it was most difficult to ultimately select just one lovely cherry blossom haiku over another for these top five winners (please see commentary.)
I wholeheartedly encourage authors to keep writing and to especially concentrate on
fine-tuning your haiku which can set one moment apart from all the rest. If your entry was not selected this time — perhaps next time, it will be your turn to be heard . . .”
— an’ya, 2011 Judge, Gilchrist, Oregon USA
Top Winners
British Columbia
of cherry blossoms —
a safe topic
Beth Skala
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Canada
than sky
Pamela Cooper
Montreal, Quebec
International
a blossom falls into
a fluffy cloud
Quendryth Young
Alstonville, Australia
United States
cherry tree blossoms
even underfoot
their spell lingers . . .
Anne LB Davidson,
Saco, Maine
Youth
the wind fulfills her role —
cherry blossoms
Sherry Zhou, age 13
Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia
Sakura Awards
(In Order of Merit)
jet overhead
no where I’d rather be
— cherry blossoms
Ida Barazzuol
Burnaby, British Columbia
last light . . .
cherry petals drift
into pink
Jill Stanley
Victoria, British Columbia
petals
on wet pavement
bloom twice
Robert Butkus
Powell River, British Columbia
a petal drifts down
my son reaches to catch it
our cherry blossom
Craig Chong
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
cherry petals
drift . . .
boundaries blur
Beth Skala
Nanaimo, British Columbia
a sudden breeze
pink cherry blossom ribbon
along the curb
Marianne Fraser
Victoria, British Columbia
cherry blossoms fall
I watch you disappear
one step at a time
Mary Franklin
Vancouver, British Columbia
His unwritten Haiku
at Cherry Blossom time . . .
my late husband
Karen Crawford
Surrey, British Columbia
too fragile
for the dance—
her cherry blossom corsage
Beth Skala
Nanaimo, British Columbia
open-air chess game
cherry petals fill
the empty spaces
Harvey Jenkins
Nanaimo, British Columbia
spring storm—
cherry blossoms
against the glass
Tim Ashman
New Westminster, British Columbia
cherry petals
the old man sweeps
the neighbour’s porch
sidney bending
Victoria, British Columbia
Bad day erased
When I spot pink clouds
suspended in trees
April Besth
Delta, British Columbia
petals fall
I become again a
blushing bride
Natalie Chapman
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Fukushima . . .
and still the blossoms
unfurl
Susan Constable
Nanoose Bay, British Columbia
Spring walk . . .
under cherry blossoms . . .
my wife sneezing>
Jeff Crawford
Surrey, British Columbia
the elderly couple
arm-in-arm across the bridge . . .
moonlit blossoms
elehna de sousa
Salt Spring Island, British Columbia
her mothers recipe
scattered cherry blossoms
embedded with text
Anne Dunnett
North Vancouver, British Columbia
deserted cape
cherries someone planted
bloom along the shore
Garry Eaton
Port Moody, British Columbia
My old cherry tree
A source of constant beauty
I could never repay you
Raffi Freedman
Vancouver, British Columbia
at last! blossoms
on my daughter’s cherry tree—
I send her a photo
John Garrett
Saanichton, British Columbia
fragrant shower
under the umbrella
of a cherry tree
andrea gradidge
Burnaby, British Columbia
my garden
white with snow—
your pink in cherry blossoms
Alison Graeme
Nelson, British Columbia
tie game
through the pub window
cherry blossoms
Ann Harreby
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Outside the clinic
cherry petals fall
hope in her heart
Angelika Kolompar
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Alone on the train
cherry blossoms
make me smile
Beverly Komukai
Burnaby, British Columbia
a pink mist . . .
first cherry blossoms
celebrating him
Daphne Lam Chan
Vancouver, British Columbia
I waited this year
until a strong west wind
turned the garden pink
brian lewis
Duncan, British Columbia
garden buddha
blossoms stuck to his belly
sits in silence
Barb Little
Burnaby, British Columbia
cherry blossoms—
we pray
for Japan
Franci Louann
Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
As the river flows
pink dewdrops drip down
silently and calm
Paige Marriott
Prince George, British Columbia
first time with chopsticks
cherry blossoms building
cultural bridges
Lindsay Marsh
Burnaby, British Columbia
daybreak cherry—
the swirl of petals
as I cycle by
Vicki McCullough
Vancouver, British Columbia
cherry blossoms
cluster near the doorway
ESL students
Hilary Miller
Delta, British Columbia
the soft sweet scent
of cherry blossoms
permeate my thoughts
Janet Ng
Vancouver, British Columbia
watching petals fall
the sky filled with shades of pink
skipping work today
Linda Nguyen
Vancouver, British Columbia
I look up
to see cherry blossoms—
faces in the street
Beth Skala
Nanaimo, British Columbia
I smile
at cherry blossoms . . .
a man smiles back
Beth Skala
Nanaimo, British Columbia
cherry blossoms
circulate
door-to-door
Beth Skala
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Lace shadows
on the windowsill,
cherry blooms outside
Lindsay Vermeulen
Vancouver, British Columbia
Cherry blossoms
Streets in bloom
Strangers become friends
Jill Warner
Surrey, British Columbia
snow-covered lions
a pink hush
cherry blossoms
Marianne Werner
Vancouver, British Columbia
rainstorm
emptiness of cherry blossoms
on the branch
Gail Whitter
Trail, British Columbia
cherry blossoms
holding up the full moon
we pass under
Gail Whitter
Trail, British Columbia
writing a haiku for
cherry blossoms
instead of my thesis
Susan Yang
Burnaby, British Columbia
cherry blossom
fragile, giving its petals
to the wind
sheelah ziajka
Vancouver, British Columbia
This year
sakura weeps
for its homeland
sheelah ziajka
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
Sakura Awards (In Order of Merit)
so much regret
as cherry blossoms scatter
at your graveside.
Belinda Betker
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
pink petals
slipping from upper limbs
a boy’s foot
Pearl Pirie
Ottawa, Ontario
Under a cherry tree
offering my self a bouquet
without a ribbon
Liette Janelle
Boucherville, Quebec
ginko outing—
a cherry blossom petal
lands in my notebook
Ellen Cooper
Montreal, Quebec
cool spring—
my shadow
dark pink
Luce Pelletier
St. Basile-le-Grand, Quebec
as if
you never left
cherry blossoms
Roland Packer
Hamilton, Ontario
Honourable Mentions (Alphabetical Order)
thunder shower
wedding party huddles
under Cherry boughs
Patricia Benedict
Calgary, Alberta
morning tai chi—
perfect meditation
beneath the cherry trees.
Belinda Betker
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
even at night
beneath the glittering stars—
cherry blossom light.
Belinda Betker
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
mortar and pestle—
I crush cherry blossoms
for my morning tea.
Belinda Betker
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
my new job
blending paint colours—
cherry blossom spring!
Belinda Betker
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
drifts of white
pile up on the windowsill—
not snow – cherry blossoms!
Belinda Betker
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
empty nester
memories of so many
cherry blossoms
Peter Brady
Gatineau, Quebec
Cherry Blossom
Bumblebee
so nice to meet you
Darren Cole
Winnipeg, Manitoba
tree-lined footpath
a canopy of blossoms
shields me from the rain
Ellen Cooper
Montreal, Quebec
cherry tree in bloom—
all around the same table
hummingbird and bee
Diane Descoteaux
Saint-Nicephore, Quebec
alone once again
a single cherry blossom
on my fingertip
Marco Fraticelli
Pointe Claire, Quebec
stepping to the back of the line
for the third time—
cherry blossoms
Lin Geary
Paris, Ontario
sakura song—
for the new romance
changing ring-tones
Lin Geary
Paris, Ontario
one cherry petal
falling upon another . . .
a new ‘old dream’
Chen-ou Liu
Ajax, Ontario
cherry blossoms—
the child’s frothy mustache
curls with her smile
Terra Martin
Toronto, Ontario
cherry petals fall
in and out
of the shadows
Christine Nelson
Athabasca, Alberta
International
Sakura Awards (In Order of Merit)
evensong
in the convent garden
cherry blossoms
ernest berry
Picton, New Zealand
Valley to mountain
the road turns the time back
from blossoms to buds
Valeria Barouch
Geneva, Switzerland
cherry tree park
everything pink
on the front page
Ralf Bröker
Ochtrup, Germany
if I’d had
just this one bridge to cross . . .
cherry blossom park
Kala Ramesh
Maharashtra, India
cherry blossom
an ordinary pond
turns Japanese
Tracy Davidson
Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
cherry blossom
I stand down wind
in a swirl of pink
Elaine Riddell
Hamilton, New Zealand
drifting down . . .
a cherry blossom
meets its shadow
Quendryth Young
New South Wales, Australia
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical Order)
the spider’s web
tinted with rainbow . . .
cherry petal
Greg Bingham
Nimbin, Australia
afternoon walk . . .
her wicker basket
spills cherry petals
Leonie Bingham
Nimbin, Australia
pink dusk—
a cherry petal hovers
over the cow pat
Helen Buckingham
Bristol, United Kingdom
kukai in orchard—
a cherry petal settles
as kireji
Cezar-Florin Ciobîcă
Botoșani, Romania
between us
only fallen cherry petals . . .
unspoken words
Magdalena Dale
Bucharest, Romania
cherry blossom
the bride
pales in comparison
Tracey Davidson
Stratford-upon-Avon
from the well I fetched
some cherry’s petals with
the bucket of water
Ana Dolenec Truban
Zagreb, Croatia
train window—
a moment of cherry tree
between two buildings
Damien Gabriels
Leers, France
homecoming—
the silence
of cherry blossoms
Katherine Gallagher
London, England
the whole day
in my collar
a cherry blossom
Vladislav Hristov
Sofia, Bulgaria
cherry blossoms
loaded on the truck
of the little boy
Silvia Kempen
Lower Saxony, Germany
her raven-black hair
whitened with cherry petals
on her way to church
Silvia Kempen
Lower Saxony, Germany
sweeping wind—
cherry petals frozen
to icy patches
Anatoly Kudryavitsky
Leinster, Ireland
roaring stream—
a spray of cherry blossom
caught in the whirlpool
Natalia Kuznetsova
Moscow, Russia
cherry blossoms—
mild breezes loosening
their first petals
Horst Ludwig
St. Peter, Germany
blossoming cherry
above the lake . . . petals
meet on its surface
Tomislav Maretic
Gornje Vrapce, Croatia
blossom shower . . .
even our differences
beautiful
Svetlana Marisov
Wellington, New Zealand
temple entrance
on the monk’s sandals
cherry petals
Mark Miller
Shoalhaven Heads, Australia
receding thunder
cherry petals line
the storm drain
Polona Oblak
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Cherry Blossoms falling—
gingerly lifting
your small white coffin
Kate Prendergast
Melbourne, Australia
Under an old cherry
Tenderness touching
My palms
Vera Primorac
Viškovo, Croatia
In its beak
a sparrow carrying spring
— a cherry petal
Slavica Sarkotic
Lekenik, Croatia
night walk—
on my left, on my right
cherry blossoms
Grzegorz Sionkowski
Torun, Poland
cherry blossoms
keep the sky shining
in the night
Mateusz Sionkowski
Toruń, Poland
aftershock
cherry petals
float down
Barbara Strang
Christchurch, New Zealand
morning gingko
cherry blossom falls
into my haiku
Andre Surridge
Hamilton, New Zealand
the end
of bare branches—
cherry blossom
Alan Taylor
Worcester, United Kingdom
cherry blossom—
just as I was afraid
of the weather
Alan Taylor
Worcestor, United Kingdom
Starry night—
in an old cherry tree
the first flower
Maria Tirenescu
Cugir, Romania
cherry blossom shower—
old dog wakes to find himself
in the pink
Martin Vaughan
Dublin, Ireland
cherry petals
still drifting in my hometown
here and there
Sasa Vazic
Batajnica, Serbia
pink layered on white—
the flowering cherry tree
stands out in the mist
Lorraine Ward
Wellington, New Zealand
United States
Sakura Awards (In Order of Merit)
from the bullet train
a blur of blossoms
spring twilight
Margaret Chula
Portland, Oregon
dying blossoms
on cherry wood boats—
each one a prayer
Alexander Prokic
Novi, Michigan
for a moment
the war be damned
cherry blossoms
Johnny Baranski
Vancouver, Washington
cherry blossom . . .
the baby’s hand unfolds
around my finger
Margaret Dornaus
Ozark, Arkansas
honor guard —
row upon row
of flowering cherries
Cara Holmon
Portland, Oregon
wing beats
of a hidden bird
this cascade of blossoms
Marilyn Appl Walker
Madison, Georgia
driving home
the wipers wave
cherry petals
Jennifer Met
Troy, Idaho
losing my job
a flurry of cherry blossoms
sticks to my wet cheeks
Stephen Leslie
Schoharie, New York
the river bends
with cherry blossoms
where the light falls
Thomas Martin
Beaverton, Oregon
cherry blossoms
part of my childhood
follows me home
Stephen A. Peters
Bellingham, Washington
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical Order)
cherry blossom—
the expectant mother
counts the petals
Melissa Allen
Madison, Wisconsin
her scent
coming my way
cherry blossom
Ed Baker
Takoma Park, Maryland
from the mist
–to break the silence—
cherry blossoms
brett brady
Pahoa, Hawaii
rising sun—
ten thousand cherry blossoms
drift into the sea
Julie Cain
Sturgis, Mississippi
first cherry buds
our newborn opens
her fists
Billie D
San Diego, California
he lingers
under cherry blossoms
retirement day
Mary Davila
Buffalo, New York
cherry blossoms—
we visit the graves
of the unknown
Margaret Dornaus
Ozark, Arkansas
mountainside orchard
first to unfold—
cherry blossoms
Elizabeth Fanto
Timonium, Maryland
the pale pink—
cherry petals touching
tip to tip
Donna Fleischer
Windsor, Connecticut
reluctant spring
beneath the cherry blossoms
flooded paper cranes
Victor Gendrano
Lakewood, California
falling cherry blossoms . . .
the first turn
of a somersault
Michele L. Harvey
Hamilton, New York
near the gate
cherry blossom petals on the path
we have taken
Gary Hotham
Scaggsville, Maryland
the first kick
of her unborn daughter
cherry blossom dawn
Catherine J. S. Lee
Eastport, Maine
passing time
under the cherry tree
the senior’s group
Carole MacRury
Point Roberts, Washington
cherry blossom shadows . . .
tracing the birdsong
to the bird
David McKee
Madison, Wisconsin
cherry blossoms
the horse carriage
comes to a halt
Harrisham Minhas
Herndon, Virginia
we look away
our feet lost
in cherry blossoms
Robert Perret
Troy, Idaho
cherry blossoms
walking the path with her
that goes both way
Stephen A. Peters
Bellingham, Washington
new grass sprouts
beneath the cherry blossoms—
our dog’s grave
Marion Alice Poirier
Boston, Massachusetts
sparrows drink
their reflections
cherry blossoms
Becky Ramotowski
Tijeras, New Mexico
weeping cherry
waiting for the new buds too
a pair of deer
Bruce Ross
Hampden, Maine
Lacy blossoms shine
as elixir of moonlight
twinkles into the dawn.
Micki Schomaker Jackson
Bellingham, Washington
Your cherry blossoms
hang over my backyard fence–
Let’s talk again
Charlotte Sheer
Foxboro, Wisconsin
cherry blossoms
drifting on a twilight breeze–
one croak opens the night
Carrie Sikorski
Vashon Island, Washington
story time—
a koi
parts the cherry blossoms
Tim Singleton
Columbia, Maryland
too many
for the cat —
swirling blossoms
Heidi Stahl
Redmond, Washington
dusk
still the cherry blossoms
glow
Neal Whitman
Pacific Grove, California
dewdrops
in every cherry blossom
the rising sun
Josh Wikoff
Petaluma, California
cherry petals fall
through his loose overalls
I hug his ribs
Ruth Yarrow
Seattle, Washington
Youth
bubbles in the creek
disappear into rapids . . .
cherry blossoms
Sophie Kirkby, age 11
New South Wales, Australia
breath of wind
cherry blossoms filling
the hopscotch
Andra-Ioana Andronic, age 13
Botoșani, Romania
frosty days—
in my mother’s diary
a cherry blossom
Vlad-Sergiu Ciobîcă, age 11
Botoșani, Romania
Cherry blossoms
My neighbor in song
With the birds
Sophie Kirkby, age 11
New South Wales, Australia
I looked in the sky
There was something about them
How they waved in wind
Lauren Baxter, age 10
Richmond, British Columbia
climbing the tree
pink everywhere
picking cherry blossoms
Liat, age 8
Richmond, British Columbia
recess outside
running around the trees
pink petals on our cheeks
division 7, Blair Elementary Library, ages unknown
Richmond, British Columbia
Vast pink cherry tree
as simple as a clear glass
as complex as earth
Armaan Abraham, age 9
Langley, British Columbia
gust of wind—
the naked doll dressed
by cherry blossoms
Cristina Ailoaei, age 13
Botoșani, Romania
Silently awake
Angelic pearls surround me
Feels like a pure dream
Priya Banga
Prince George, British Columbia
the sense of cherry
blossoms gently unwind me
now I take a walk
rene batson
Winnipeg, Manitoba
gloomy day—
only the cherry tree in blossom
brightens the garden
Vlad-Sergiu Ciobîcă, age 11
Botoșani, Romania
Beneath the blue sky
Cherry blossoms are blooming
Filling up the street
Joyce Chang, age 16
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Going for a walk;
see the late blossoms,
feel the early bees . . .
Caitlin Chong, age 13
Vancouver, British Columbia
Running into Pink
I feel blossoms in my hands
falling all around
Emerson Cooke, age 10
Richmond, British Columbia
Pink cherry blossoms
Fluttering to the soft ground
Staying very still
Jasmeen Deol, age 12
Surrey, British Columbia
It is dark out
Til cherry blossoms fall
And light the way
Brian DeSousa, age 12
Winnipeg, Manitoba
stuck in traffic
the wind brings them to me
cherry blossoms on my car
carl flores
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Blossoms . . .
the funeral brings me down
I plant a cherry tree
Lauren Fotheringham, age 10
Vancouver, British Columbia
so soft and silky
as small as a stone marble
Cherry Blossoms
Prabhu Gill, age 12
Surrey, British Columbia
as thin as paper
yet filled with memories
cherry blossoms
Kelly Hamachi, age 17
Mountain View, California
After the spring rain
Pink petals float gently
Across the small stream
Danielle Hao, age 15
Burnaby, British Columbia
cherry blossoms flow
falling to the perfect grass
shining in the sun
Gurpreet Heer, age 12
Surrey, British Columbia
falling very slow
carried gracefully by wind
pink is all around
Fraser Jang-Milligan, age 13
Vancouver, British Columbia
You try to make me
See reason, but all I see
Are cherry blossoms
Nicole Kapphahn, age 16
Prince George, British Columbia
Beneath pink,
Cherry blossom petals—
A life so short
Lucy Li, age unknown
Calgary, Alberta
Cherry blossoms
So high up on the tree
I reach out to grab one
Tracy Ly, age 15
Portland, Oregon
My dog stops,
Sniffs . . .
eats a cherry blossom.
Erin McHugh, age 10
Vancouver, British Columbia
pink cherry blossom
drift on the sky as they go
one lands on my palm
Beyda Mermer, age 10
Richmond, British Columbia
The water droplets
Sit peacefully on petals
Of cherry blossoms
Katie Nelson, age 16
Prince George, British Columbia
I walk down the street
In the midst of the blossoms
Bright and Beautiful
Jessica Porter, age 11
Richmond, British Columbia
Children sit and watch
Cherry blossoms fluttering
In the very windy sky
Ravneet Sahota, age unknown
Surrey, British Columbia
Delicate flower
Pretty perfumed flower
Floating on the water
Alysha Smith, age 16
Prince George, British Columbia
cherry blossoms bloom
little by little they fall
now they form a swirl
Nancy Song, age 9
Richmond, British Columbia
Someone’s funeral
Cherry blossoms cover ground—
finally at peace . . .
Bill Tang, age 11
Vancouver, British Columbia
The world is dark
cherry blossoms
bloom
Charlie Tang, age 13
Vancouver, British Columbia
cherry blossoms fall
filling in the concrete
making it pink
javi toor
Surrey, British Columbia
Like cotton candy.
Floating through the skies above,
Love rains down on me
Dylan Wagner, age 16
Prince George, British Columbia
Vancouver Canucks
lining up for the handshakes—
cherry blossoms fall.
Richard Wong
Vancouver, British Columbia
A little pink tree
Growing beside the classroom
Standing tall and still
Woody Wu, age 10
Richmond, British Columbia
I take a bite
subtle, yet there it is
cherry blossom
Hannah Xiao, age 14
Vancouver, British Columbia