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Judging Haiku Spring Explosion - Maureen McGreavy's Blog

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Judging Haiku Spring Explosion

Blog Posted:4/4/2019 12:24:00 PM

It has been brought to my attention some question as to how Spring Explosion was judged; because I did not specify strict haiku rules, I tried to balance form with the "explosion" feeling I was looking for. If I was judging strictly haiku form, the winners list would have been undoubtably different. My apologies.

That said, thank you to everyone who entered, and congratulations to the winners.

I will not host another Haiku Contest until I am sure I can judge it properly.

Again, my apologies. I am still learning as a poet, and as a contest host.

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Tom
Cunningham

Date: 4/5/2019 4:17:00 AM

I have never held a contest so I do not know what is involved, but I imagine there is a lot of work done behind the scenes. Yes ,there will be winners and losers as not everyone can place and if people can't handle that then don't enter the contest, simple. Tom

Tania
Kitchin

Date: 4/4/2019 8:03:00 PM

Maureen, Thank you for sponsoring contests! Unless it is specified in the contest, the correct form, etc you can judge the way you want to! People need to be able to lose graciously and not question a person's judging! I can't believe you were questioned about it!! I hope you still feel that you can run another haiku contest!

taai
tekai

Date: 4/4/2019 6:26:00 PM

who do i have to donate the winning cup to? haiku as far as i'm concerned means i need to limit to 5/7/5 or less but since i tend to wordiness, i go for that as my max, no caps, & imagery without too many adjectives; a juxtapose somewhere that should give an implied mood or feeling. I felt my write was weak on that particular point but I was all into your exploding theme with the California wild poppies just burning flames in my eye sockets a few days before I saw your contest prompt so I couldn't resist though the form isn't a fave. I think you're one of the better judges here but I may be biased! Our state flower is orange and my choice had nothing to do with your hair color, I swear!! :)

taai tekai
Date: 4/6/2019 1:07:00 PM

yes, the jux moment in nature is most essential, but the whole point of form is to be able to do that within the assigned dimensions and unless specified, I will tend to the traditional models myself. ( knowing full well that much is lost to translation) It matters how one gets someplace. Too much is desecrated by those who don't consider the means to the end. But it's only poetry and not reality so one can play about..but then there's free verse for the formless :)

craig cornish
Date: 4/6/2019 10:53:00 AM

Good points Dear taai yet you also need not (since a restrictive box is what you allude) restrict yourself line by line for creative purposes. Why not, in addition to less than 17, be able to play with the 17...5/5/7 or 6/6/5 etc. The important things are the Jux, the Aha and being "in the moment"---it matters far less how you get there. Hugs

taai tekai
Date: 4/5/2019 6:54:00 PM

don't worry Craig, I took no offence..I understood what you were saying but haiku is hard enough, for me, with max count and too many times, people think they can do better trimming words coz it's the latest fad and you end up with head-scratching brevity that's like someone writing 'once upon a time' then leaving it up to the reader to complete the rest as if they cannot make up their own minds! Evolution is all very well but a lot of growing can occur with no improvement! Big oafs come to mind lol and extra-large lists of 10 ill-formed haiku taking up the viewing screen all at once!

craig cornish
Date: 4/5/2019 9:08:00 AM

I, in no way was insinuating the winners of the contest were not deserving, someone must have, however, to cause Maureen to post this blog. Also, in no way implying that 5-7-5 is the "wrong" way to write a Haiku - but am saying that it is not the only way because things change, things grow, things improve if we carefully analyze the why of the evolution without tossing the values of the usual.

Maureen McGreavy
Date: 4/4/2019 7:03:00 PM

Lol! No, the top three were my favourites from first read, they went straight to winners round ;) Maybe I was biased loving poppies and orange...

Eve
Roper

Date: 4/4/2019 5:48:00 PM

Maureen, I am no expert , but it is hard to change a habit that I am comfortable with. So not unless a sponsor states any different for them to judge, I will stay with the 5-7-5 and strictly nature. What I read they were all wonderful poems.. Congratulations to all the winners. Hugs Eve ~`*

Andrea
Dietrich

Date: 4/4/2019 3:55:00 PM

I had supposed you wanted 5/7/5 since so many sponsors want them that way, even though the 5/7/5 is not considered acceptable by many modern haiku societies today. Congrats to your winners, Maureen. I am sure you judged as best as you could, going by which ones touched you the most.

craig
cornish

Date: 4/4/2019 12:43:00 PM

Ironically Maureen there is no "specific" way to judge Haiku--I will lead you to something that will confuse you even more. There are no strict Haiku rules but there is a venue of adaptations that can play with ideas that will gladly fall under the definition.

Maureen McGreavy
Date: 4/4/2019 1:37:00 PM

Funny you should say that, the 5/7/5 would be the first to go ;) thank you Craig

craig cornish
Date: 4/4/2019 12:50:00 PM

One thing for sure---you can toss the 5-7-5 syllable count as a fixed rule

craig cornish
Date: 4/4/2019 12:44:00 PM

and BTW we are all still learning...forever

My Past Blog Posts


Judging Haiku Spring Explosion Date Posted: 4/4/2019 12:24:00 PM
NOTE Free Verse Contests Date Posted: 1/6/2019 3:57:00 PM
Brainy Brevity Contest Date Please Date Posted: 12/31/2018 9:16:00 AM
Biker's Dozen Finish Line Date Posted: 10/3/2018 2:19:00 PM
MagiCicada13 Thank You Date Posted: 8/21/2018 11:38:00 AM
Thank You Julia Ward Date Posted: 8/5/2018 6:51:00 AM
MagiCicada 13 Date Posted: 6/21/2018 7:58:00 AM
MagiCicada Finalized Date Posted: 6/15/2018 9:15:00 AM
Thank You Date Posted: 3/15/2018 9:53:00 AM

My Recent Poems

Date Posted	PoemTitle	Form	Categories
4/15/2019	Love At First Sate	Epigram	funny love,
4/12/2019	forgive-me-nots	Senryu	bereavement,conflict,flow
4/10/2019	Sand Storm	Free verse	mental illness,time,
4/7/2019	Shaving Minutes	Free verse	adventure,career,drug,
4/4/2019	One Whiff	Light Verse	introspection,
4/2/2019	Cut To The Wick	Personification	introspection,
4/1/2019	Pucker Up - LMNOP	Lanterne	relationship,
4/1/2019	Puppy Love - DEFGH	Lanterne	dog,love,pets,
3/31/2019	Leap Of Faith	Lanterne	faith,
3/31/2019	DIY Peace	Free verse	appreciation,mental illne
3/30/2019	Looking Bored	Lanterne	fun,hair,
3/30/2019	Once Zit Twice Shy	Alliteration	bullying,poets,
3/24/2019	More Or Less Broken	Free verse	crazy,mental illness,star
3/24/2019	Lake Front Properties	Free verse	bird,music,
3/21/2019	The Remains of an End	Kimo	adventure,animal,bird,con
3/19/2019	Eat Your Heart Out - 21	Free verse	love hurts,self,
3/18/2019	Snake Speak	Lanterne	eve,sin,
3/15/2019	haiku - seasoning	Haiku	bird,spring,
3/15/2019	I Carpe Diemed Like Nobody's Business	Epigram	philosophy,
3/15/2019	RIP Me	Free verse	bereavement,mental illnes
3/15/2019	Boxed Bra	Lanterne	body,for her,humor,
3/13/2019	feeling the weather	Free verse	introspection,weather,
3/12/2019	The Meat Of The Matter	Lanterne	introspection,
3/11/2019	Hold Up The Sky	Rhyme	bird,environment,poets,
3/11/2019	What's In A Namesake - FV	Free verse	family,
3/11/2019	Colorado Low	Lanterne	snow,spring,storm,
3/10/2019	Hope Inspired	Acrostic	faith,hope,prayer,
3/8/2019	I feel like E,T,	Rhyme	film,how i feel,introspec
3/8/2019	Jones' Guernica	Senryu	appreciation,art,war,
3/7/2019	You Be The Judge - The Poem Speaks For Itself	Free verse	me,metaphor,poems,poetry,
3/2/2019	A Scraping Of Shovels	Light Verse	love hurts,
3/1/2019	on a poet turning to stone	Senryu	poets,
2/27/2019	Reflection	Rhyme	art,me,poetry,
2/27/2019	Mad Dog Love	Free verse	love hurts,
2/26/2019	I HATE ALL CAPS	Light Verse	baseball,clothes,word pla
2/25/2019	hitting the mark -HC	Haiku	bird,nature,
2/24/2019	I Love U2	Haiku	love,music,
2/23/2019	a mile or two undone	Light Verse	music,woman,
2/22/2019	I Am A Poem Popper	Monorhyme	me,poetry,poets,
2/21/2019	Read Before You Dig	Monoku	poetry,word play,write,
2/19/2019	Amazeballs The Three Word Narrative	Narrative	adventure,
2/19/2019	Waking up to The Birds	Monorhyme	bird,dream,
2/18/2019	a head above water	Free verse	hope,introspection,mental
2/18/2019	The Bar Keep And The Bike Courier	List	drink,
2/18/2019	Fire Drill ABCs	Narrative	fun,me,
2/16/2019	Canucku	Monoku	humor,
2/16/2019	My Mother's Eyes	Free verse	conflict,mother daughter,
2/15/2019	Pedaling Bliss	Free verse	emotions,spring,
2/15/2019	A Buck A Beer Politics	Free verse	drink,education,political
2/14/2019	The Point Of Pointillism	Senryu	art,
2/14/2019	The Best Valentine's Day	Senryu	appreciation,love,valenti
2/12/2019	NA	Senryu	addiction,poetry,
2/10/2019	Bouncing That Gut Feeling	Free verse	emotions,feelings,
2/9/2019	Food For Thought	Free verse	introspection,science,
2/6/2019	Go Ahead Make My Day	Senryu	political,
2/6/2019	Locked In	Shape	feelings,mental illness,
2/5/2019	One Last Tear	Senryu	words,
2/4/2019	unmedicated	Senryu	fear,mental illness,scien
2/4/2019	Marital Pack	Footle	dog,humor,marriage,
2/2/2019	Time Will Tell	Personification	introspection,time,
1/31/2019	Pleasantly Weird	Bio	bird,me,
1/29/2019	Knock	Carpe Diem	introspection,
1/26/2019	Ladle Lullaby	Monoku	appreciation,star,
1/25/2019	Mood Swinging Avatar	Rhyme	hair,me,
1/21/2019	What I Like To Do - Arcostic	Acrostic	bird,
1/19/2019	Sunset At Champlain Lookout	Monoku	river,sunset,
1/18/2019	Big Top Polka Dots	Haiku	beautiful,horse,space,
1/17/2019	Thinking Inside The Box	Light Verse	imagination,perspective,
1/13/2019	Love Is So Cliche	Free verse	cute love,love,
1/10/2019	Drop Dead Gorgeous	Haiku	bird,fashion,
12/31/2018	High Resolution	Monoku	confidence,
12/26/2018	Graceful Exit	Monoku	death,environment,me,
12/26/2018	Best Kept	Senryu	relationship,
12/22/2018	Full Tact Sport	Monoku	games,introspection,sport
12/21/2018	Waxwing Poetic	Haiku	bird,tree,winter,
12/20/2018	Meeting Mid Life	Monoku	appreciation,humor,life,w
12/19/2018	Ad Diction	Senryu	addiction,society,
12/17/2018	What It Takes	Monoku	introspection,
12/16/2018	Anxiety Simply Put	Free verse	bird,butterfly,mental ill
12/16/2018	Minimal Ink	Free verse	appreciation,poetry,
12/14/2018	Dream Caught Culture	Free verse	culture,native american,s
12/6/2018	Praying For A Flat	Shape	angst,
12/4/2018	On losing our friend	Senryu	bullying,friend,poets,
11/30/2018	your mind is an oyster	Senryu	appreciation,introspectio
11/29/2018	Messy Subject	Free verse	appreciation,dark,poetry,
11/29/2018	Unsigned Masterpiece	Light Verse	appreciation,atheist,life
11/28/2018	My Favourite Place To Be	Free verse	love,
11/25/2018	Mind Made Up	Epigram	introspection,science,
11/23/2018	Ginger Wolf Man	Senryu	appreciation,dedication,p
11/20/2018	optic mystic	Senryu	dark,introspection,light,
11/18/2018	The Lighter Side of Suicidal Ideation	Light Verse	future,suicide,
11/17/2018	the only flowery poem I have written that doesn't stink	Senryu	fun,poetry,
11/15/2018	The Raindrop	Narrative	appreciation,rain,
11/13/2018	Line of Fire	Epigram	introspection,metaphor,
11/13/2018	Cutting The Cheese	Personification	break up,food,humor,
11/12/2018	November's Silver Lining	Haiku	autumn,bird,november,
11/9/2018	Losing Touch	Light Verse	body,society,
11/7/2018	The Iron Willed Elm	Narrative	appreciation,bereavement,
11/6/2018	Black Powder	Senryu	art,
11/5/2018	Seeing Through The Caribou	Free verse	animal,native american,na

My Photos

Fav Poems

PoemTitle	Form	Categories
I'm Disabled, Not Stupid	Rhyme	discrimination,
21st Century Indian	Free verse	culture,discrimination,ho
Funny as a Heart Attack	Blank verse	heart,sick,
My Head is a Monster	Couplet	confusion,crazy,suicide,s
Nail Polish	Rhyme	kids,giggle,humor,humorou
OBSERVATION - 2017	Free verse	corruption,
A RED NECK LOVE POEM	Quatrain	valentines day,
Dance With the Devil	Terza Rima	depression,grief,horror,p
Under The Influence	Political Verse	culture,health,humor,
life with Trump XVII	Limerick	allegory,anger,perspectiv
Make The pen bleed	Free verse	deep,feelings,meaningful,
Psychopathy, Nature's Anti Depressant	Rhyme	depression,
If Your Mountains Should Crumble	Rhyme	appreciation,courage,dedi
Rocky Road	Dramatic Verse	angst,
My Paper Boat	Light Verse	adventure,appreciation,bl
Random Thoughts	Free verse	allegory,allusion,
Swimming in sarcastic seas	Free verse	poetry,
At Sadie's Soul Food Grill	Blank verse	food,religious,
Presidents Day	Blitz	culture,funny,granddaught
Chivalry is not dead	Monoku	humorous,imagery,men,rela
Tribute to a lunatic	Free verse	tribute,
Little Green Men	Limerick	peace,
Psychiatric Crack	Couplet	anger,health,mental illne
This is How My Dog Pees	Couplet	dog,humor,
Pissful Religion	Free verse	faith,god,peace,prayer,re
Huge Garage Sale	Free verse	allegory,funny,introspect
The Finger	Limerick	humorous,
December walk	Free verse	winter,
At a Bank of Elevators	Blank verse	cancer,
Like a small, quiet death on a page	Prose Poetry	poetry,
Pieces of Me	Free verse	art,deep,emotions,imagery
Gravity	Haiku	moon,ocean,sea,space,
A welldressed Cartoon	Free verse	humanity,satire,
Chattels	Free verse	irony,woman,
The Edibles	Rhyme	funny,nonsense,
The Farmer and the Pig Fable	Light Verse	animal,humor,
Camera Woman	Haiku	irony,life,
Witty Darkness	Free verse	africa,power,satire,
A Crow's Command	Rhyme	adventure,courage,history
a woman of substance	Blank verse	best friend,
God Among the Clouds	Free verse	longing,
CLOWNING AROUND	Limerick	body,humorous,
The Philosopher's Sonnet	Sonnet	death,depression,hope,jud
To Me This Matters	Rhyme	evil,fear,freedom,power,w
Message To My Jewish Brother	Free verse	africa,bible,birthday,bla
Never Shame a Woman	Quatrain	passion,women,
Advice to those who plan to love the broken: Don't	Free verse	abuse,break up,cry,deep,f
Kung Fu Wisdom	Epigram	humor,word play,
Scratches On The Wall	Rhyme	prison,
I was a fool	Free verse	betrayal,conflict,cry,fun
Abruptness	Blank verse	fate,
THE NOISE	Acrostic	angst,anxiety,senses,
Woman	Light Verse	woman,
Skyline Art To Home	I do not know?	appreciation,art,imagery,
Rule the World	Acrostic	power,
The Dog, the Pig and the Cat	Rhyme	friendship,
Box Head	Quatrain	baptism,
Fling Words	Free verse	hurt,society,vanity,
Veras first poem	Narrative	anger,angst,change,war,dr
My Dog and Me	Rhyme	animal,caregiving,dog,ide
when the words dissolve upon our tongues	Free verse	words,
BEACH	Free verse	abuse,dream,night,pain,
ON STAGE	Prose Poetry	dance,music,poetry,
I DANCE	Prose Poetry	abuse,dance,music,pain,
racist checkers	Free verse	racism,war,
PAS MUET	Free verse	depression,i am,mental il
GLACIER LINES	Free verse	abuse,angst,anxiety,hurt,
jealous-moon	I do not know?	beauty,jealousy,romance,s
The long and short of it	Rhyme	friendship,poetry,poets,
Decade of bullets	Political Verse	africa,conflict,cry,cultu
Rainbow Colored Camouflage	Free verse	age,fantasy,
Sipping Champagn	Limerick	body,
MEMORIES OF A FISHERMAN	Quatrain	memory,romantic,
origami birds	Light Verse	beautiful,love,
Practice	Haiku	guitar,
Sundays Taste of You	Romanticism	love,
Cock in Maternity Ward	Free verse	leadership,political,sati
The Men Of Clay - Galmi	Enclosed Rhyme	dance,inspiration,inspira
The Love of Nature	Free verse	mountains,nature,
Eppur Si Muove	Terza Rima	satire,
My Favorite Things	Free verse	happiness,simple,
Wood Wide Web	Rhyme	tree,
Weed and War	Couplet	anger,drug,political,pris
Clanging Echoes	Prose Poetry	allegory,analogy,death,ho
Scene From A Bike Ride	Prose Poetry	analogy,animal,beauty,env
Noise in her Mind	Free verse	love,
On Tour	Sonnet	adventure,nature,travel,v
House of Mirrors	Monoku	art,conflict,fear,imagery
The Great Ordeal	Free verse	africa,conflict,courage,d
An Insect on Trial	Rhyme	animal,fate,insect,irony,
Let's Eat Grandma	Limerick	fun,
Of Small Things	Free verse	beautiful,feelings,love,s
Footle - Fabulous Fun Footles	Footle	funny,
I Love You, Old Man	Rhyme	age,dad,emotions,grandchi
Beauty and beast	I do not know?	analogy,identity,meaningf
Tweet for Change	Free verse	society,
Cold Measurements	Free verse	farewell,fate,feelings,go
Strength	Free verse	encouraging,strength,
Leaving Shadows	Free verse	loss,
I LONG FOR A PAUPER'S Grave	I do not know?	philosophy,

Fav Poets

Poet	Country
Spica Toska	China (PRC)	Read
Rico Leffanta	United States	Read
Roy Jerden	United States	Read
Freddie Robinson Jr.	United States	Read
Darlene Smith	United States	Read
Richard Olson	United States	Read
lim'rik flats	US Minor Outlying Islands	Read
Mike Hauser	United States	Read
JAN ALLISON	Isle Of Man	Read
Victoria Payne	United Kingdom	Read
Emmanuel Brian Oule	Uganda	Read
Jenny Linsel	United Kingdom	Read
KHADIJA TAYABALI	United States	Read
Anna Nomaly	United States	Read
Donal Mahoney	United States	Read
Solomon Ochwo-Oburu	Uganda	Read
Pandita Sanchez	United States	Read
Anthony Ozenne	United States	Read
Fatima Ammar	United Kingdom	Read
Alex Duffy	United Kingdom	Read
Eiza Evangelista	Philippines	Read
John Hamilton	Canada	Read
Duke Beaufort	United States	Read
Brendan J. Simons	United States	Read
Ike Boat	Ghana	Read
John Herlihy	United States	Read
Gary Onderisin	Canada	Read
Liam Alepta	United States	Read
Gail Foster	United Kingdom	Read
Gregory R Barden	United States	Read
Jack Ellison	Canada	Read
John Hanson	Canada	Read
Eileen Manassian	_Not Listed	Read
Etienne Lariviere	France	Read
Mbizo Chirasha	Zimbabwe	Read
Charlie Smith	United States	Read
Aniruddha Pathak	India	Read
Iris Blade	United States	Read
Armani ArmaniA	Canada	Read
Robert Maguire	United States	Read
Phillip Garcia	United States	Read
millard lowe	United States	Read
PoetPrentice Dupins	United States	Read
Choene Alley Semenya	South Africa	Read
OP Threat aka God	United States	Read
Anne-Marie Coreggia	United States	Read
Kim Rodrigues	United States	Read
Stephe Watson	United States	Read
John Anderson	Australia	Read
Darren White	Netherlands	Read
Zara Bosman	United Kingdom	Read
David G. Moore	United States	Read
Jaquay Atkins	United States	Read
John Floyd	United States	Read
James Swartz	United States	Read
Dominic Amezimi	Nigeria	Read
Dale Gregory Cozart	United States	Read
Agnes Krampe	United States	Read
Robert Lindley	United States	Read
PATRICIA CRESSWELL	Canada	Read
Faraz Ajmal	Pakistan	Read
Justin Clason	United States	Read
Robert Warlov	United States	Read
Michael Vacek	United States	Read
Susan Ashley	United States	Read
James Edward Lee Sr.	United States	Read
Line Gauthier	Canada	Read
Vijay Pandit	United States	Read
Silent One	United Kingdom	Read
Vickie Hurtt- Thayer	United States	Read
Nel K Aster	Poland	Read
Sherifat Aduku	Nigeria	Read
Becca Teagan	United States	Read
The End Commune	Sweden	Read
Sara Ella	United States	Read
Christopher Flaherty	United Kingdom	Read
Canny Amah	Nigeria	Read
PAT Adams	United States	Read
Joseph Kimbugwe	Uganda	Read
Swathi Mohan	India	Read
Brenda Chiri	United States	Read
Andrea Dietrich	United States	Read
Anna Hopper	United States	Read
Gershon Wolf	United States	Read
Declan Molloy	Ireland	Read
Marc Acrich	United States	Read
Sunlite Wanter	United States	Read
John lawless	United States	Read
HGarvey Daniel Esquire	United States	Read