2014 Moon Viewing Haiku Contest

The following are the winners from the 2014 Moon Viewing Haiku Contest held at the Seattle Japanese Garden on 6 September 2014 for its annual Moon Viewing Festival. These results were also posted to the Seattle Japanese Garden Community Blog.

Judged by Tanya McDonald, Michelle Schaefer, and Michael Dylan Welch

First Place

67 years of watching

the moon move past my window

but loneliness remains

Rodney Smith

Second Place

black branches

and a young bat—

the moon’s warm-up act

Ellen Sieh

Third Place

all ready for you:

people, music, koi, & birds—

hurry up, moon!

Aleksandra Monk

Honourable Mentions

(in no particular order)

yes, it rains tonight,

and dark clouds cover the sky

yes, the moon is there

Steve Lorton

floating on the pressure

of night, the moon escapes

the trees’ folded arms

Jeff Collun

15th day—

the pond’s koi

eating the moon

Mikiko Amagai

forest shadows

fill the ancient pond

deeper

darker

still . . .

no(h) moon

John Tillotsom

we anticipate the moon’s shimmer

candle light brightens

the festive moon appears

Lisa A. Miller

new moon

goldfish reflecting

on the pond

Glenn Sassaman

latern fire

breathing on golden dragon leaves

moolit koi ripple a sudden greeting

Hamai

flute wafting over water

time and space

moon floats through cedar

Jill Goodnight

moon above

pond below . . .

night oddly normal

Aleksandra Monk

beautiful beggars

the koi seeking kibble miss

the moon’s reflection

Halim Dusky