We are grateful and overwhelmed by the great response from all our poets out there in the world! At the time of closing the submission period on June 22th 23:59:59 pm MT, we had received ~340 poems by 198 Haiku poets (= you!) from 37 countries! | looking for our 2023 Contest & winners? 2024 "EJCA Haiku Anthology" |
花散らし忙しき目白の雨宿り
Has a flower scattered
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With Springtime finally upon us and the cherry and plum trees blossoming again, following the great successes of the 2022 and 2023 editions of this contest, EJCA once again called upon your hidden poetic talents and invited you to get creative and craft and submit a Haiku, suitably themed to celebrate the season. Prizes (and bragging rights in case you were named among the best) were providing an additional incentive (should you need that extra bit of a 'nudge' to grab your pen). We were so lucky for so many of you to join and re-join the fun this year! Kids: We did love to see some more submissions this year from aspiring young poets! News, winners and a selection of poems are being announced on this page and in moshi moshi and/or our social media channels. | 春がやっと訪れ、桜や梅が再び花開く中、２０２２年と２０２３年に大成功したEJCAの春の俳句大会を２０２４年度も主催致します。来たれ、皆様の隠れた詩的才能よ！この機会にぜひクリエイティブな才能を全開にし、春に因んだ俳句を詠んで、大会にご参加ください。 皆様にもう少し「よし参加するぞ！」という気概を持っていただくため、（入賞した際に自慢ができる権利に加えて）賞金も用意させていただきました。 たくさんの方のご参加、昨年、一昨年に加えての再参加をお待ちしております。 お子様方：若くて詩心のある皆様のご投句も楽しみにしております。 |
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Jury: Shajin Watanabe (this year again assisted by Yuka Good Striker) Shajin Watanabe sensei: Watanabe sensei is a protege to Kusatao Nakamura and was awarded the Saitama Literature Award. After his retirement from teaching Japanese literature (kokugo) at Urawa Akenohoshi Girls' Senior High School, he taught haiku poetry at Saitama Police Academy for a number of years. Currently, he is the chair of Haiku Society, "Sumeraki, " while teaching haiku at numerous workshops. | -参加資格 －EJCA会員である必要はなく、どなたでも応募できます。 兼題（事前に課題として出された「季語」の意の語）を「日本語による俳句または英語による3行詩」に詠みこんだ未発表の作品を募集します。 ・投句数：1季語に1作品、計2作品まで応募可。 兼題 －ご自分で選んだ春の季語 ご投稿いただいた全ての作品は選者により審査され、それぞれの部門の入賞作品が決められます。 応募部門・賞 俳句部門（日本語部門）優秀賞賞金３０ドル 準優秀賞 賞金２０ドル 三行詩部門（英語部門）優秀賞賞金３０ドル 準優秀賞 賞金２０ドル １６歳以下の部門（英語もしくは日本語）優秀賞賞金３０ドル 今回はEJCA会員の参加者の中から抽選でお一人に俳句カードゲームのセットも当たります。（賞品の郵送等諸事情でこの抽選はＥＪＣＡ会員のみが対象になります。ご了承ください。） こちらのフォームを使って、登録と俳句の提出をお願い致します。またご質問等ございましたら、 haiku＠ejca.org までご連絡ください。 提出期限：6月２2日 皆様の俳句をお待ちしております。 渡辺舎人先生： 渡辺先生は中村草田男の弟子であり、埼玉文芸賞の受賞者です。浦和明の星女子高等学校の現代国語の教諭から引退された後、埼玉警察学校にて俳句を長年教えておられました。現在は俳句結社すめらきの代表であり、また数々の講座・句会にて俳句指導をされています。 |
Here are the 2024 prize categories. |
Best overall - Japanese language Haiku
Prize: 30$
仲谷 節夫花散らし忙しき目白の雨宿り Setsuo Nakaya, CanadaHas a flower scattered |
Second best overall - Japanese language Haiku
Prize: 20$
マスダ ミホ風に乗り生きて来ました花吹雪く Miho Masuda, CanadaOn the wind Honourable mention - Japanese language Haiku 矢野 今日子新緑や眼福といふ語のありき Kyoko Yano, CanadaFresh greenery |
Best Overall - English language Haiku
Prize: 30$ (each)
two equally excellent winners:Amber Sayer, USA Violet sky at dusk Lee Nash, FranceFine needles |
Prize: 20$
(we will not explicitly award this, as we have two joint winners in the top category) Honourable mention - English language Haiku Joshua St. Claire, USArain-glazed sidewalk Goran Gatalica, Croatiaa double rainbow |
Brightest Young Poet (16 years of age and under)
Prize: 30$
Ealia Sadeghi, CanadaChoked sky cries on flames |
Honourable mention - Brightest Young Poet [16 years of age and under] |
Ava Bogard, USAspring storms bring the adults sorrow Sakura Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Japanふうせんよまたあう日までまってるよ Hey, Balloon |
Among all participants from EJCA (current EJCA membership), we will also randomly select one winner to receive a Haiku-poetic card game: |
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Haiku in English Language - Excellent Amber Sayer, USA Violet sky at dusk Ombre canvas for lilacs Divine gallery Review: Junzaburo Nishiwaki (Japanese poet & literary critic), who had contact with T.S. Eliot, a British poet, was a central figure in the Modernism, Dadaism, and Surrealism movements in the pre-World War II era (in Japan). He once said, "Artistic expression only becomes art when it is done deliberately. Unconscious expression is therefore nothing more than blind emotion itself. In other words, just as acts of good faith can be exempt from legal responsibility, under the law of poetry, if the author believes that what he thinks and feels is true, then he is also excluded from artistic responsibility, in other words, it does not become art. For example, a line in Paul Marie Verlaine's "CHANSON D'AUTOMNE" (Song of Autumn), ‘Les sanglots longs / Des violons / De l’automne / Blessent mon cœur Langueur Monotone’ is an instinctive and natural expression, not a deliberate expression with a purpose. While it is an extremely well-intentioned representation, it is a work that exists outside the laws of art that we have established. In the same sense, our laws of art do not recognize Goethe, Verlaine, nor Valéry as lawful artists." Amber Sayer's work became a poem through the phrase, the "Divine gallery." The first line, "Violet sky at dusk," is an expression from the perspective of a lyric poet who writes about nature, but she did not leave it there; she completed the work by using what Nishiwaki calls "deliberate" expression. Readers just need to take the time to imagine each and every painting in the Divine gallery. This work has once again made it known that "deliberate, purposeful" expression is art beyond the borders of countries. Haiku in English Language - Excellent Lee Nash, France Fine needles sewing the sunlight sleet in spring It is said that you need to use a thin needle when you sew thin fabrics to avoid showing needle holes; therefore, the phrase "fine needles" is successful in implying that the object the author describes is something similar with a thin fabric. Just like in Haiku in Japanese, in Haiku in English, an author is expected to think through the idea of each line. Further, readers are also expected to examine each line in depth and bring it alive. Poetry becomes poetry when it brings empathy and resonance from a place that is not pre established harmony. The expression "sewing light" is splendid. There are two types of “sleet” in Haiku. One is “winter sleet” and the other is “spring sleet”. For example, in haiku, “In spring sleet/everybody is/a little less happy (Fusano Sekiguchi)," the phrase, "spring sleet," saves readers from feeling deep or severe sadness (spring sleet would not stay long; therefore, “everybody” does not stay unhappy too long). At the same time, winter sleet in "In my bottomless loneliness/I hear/sleet’s falling” (Joso Naito)" reveals a part of the dark side of one’s life. I would like authors of Haiku in English to be alerted for these differences in two types of sleet while they are originally for Haiku in Japanese. To write a poetry, you need to observe your object well and feel it in real, then express it with a purpose. Haiku in English Language - Good Joshua St. Claire, USA rain-glazed sidewalk a robin lands in spring heat Haiku in English Language - Good Goran Gatalica, Croatia a double rainbow spreading like a quilt of meadows
Haiku in Japanese Language - The first prize Setsuo Nakaya Has a flower scattered A busy white-eye Taking shelter from the rain Review: Many people tend to think that a warbling white-eye that comes to plum blossoms is a Japanese nightingale (UGUISU), but that is not correct. A warbling white-eye is a small bird with a grass-green head and back. As the name suggests, it has white rings around its eyes. The bird makes a whole cherry blossom scattered and fallen as it sucks the nectar at the base of the flower. The behaviour is unclassy and not tasteful from a human’s cultural perspective, but we need to let them get away with it as they need to do it to live. The above Haiku expresses that the rain became so strong that a white-eye "took shelter from the rain". You can tell the author took his time to observe the subject to write the haiku. His affectionate eyes towards the subject in the background made the haiku a success. Haiku in Japanese Language - Second prize Miho Masuda On the wind I have lived a full life A shower of flowers declares Review: The original haiku, "Flower petals/drifting in the wind/ where are they going?" has not much impact or character. I modified the haiku by focusing on the point that I imagine the author meant to express. The result is: "On the wind / I have lived a full life/A shower of flowers declares” The cherry blossoms themselves have a short life of about 7 days, then, the flowers scatter and becomes a shower of flowers. In the modified haiku, I expressed a cherry blossoms’ short life with a deep empathy. In cosmic time, we, human beings, also have a fleeting life as they do. To Resonate with the subject is the beginning of creation of haiku. Haiku in English Language - Runner-up Kyoko Yano Fresh greenery Reminds me of a phrase Blessings to one’s eyes Review: The original haiku used anastrophe (in Japanese). “Cherishing fresh greenery/gave me a relief/ just for a moment” I modified it to 'Fresh greenery/reminds me of a phrase/blessings to one’s eyes.' The focus of the original haiku is the author’s happiness/gratitude for seeing a precious and beautiful thing; therefore, I ventured out to express it directly to ensure that readers understand her emotions. I recommend that you should try to be bold and direct to express your feelings and emotions time to time.
Ealia Sadeghi, Canada Choked sky cries on flames Wet that breaks the dirt to soil The scent of growth floats Review The poetry states, "Choked sky cries on flames," because of large forest fires. Small fires must have burst here and there, smoldering the mountain. The firefighters' hard work was assisted by rain from heaven, and the fire was tamed and finally extinguished. Immediately after, the water-soaked soil sprouted, and " The scent of growth floats." The poetry is a praise of nature and life. While the smell of charcoal still lingers in the area, the "scent of growth" is a salvation of the world. When everything was burned down by the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, the epicenter of the bombing, it was said that it would take 70 years or more for the greenery to return, but in the spring of the following year, horsetail was the first to regain its greenery. Probably, the horsetail’s rhizomes that grew deep into the earth escaped the heat rays of the atomic bomb. The greenery gave people the courage and hope to overcome any kinds of hardships and continue to live. Green is a symbol of peace, harmony, peace and youthfulness, and also in Japanese, "Midorigo (a child of green)" is a word that refers to an infant. Brightest Young Poet (16 years of age or under) - Runner Up Ava Bogard, USA spring storms bring the adults sorrow but the children just giggle thinking of the flowers soon to emerge Review In the Manyoshu*, "smiling" means (1) smiling, (2) flowers bloom, the buds are unraveled, or fruits ripen and crack. Just as a flower bud cracks open and a flower blooms, when a person starts laughing, his mouth cracks open and then he goes hahahaha. From there, (in Japanese), "laughing" is also written as "blooming". It is a poetic expression. A gentle "spring breeze" is like a laughter of children and girls. That's what "thinking of the flowers soon to emerge" means. By focusing on the innocence of young children, the author successfully expresses the arrival of spring in a gentle expression. Another element of the success in the poetry is implying adults’ issues (with spring) such as “hay fever” instead of expressing them directly. *Manyosyu is the oldest Japanese anthology of poems from the 8th century. The title means a collection of ten-thousand leaves. Brightest Young Poet (16 years of age or under) - Runner Up - Japanese Language Sakura Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Japan Hey, Balloon Until the day we meet again I'll wait for you Review If the poetry ended with “matteruze (mannish expression in Japanese)," it could be a mutter in the heart of a debilitated adult. The balloon there may imply a person who is about to leave. The original phrase "matteruyo (neutral expression compared to “ze”) worked effectively here, and the cuteness is emphasized. She must have reached an age where she knew that she would never see the "balloon" that had left her hands, and that she was beginning to know the sadness of life. | 優秀 Amber Sayer, USA アンバー・ソイヤー（アメリカ） Violet sky at dusk 薄暮れのすみれ色の空 Ombre canvas for lilacs ライラックのためのくすんだキャンバス Divine gallery 神々の画廊 【評】イギリスの詩人T・Sエリオットと交流のあった西脇順三郎は第二次世界大戦前のモダニズム、ダダイスム、シュルレアリスム運動の中心人物でしたが、彼の発言に「芸術上の表現とは故意にやった時に初めて芸術になる。故に無意識の表現は盲目の感情それ自身に過ぎぬ。すなわち善意の行為は法律の責任から解除されることがあると等しく、詩の法律にては作者が自分の考えたこと、感じたことを本当と信じている場合はやはり芸術の責任から除外され、換言すれば芸術とならない。ポール・マリー・ヴェルレーヌ（Paul Marie Verlaine）の“CHANSON D’AUTOMNE”（秋の歌）の、Les sanglots longs Des violons De l’automne Blessent mon cœur D’une langueur Monotone. は、自然の表現であってわざとやった事ではない。きわめて善意な表示者である。吾々の定めた芸術の法律外に存在している行為である。ゲーテもヴェルレーヌもヴァレリも法律上の芸術家ではない」がある。 Amber Sayer（アンバー・ソイヤー）さんの作品は「Divine gallery（神々の画廊）」によって詩のものとなった。1行目の「Violet sky at dusk（薄暮れのすみれ色の空）は自然を詠む抒情詩人側の表現ではあるが、そのままで終らせず、西脇がいう「故意にやった」表現によって作品を完成せしめた。読者はDivine galleryにある画の一つひとつをじっくりと想像していけばよい。改めて「故意にやった・わざとした」表現が芸術であることを内外に知らしめてくれた作品である。 優秀 Lee Nash France リー・ナッシュ（イギリス（在フランス）） Fine needles 細針が sewing the sunlight 光を縫う
sleet in spring 春霙
【評】薄手の生地は細い針でないと針穴が目立ちと云われている。つまり「Fine needles(細い針)」の表現によってその対象物が薄手の生地に通じるようなモノであることを暗示し得ている。3行詩という短詩の1行1行が「俳句」の表現のように煮詰まっていることが作者に期待されているが、読者のもまたは1行ごとにその世界を見詰め、立体化させていくことが求められているのである。予定調和でない所からの共感・共鳴が詩を詩たらしめて行くのである。「光を縫う」の表現がよい。 俳句での「霙（みぞれ）」は冬季と春期の「霙」がある。「春霙人みな少しふしあわせ（関口ふさの）」の句は「春のみぞれ」であることによって救われる一句であるが、冬の「淋しさの底ぬけてふるみぞれかな（蕪村）」では人生の暗部の一端が窺える。3行詩の作者にあってもその「霙」の違いに注意されたい。よく観察し、実感し、その上での故意の表現が詩となる。 佳作 Joshua St. Claire, USAジョシュアセイントクレア（アメリカ） rain-glazed sidewalk 雨に光る歩道 a robin lands 駒鳥が降り立つ in spring heat 春の熱気の中に 佳作 Goran Gatalica, Croatia ゴーラン ガタリカ（クロアシア） a double rainbow 二重虹 spreading like a quilt キルトを広ぐ of meadows 草原に
特選 花散らし忙しき目白の雨宿り 仲谷 節夫 評「梅の花に来るメジロをウグイスと思っている人が多い。メジロはその名の通り目の回りに白い輪があり、頭部・背面は草緑色の小 鳥。桜の花のもとにある蜜を吸うために花そのままをひと花散らせてしまう。無粋なところがあるが生きていくなかでのことと 思えば人間の風流心は横に置いて見逃すしかない。掲句では、そのメジロが雨が強くなって「雨宿り」したと云う。対象をじっくり と観察して詠んだ句。愛眼が一句の底にあって得た一句である。 秀作 風に乗り生きて来ました花吹雪く マスダ ミホ 評「原作の、「花吹雪ひらりひらりとどこへ行く」ではインパクトがなく平凡であるが、その句で云わんとしたであろう点に絞って、「風 に乗り生きてきました花吹雪く」として戴いた。桜の花自体は7日程度の短い命だが、花が散り、いっせいに吹雪き出しそこまで の時間に寄り添った表現にした。宇宙時間で眺めれば、我ら人間のまた「束の間のいのち」のものである。〈もの〉に共鳴同調した ところが句を詠む始めである。 佳作 新緑や眼福といふ語のありき 矢野 今日子 評「原句は、「新緑を愛でて休まる束の間の」と倒置表現の句であったが、「新緑や眼福といふ語にあたる」と添削した。貴重なもの、美 しいものなど見ることができた幸せ。目の保養」をしたところが原句の主眼であるので、読み手にその時の心情が伝わるように思い切って直情表現してみた。ときには皆さんもトライしてみて下さい。
Brightest Young Poet (16 years of age or under) - The first prize Ealia Sadeghi, Canada むせ返った空が炎に泣く 雨が土くれを土壌に変える 新しい命の匂いが漂う 選評 大きな山火事により「空は息詰り、炎に泣いている」という。小さな火があちこちに飛び火して、山をくすぶらせたのだろう。消防士の賢明な消火作業に天の助けの雨も降り、鎮火し水の染みこんだ土壌からはやばやと芽吹き萌え出し「新しいいのちの匂いが漂う」と云う。自然讃・生命讃の作品である。辺りにはまだ炭の臭いが残るその奧に在る「新しいいのちの香り」が世界の救いとなっている。 原子爆弾によりすべてが焼き尽くされた爆心地の広島では緑が戻るのは70年数年必要だろうと云われていたが、翌年の春、真っ先に緑を取り戻したのがスギナである。地中深くに伸びた根茎が原爆の熱線を免れたので在ろうが、その緑は人々にどんなことがあっても生きていく勇気と希望を与え、励ましてくれたのです。 緑は平和、調和、安らぎ、若々しさの象徴であるが、日本語では「緑児（みどりご）とは幼な児を指す語である。 Brightest Young Poet (16 years of age or under) - Runner Up Ava Bogard, USA 春の嵐は大人たちを憂鬱にするけど 子供たちはただくすくす笑う 花たちがすぐにやってくることを思って 選評 万葉集で「笑む（ゑむ）」とは、①ほほえむ。にっこり笑う。②花が咲く。蕾が綻びる。実が熟して割れる。ことである。花の蕾がパカッと割れて花が咲くように、人が笑い出すときは、口がパカッと割れてからアッハッハ・わっはっはとなる。そこから「笑う」を「咲う」とも書く。詩的な表記である。 穏やかな「春の風」は子ども・少女たちの笑い声のようなのである。 それが“thinking of the flowers soon to emerge”「花たちがすぐにやってくることを思って」の意のものである。 幼い子たちの純真さに目を留めて優しい表現の中で、春の到来を表現し得ている。 大人たちの「花粉症」などのことを言外に置き、は直接に云わずに表現したことで成功している Brightest Young Poet (16 years of age or under) - Runner Up - Japanese Language Sakura Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Japan ふうせんよまたあう日までまってるよ 選評 「ふうせんよまたあう日までまってるぜ」とあれば臈長（ろうた）けた大人（男性）の心の呟き。そこでの風船は離れていこうとする人を暗示していよう。原句「まってるよ」のイ抜き言葉がここでは生きていて、可愛らしさが強調されている。 自分の手から離れて行った「風船」とは二度と会えないことを知っているちょっぴり人生の悲しみを知り初めた年齢になったのであろう。 |
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From wikipedia: Haiku (俳句) is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a kireji, or "cutting word", 17 on (phonetic units similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, and a kigo, or seasonal reference. Similar poems that do not adhere to these rules are generally classified as senryū. Haiku originated as an opening part of a larger Japanese poem called renga. These haiku written as an opening stanza were known as hokku and over time writers began to write them as stand-alone poems. Haiku was given its current name by the Japanese writer Masaoka Shiki at the end of the 19th century. What you should keep in mind: For haiku inspiration, look closely at everything around you in nature, at home, at school, and at work. Write your draft of a haiku, letting yourself be free and creative. Then ask the following questions about your haiku to help you improve them.
| What you should keep in mind (continued):
(adapted from Michael Dylan Welch's excellent blog: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/haiku-checklist) |
Please contact: haiku@ejca.org
Contact us © EJCA 2024 |