Autumn, Then Winter Haiku Contest – 2012 – Fall, Winter Poetry

And the winners are…

Grand Prize Winner–Best Haiku Pair–$40 Prize

Sailing earthward, leaves
become gentle visitors
on foreign branches

Flakes of frozen fog
reflect white winter moonlight
twinkling the cold night

Charlie Helbling
Saint Louis, MO

1st Place–Best Autumn Haiku–$20 prize

Sailing earthward, leaves
become gentle visitors
on foreign branches

Charlie Helbling
Saint Louis, MO

1st Place–Best Winter Haiku–$20 prize each (tie)

Moonlit clouds captured
Bare twigs release them slowly
Deep cold solstice night

Damaris Schmitt
Saint Louis, MO

Flakes of frozen fog
reflect white winter moonlight
twinkling the cold night

Charlie Helbling
Saint Louis, MO

Runners-Up Best Haiku Pair

2nd Place–Damaris Schmitt–Haiku Pair #6
3rd Place–Joseph Rogers–Haiku Pair #8

Runners Up Best Autumn Haiku

2nd Place Tie–Damaris Schmitt from Haiku Pair #6 & Joseph Rogers from Haiku Pair #8
3rd Place Tie–Dwan from Haiku Pair #9 & Karen Rice from Haiku Pair #12

Runners-Up Best Winter Haiku
2nd Place–Charlie Helbling from Haiku Pair #13
3rd Place–Joseph Rogers from Haiku Pair #8

Congratulations to all our winners. And a big thank you to our judges….

• Michael Dechaneis a fine poet and wonderful reciter of his own work and the work of others. You can read his work here: http://www.madlypoetic.blogspot.com &
  http://www.madkus.blogspot.com
• Bob Nickles describes himself as “a lapsed poet, runner, fiction reader, and occasional employee of theater companies. He works as a social worker to pay the bills. You can read his own writing here: okigetit.wordpress.com. Despite his lapsedness, I find Bob’s poetry full of beautiful insights about the world and human nature. I often find it wise.
• Heidi Vincent’s eager embrace of life shines out in everything she does, and especially in judging poetry contests and talking over the entries with insight and animation. And lest that friendly eagerness lull you, she was the toughest of our judges!
• Jacob Wachsmuth is also a poet. Ask him to read you his poem on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sometime. It will floor you.

I am very excited to present to you the entries for the “Autumn, Then Winter” haiku contest for Fall 2012! We have some lovely ones. Please read and comment as you wish. I will introducing the 4-person judging panel soon and the results will be ready Thanksgiving Day to enjoy along with your turkey, pies, and football. Thanks so much to everyone who submitted! Enjoy.

1

The trees that won’t let
Their last orange leaves fall look so
Very pitiful.

The bare trees that have
Already shed all their leaves
Look unashamed.

Sean M. Cogan
Fort Wayne, IN

2

a withered leaf falls
“I have nothing left to give”
swept by autumn winds

cold climes creep closer
solitary snowflake seen
winter’s white warning

Peter Kuo
Saint Louis, MO

3

Death comes regardless
so let’s blaze out with colors-
copy the joyous leaves

color winter bright
like children’s extremities
in highlighter hues

Karen Rice
Saint Louis, MO

4

Leaves surrender life
Tree whispers look at me stand
brave before the cold

Ice painted landscape
all that is frozen this day
will melt in the sun

Kate Boelhauf
Saint Louis, MO

5

Sailing earthward, leaves
become gentle visitors
on foreign branches

Flakes of frozen fog
reflect white winter moonlight
twinkling the cold night

Charlie Helbling
Saint Louis, MO

6

Red Yellow Nimbus
Autumn hues challenge the sky
Trees scoff at sunset

Moonlit clouds captured
Bare twigs release them slowly
Deep cold solstice night

Damaris Schmitt
Saint Louis, MO

7

maple trees blushing
in the crispness of the wind…
tornado of leaves

wrinkled old woman
counting empty park benches…
the first snow shower

Keith A. Simmonds
Crayford, Dartford, England

8

Tricksters seeking treats
Roam glowing streets lighted by
Bright grinning pumpkins.

Star shining so bright
Guide the Wise to Him, the Light,
On this holy night.

Joseph Rogers
Saint Louis, MO

9

The fall of the rain
dampens the crunch of the leaves
in autumn’s slumber.

In the cold thick white,
winter’s angels will appear
as they approach ground.

Dwan

10

God’s sense of humor
As colors of explosion
signal nature’s death.

Without color, God
has erased His canvas, to
splash again with hues.

Susan Mefford
Springfield, IL

11

green to red, decay
I feel my colors fading
autumn strips me bare

a frigid winter
huddled together, hands clutched
desire, fire for warmth

Peter Kuo
Saint Louis, MO

12

Jack o’ lanterns warn
their snowmen brothers of fate
as they melt with rot

sunrise and sunset
give ground to the night, huddle
closer to keep warm

Karen Rice
Saint Louis, MO

13

Patch of orphaned leaves
defying nature’s intent
resists autumn’s squalls

Holiday lighting–
bright earthly constellations
shining in branches

Charlie Helbling
Saint Louis, MO

14

Run fast, turkey, run!
Thanksgiving will be here soon.
Quick, get out of here!

Children run down stairs
On Christmas morn, seeking gifts
By a glowing tree.

Joseph Rogers
Saint Louis, MO

15

Bonfires, football and
kids as ghosts eating candy,
Thanksgiving is near.

Snow is overcome
with lights, good cheer, well wishes
Thank God for Christmas.

Susan Mefford
Springfield, IL

16

Green no more on tree
Red and gold fluttering down
Fall is upon us

The trees are bare now
Winds have blown their leaves away
Soon they will wear snow

Teri Dashfield
http://imagesbytdashfield.wordpress.com/

This page has the following sub pages.

• Instructions