2012 Moon Viewing Haiku Contest

The following are the winners from the 2012 Moon Viewing Haiku Contest held at the Seattle Japanese Garden on 1 September 2012 for its annual Moon Viewing Festival. At the event, we read the following 28 poems, selected out of 155 submitted poems, including a remarkable bonus poem. These results were also posted to the Seattle Japanese Garden Community Blog.

Judged by Tanya McDonald and Michael Dylan Welch

First Place

Moonbeams fall

through maple leaves—

moth wings shimmer

Frank Edwards

Second Place

moon beams stream

through the open bedroom window

I light your candle

Kerry Campbell

Third Place

thirty-five-watt bulb

a bare moon above the sink

warm hand clasping mine

Andrew Savage

A Special Bonus Poem

I’ll light your way

in every phase of life

my world revolves about you.

Franklin, will you marry me?

Matthew Gatheringwater (see “A Modest Proposal” — Franklin said yes)

Additional Poems

(including one or two poems that weren’t haiku but that we couldn’t resist)

Once in a blue moon

as we sit sipping sake

I sense your longing.

Amy Scott

Double the faces

white circles in the water

moon rising above

Lisa Mathews

Play on, moon—

fat quarternote

on the telephone wire.

Kelly Huffman

Don’t worry, moon

my fondue fork

doesn’t reach that far.

Kelly Huffman

clouds

cover my view

the moon winks

Katherine Montesino

Dad, dad . . .

Why is the moon

following me?

Roxana Chieppe

(a memory of 25 years before)

I see the moon

Does it see me?

I wonder!

JoAnne Rudo

the curve of the tree

the light of the moon

I dance

Beth Daynes

Oh, the moon so bright!

Why are you hiding from me

behind the branches?

Laura Khotemlyansky (child)

As evening darkness falls

a cold breeze chills my bones—

Ah, the full moon!

Steve Kirk

Is the moon full or empty

Never empty

Full of promise

Stephanie Toliver

Too much wine . . .

two faces on the

blue moon

Elena Naskova

yellow moon

glistens on a red fin

swish!

John Daynes

lovely ladies

beautiful garden

I see the moon

Bob Bamford

brightly shining

a harvest blue moon floats

at dusk

Yoshie Hagood

Legendary rabbit on the moon

jumps onto Neal’s footprint

Dan Kraus

fall is now afoot

watch the full moon rising

your life will not wait

Skip Mathews

The moon shines bright upon

the midnight lake.

The boats float quietly in wait.

Wait with me and watch.

They begin to dance.

Zoë R.

Moon on still water—

how deep

John Daynes

yin and yang

under the blue moon . . .

black and white koi

Hoffman

The golden moon

reflected on a still pond—

koi are stirring

Frank Edwards

My heart is full of love

Because the moon is full

Or maybe . . .

Naomi K. (age 6)

Before you rise

how can I wax poetic,

radiant moon?

Deena Manis

What price a full moon?

Fifteen dollars, I believe

Worth every moment

E. Wilder