City of Perth Library Haiku Competition Results 2011

Thank you very much to all the Haiku entrants!

1st Prize: Helen Davison
NSW
2nd Prize: Meryl Manoy
Perth WA
3rd Prize: Cynthia Rowe
NSWHighly Commended: Rose van Son
Perth WA
Commended: Nathalie Buckland
NSW
Special mention: Dawn Bruce
NSW
Congratulations!
A very special thank you to Maureen Sexton, WA HaikuOZ representative, for undertaking the judging again this year.

Judges Report

First Prize:

silent river
the glint of a fisherman’s
knife

I love how this haiku explores the concept of wabi (a sense of loneliness or solitude), as well as juxtaposing two images. Both images have a menacing feel to them. The silent river is a covert image of danger lurking and the knife is an overt image of danger, also highlighting a reverence of nature. In the true spirit of haiku writing, this haiku is half-said, leaving the reader to ‘get’ the connection and the ‘aha’ moment.

Second Prize:

windy day
kite-surfers fly
goshawk hovers

This haiku allows the reader to delve deep into it. The reverence of nature is shown in the goshawk’s ability to hover even on such a windy day. It explores the concept of sabi (the suchness and beauty of ordinary objects). Its brevity is a key element in the success of this haiku, and it is simply stated, so the reader finds the ‘aha’ moment.

Third Prize:

river’s edge
the broken branch
joins up with itself

This haiku is also half-said, leaving the reader to connect and interweave the images, the branch joining up with itself just like the river branching out then rejoining itself.

Highly Commended:
father’s bamboo
sways long after he leaves
front door open

Commended:
news of his death
a cloud
veils the moon

Special Mention:
New York
even the clouds
in a hurry