What to submit (and other guidelines):
With this premiere haiku contest, I’m looking for haiku that are 17 syllables or less.
Entries should include one haiku per entry only (no series/strings)
Entered haiku should be a minimum of two lines (I will allow haiku that are formatted beyond three lines).
Entries can be old or new.
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It isn’t up to me to tell anyone how to write haiku. There are oodles of opinions regarding the haiku form. Instead, I’m going to offer details about what I will be looking for, as well as other guidelines:
-- Objective imagery that might or might not have simile, metaphor, allusion, etc., embedded within it—a sense of ambiguity embedded within objective imagery can make for some of the best haiku ever written.
-- Capture a moment and nothing beyond that moment (unless you’re an expert who is able to create an x/y time-axis that doesn’t tell and only shows).
-- Juxtaposition is a must. Take two images/thoughts and juxtapose them within a minimum of a two-line haiku. For some, juxtaposition is better understood as a contrast.
-- No more than two main images/thoughts/movements. Here is an example of more than two images/thoughts:
a cherry tree
wispy clouds in the sky
the car goes *vroom-vroom*
-- Basically, most three-line haiku is written as two grammatically linked lines and one line which is not linked grammatically. The line that isn't linked grammatically, juxtaposes/contrasts the other two lines. Instead of creating a distraction (that can work also), the juxtaposition can add nuance to the overall theme.
-- Try to use juxtaposition to create an "Aha!" moment for the reader, sort of like an awakening within the reading experience.
-- It can be advantageous to not always work with visual sensory imagery. A mix of sight, sound and scent (or whatever mix) can have a strong effect, and make for more original haiku experiences.
-- Show don’t tell. Try not to ‘talk’ the reader through your haiku with abstract words such as: happy, sad, loneliness, angry, horny, flabbergasted, annoyed, etc. If your haiku is about happiness/sadness/guilt/loss/gain, subtly embed that within objective imagery. Again, only show—don’t tell the reader anything.
“summer moves into autumn” or “it eats voraciously” or “I like that”, are examples of telling.
-- This is not a list of fixed rules; these are my opinions, tastes and insights into what I look for in haiku. I don't want you to tell me how to write haiku, either; the feeling is mutual.
-- A cat isn't a dog for various reasons.
-- Try to use more than four words.
-- An absence of Tontoism (an example of Tontoism is when a person purposely skewers grammar in order to fit into a syllable count). Tontoism will result in immediate disqualification.
-- I’m not against punctuation or an absence thereof.
-- Less modifiers are better. Try not to use too many adverbs and adjectives (as two examples), especially to simply fill the syllable count. Though, there are times when an adjective can truly push a haiku above the norm.
-- Try not to use any filler words just to flesh out the syllable count. Some people wrongly assume that not using unnecessary filler words will result in boring, dry haiku. Some of the best haiku ever written didn’t use filler/too many modifiers, and many of those haiku are exemplary examples of unconventional, avant garde methods that worked well and shine above the mire of mediocrity.
-- Don’t worry too much about the supposed “nature” aspect of haiku. Anything that you express will reflect nature in some way, including the nature of humanity, culture, and the universe.
-- The concept of seasonal reference in haiku is something that is usually exclusive to a distinct culture and immediate surroundings/climate. Often, a seasonal reference can be so exclusively metaphorical that it’s lost to readers from other parts of the world who might not have experienced such things first hand. Back in the Japan, examples of season words/kigo were blooming peonies and wisteria that referred to late-spring/early summer, and the harvesting of a certain root was understood as an act that could only happen during a two-week window in October. True seasonal references are usually quite exclusive, and the intended “Aha!” effect can be lost for readers from other cultures, locations, and climates. Unless you believe that a specific seasonal reference can be understood by most readers, I’d suggest to treat seasonal reference with caution. Even though "Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Fall" are obviously labels for the four main seasons, they are not true season words/kigo—when used within an understanding that the four main season labels aren’t true season words/kigo, it can actually elevate a haiku when done in certain ways.
-- Many people claim that a line within a haiku or a haiku ID# (haiku #104) should be the title of any haiku. I do lean towards that direction, BUT, I’m also bored with certain discussions and clashing of egos, and if a specific title that goes beyond line/ID# is used for an entry, that won’t disqualify it.
-- I’m just as inclined to award 1st place to a stranger, newbie or enemy.
-- Any haiku that includes “gossamer”, “evanescent”, “beautiful”, “breezy”, and “weeping clouds/clouds weep”, will be disqualified immediately.
-- If an entry includes “traditional/non-traditional/modern haiku” (etc) in its title and/or body, it will be disqualified immediately, even if it might be the best haiku of the bunch. If a haiku places in this contest, and afterwards, the author of the winning haiku adds “traditional/non-traditional/contemporary haiku” into the post, and I find out, I will never communicate with that person on the Soup again—that includes via comments, replies, soupmail, blogs, and the forum. So, if someone doesn’t want me to communicate with her/him again, here’s incentive to win this contest and then add “traditional/non-traditional” after the win. That way, it will be a win-win scenario for both of us (lol!).
Thank you kindly to anyone who enters this premiere haiku contest.
Placements
First
Second
Third
(or less)
Preparing Your Entry
Submit one copy of your poem online. Format your poem. Please make your entry easy to read — no illustrations or fancy fonts.
English Language
Poems should be in English. Poems translated from other languages are not eligible, unless you wrote both the original poem and the translation.
A Note to Poetry Contestants
You are welcome to enter this contest, whether or not you won a prize in one of my previous contests.