It was an honour and pleasure to lead-judge and announce the second Haiku-on-Hay Awards, a wonderful initiative by the Perth City Library, Boorloo, Perth, on 26th August, 2025.
With over two hundred entries, and four categories, age 6-11 to adult, it wasn’t going to be easy! It was such a pleasurable task, judged over a two-week period, and included staff members of the library who were excited to discover how haiku worked and the impact haiku, and its use of simple words, can have on the emotions.
As a judge, I was particularly excited for the young writers who entered; their faces held their excitement as they came up to the microphone to receive awards. Haiku, as in any poetry, looks for the right words in the right order to tell the story. But, I reminded them, once hooked, you find yourself looking for haiku everywhere: in nature, in our daily lives – experience, observation, nature, memory.
It is the moment of discovery, the elusive aha! moment, that draws you in; holds you there. One of haiku’s key feature is its brevity; its impact so broad.
Haiku encourage us to reflect, to remember: a mediation for both writer, and reader. There were moments of reflection in the audience, and a few damp eyes! It was a wonderful evening. For me, discovering new writers, passionate for haiku; for the audience the joy of sharing a moment they could not have imagined.
‘I feel I’ve gained an even deeper appreciation of how poetry can connect with people and make a real impact.’ Gia, City of Perth Library.
Warmest congratulations, City of Perth Library, and congratulations to all Award recipients, and entrants. I hope all entrants will continue with their enthusiasm for haiku, and will read many haiku journals to increase their knowledge and love for the form.
Rose van Son,
Perth, Western Australia
Australian Haiku Society 