November 2007 Kukai Dear Haiku Friends, Here are the results for the November 2007 Kukai, wherein our Kigo subject was "Turkey" and our Free Format subject was "Marker". Congratulations to Rita Odeh, winner of our Kigo section and to Susan Constabile AND Roberta Beary, winners of our Free Format section! The haiku are listed in order of total points received from voters. The numbers reflect the number of voters who gave the haiku either three points, two points, or one point -- followed by the total points for all votes. In the listing below, after each poem the author is listed, and then a three digit code revealing how many 3-point, 2-point, and 1-point points were cast for this poem by the other participating poets. (214 = 12) would indicate that the poem above received two 3-point votes, one 2-point vote, and four 1-point votes. November 2007 Results Kigo Theme: Turkey Free Format Theme: Marker First Place -- 20 points autumn morning strutting behind his shadow the old turkey Rita Odeh (3,3,5) = 20 pts Second Place -- 15 pts turkey dinner three generations bickering Beth Richards (1,4,4) = 15 pts Were you at the same family dinner I attended! This is so unpleasant and unfortunate, but also so true. Alas! awkwardly I carve the turkey in dad's place Karen Briggs (1,4,4) = 15 pts Effectively delivers the emotion of the scene, which I think might make it a popular submission for many. But it's a sentence, not a haiku. Drop the 'ly' of 'awkwardly' and add a kireji mark, I think. Third Place -- 14 pts late november — the turkey's shadow suddenly shorter Mary Davila (0,4,6) = 14 pts The countdown to the celebration day! This haiku captures both the shortened days of daylight and the fewer and fewer days of life left for the turkey. This haiku effectively selects images that serve double duty. nap time — hand print turkeys line the classroom window tim (2,0,8) = 14 pts This one was "show" compared to #39's "tell". Evocative and seasonal. late Autumn sun — a turkey tries to fly Paul Hodder (1,3,5) = 14 pts the first snow... dad and the butcher talk turkey Dejan Pavlinovic (0,3,8) = 14 pts turkey calls the urge to reply Audrey Downey (0,1,12) = 14 pts I've called my turkeys like this on the farm many times, but in the woods it could get me shot! Very compactly written to describe a second-guess. 12 points call of wild turkeys . . . i move my finger closer to his house of cards Francine Banwarth (2,1,4) = 12 pts autumn dawn the gobble of a wild turkey through the fog ---Jacek M. (0,4,4) = 12 pts Sensual and nicely done. 11 points Thanksgiving gossip picking over the turkey carcass w. f. owen (0,2,7) = 11 pts 10 points thanksgiving turkey — farmer's smallest daughter cries by the table Gosia Zamorska (1,3,1) = 10 pts limping one turkey has become an individual max verhart (1,1,5) = 10 pts 9 points son is overseas quiet surrounds our table turkey in deep freeze Harvey Jenkins (1,2,2) = 9 pts kindergarten turkey — the crayon outline of each child's hand Cherie Hunter Day (1,2,2) = 9 pts Utterly charming and nostalgic for us older parents. turkey overdose even the dog won't bite Roberta Beary (0,3,3) = 9 pts 8 points Thanksgiving turkey my least favorite relative sits down beside me -- Karen Cesar (0,1,6) = 8 pts muffled clucking in the stubble field mist — wild turkeys Barbara Snow (0,1,6) = 8 pts Lovely sound. 7 points autumn feast... days later the turkey still giving --Irene Golas (2,0,1) = 7 pts cold turkey — a tsunami in his teacup Earl Keener (0,2,3) = 7 pts woods edge — a wild turkey checks the feeder Mary Lee McClure (0,2,3) = 7 pts rainy afternoon — turkeys wander in the town's playground Tom Maretic (0,2,3) = 7 pts herb-roasted turkey — last year's tablecloth stain noticed during grace - Deborah P Kolodji (0,2,3) = 7 pts Election day... a few wild turkeys gobbling for attention Deb Bauer (0,0,7) = 7 pts Laughed out loud at this one. Thanksgiving Dinner — the men squabble over who shot the turkey Nancy Nitrio (0,0,7) = 7 pts 6 points turkey legs in a row grandpa's missing teeth Raquel D. Bailey (0,2,2) = 6 pts cleaning the attic mom's turkey napkin holder as if nothing changed tish davis (0,2,2) = 6 pts The poet gave up November's melancholy Cold turkey Jon Espen Vassbotn (0,1,4) = 6 pts the next hole in my old leather belt — turkey stuffing DeVar (0,0,6) = 6 pts 5 points farm turkey the flip-flapping of double chin kala ramesh (1,0,2) = 5 pts Vegetarians toss their leftover food to the turkey Carmel Lively Westerman (0,1,3) = 5 pts turkey carving - my little grandson's mouth already open Zhanna P. Rader (0,1,3) = 5 pts 4 points cold turkey — a starving junkie begs for a slice Gautam Nadkarni (1,0,1) = 4 pts blood moon the wild turkeys feast on bonfire night Janice (1,0,1) = 4 pts Spooky! what we know — the weight of white turkeys in afternoon light Joyce Clement (1,0,1) = 4 pts I love the subtle peacefulness of them eyeing up the flock for market with the turkeys in blissful ignorance. Almost overlooked on first reading. Turkey Day — the poor person eats a croissant miorita (1,0,1) = 4 pts old diary a turkey feather for Nov. 24 Petar Tchouhov (1,0,1) = 4 pts seed-scratching turkeys Black Friday shoppers scour the sale racks Sherry Weaver Smith (0,2,0) = 4 pts Thanksgiving turkey, after hours in the oven, kidnapped by our dog Rey Barreto (0,1,2) = 4 pts between gravestones a wild turkey wanders thanksgiving ghost -Neil Muscott (0,0,4) = 4 pts 3 points after dad's death old hunting gear still packed his gun and turkey caller bre (1,0,0) = 3 pts indian corn — a flock of plastic turkeys on the neighbor's lawn Laurene (1,0,0) = 3 pts young wild turkeys come out to browse first autumn Bruce Ross (0,1,1) = 3 pts family reunion over turkey dinner comfortable conflict Bill Hudson (0,1,1) = 3 pts again and again dialing his wife's number — cold turkey Lech Szeglowski (0,1,1) = 3 pts rustling leaves a wild turkey darts between birches Catherine J.S. Lee (0,0,3) = 3 pts candlelit kitchen — the turkey's final hour in the barbecue Susan Constable (0,0,3) = 3 pts A memorable power failure that makes a great funny story, in retrospect. Nice show without tell in the first line, a set up for romance and then down to earth with emergency measures. Renaissance faire the old jouster gnaws a turkey leg Agnes Eva Savich (0,0,3) = 3 pts The robust humour of seeing this old geezer chewing on a turkey leg captures a familiar moment at our modern re-enactments of Renaissance events. Staying in character, even though turkey has to substitute for some other medieval European bird. Thanksgiving... a turkey feather in grandpa's cap Carole (0,0,3) = 3 pts First Place -- 26 pts new moon the distant curve of highway markers Susan Constable (2,3,14) = 26 pts civil war marker a tour bus re-loads Roberta Beary (1,5,13) = 26 pts The levity of visiting of civil war graves is suddenly brought into sharp present time focus with the image of "re-loads" in line 3. The past and the present meet. This haiku has a kind of sardonic, almost black comedy humor that makes me smile when I read it. Ok, I laughed at 'reloads' versus ‘re-loads’. Second Place -- 18 pts scattering ashes only this granite ledge as a marker Cherie Hunter Day (1,4,7) = 18 pts Stark and sensual! Third Place -- 13 pts back-country road the stone mile marker splotched with lichen Catherine J.S. Lee (0,4,5) = 13 pts autumn rain — a tattooed man sells permanent markers Israel Lopez Balan (0,3,7) = 13 pts 12 points grave markers... how much does anyone need --Irene Golas (2,2,2) = 12 pts grandma's Bible the silk bookmark ribbon still in the same place Dorota Pyra (1,3,3) = 12 pts winter light on the kitchen floor the cat a sundial marker April Serock (1,2,5) = 12 pts Nice, even if it is a cat-ku. Lovely images and "catness". 10 points night classes her long slender fingers around the marker Petar Tchouhov (2,0,4) = 10 pts open road a red-tail perched on a mileage marker tom painting (0,2,6) = 10 pts line markers etched into the old closet door — the inches we grew Francine Banwarth (0,1,8) = 10 pts 9 points lonely journey counting the mile markers on the way home RaV (2,0,3) = 9 pts 8 points passed down the highway of life genetic markers Bill Hudson (0,3,2) = 8 pts spider web between grave markers — a fly's last flight, too Deborah P Kolodji (0,2,4) = 8 pts old cemetery Grandpa's grave marker so hard to read Jeanne Jorgensen (0,1,6) = 8 pts The dual meaning associated with attempting to read Grandpa's grave is moving. It is difficult to read the legends on the marker because they are old and weathered, but it is also difficult to read because the emotions being experienced obscure the markings. Nice layers of meaning here. 7 points after the hurricane a boat on the highway high tide marker -Neil Muscott (0,1,5) = 7 pts Magic Markers — the child's trees and cows are all bright pink Zhanna P. Rader (0,1,5) = 7 pts The smile in this haiku will not stop beaming! I remember so well our children's bright color scenes proudly posted on our refrigerator door. It was a real competition for each of them. 6 points mile marker — we calculate the distance left to travel Karen Cesar (1,0,3) = 6 pts ...and who has not traveled over this or any other holiday. The endless weary miles roll past and we count, count, count them by noting the mile markers. This mind numbing experience is well captured in simple language. on the marker where her ashes lie  —dewdrops Paul Hodder (1,0,3) = 6 pts spring green — still looking for the magic in the markers Carolyn Hall (0,2,2) = 6 pts treeless tundra inuksuk casts the only shadow Beth Powell (0,2,2) = 6 pts path markers lost, but my basket is filled with mushrooms Tom Maretic (0,2,2) = 6 pts his grave marker 3 months later still no name bre (0,1,4) = 6 pts living room artwork he hides his magic markers under the couch Edward (0,1,4) = 6 pts 5 points the stain of a permanent marker lipstick on his shirt Raquel Bailey (1,0,2) = 5 pts on his tombstone I leave a pebble marker . . . will he know? Carol Raisfeld (0,2,1) = 5 pts marker a faded teddy bear laid on the roadside Sherry Weaver Smith (0,1,3) = 5 pts Tenderly depicts so much sadness and loss. the new editor — circles with green marker all the male pronouns jill (0,1,3) = 5 pts 4 points girl in the mirror… with a green marker pen colouring hair Daniela Bullas (1,0,1) = 4 pts a small beginning under these big carrot tops — the old row marker P. Williams (1,0,1) = 4 pts Graffiti artist Choosing each of his markers with the utmost care Rey Barreto (0,2,0) = 4 pts snow in the air counting the pole markers for my curved drive Audrey Downey (0,1,2) = 4 pts mile marker — a couple hugs in my shadow Rita Odeh (0,1,2) = 4 pts rainy day the smiling toddler's fistful of markers Agnes Eva Savich (0,1,2) = 4 pts art therapy... a gray marker mist across the sun Carole MacRury (0,1,2) = 4 pts grave marker — on each letter the leaves Lech Szeglowski (0,1,2) = 4 pts empty saddlebags — a felt marker line across the map DeVar (0,1,2) = 4 pts I felt the journey with this one. another dead bee the channel marker obscured by fog josh (0,1,2) = 4 pts 3 points magic marker… fireflies flow into sprites Nancy Smith (1,0,0) = 3 pts early darkness — the page marker in my second-hand book is a love note andrea (0,1,1) = 3 pts holy man a morning glory vine climbs his marker erk (0,1,1) = 3pts pencil lines etched in the door frame mark our lives Ruth Powell (0,1,1) = 3 pts dry clover leaf still a marker between my "Leaves of Grass" Boris Nazansky (0,1,1) = 3 pts snow storm — no route markers by the highway Jacek M. (0,0,3) = 3 pts Nicely made haiku—a scary situation! last marker buoy may the Lord watch between you and me George Hawkins (0,0,3) = 3 pts fall foliage — the white dog's marker on every tree Leslie Montgomery (0,0,3) = 3 pts coming home to a new address . . . grave marker Mary Davila (0,0,3) = 3 pts Thank you all for participating in the Shiki Monthly Kukai. We will open the December 2007 kukai to submissions on Monday, December 3rd. See you then! With much appreciation, Robert and Jennie, co-secretaries Gary Warner, web host Participate in the Shiki Monthly Kukai by choosing a link below How it Works Most Recent Results Current Kukai Topics Kukai Archives An explanation of how the kukai functions. The results of our most recent month! Click here to learn about THIS month's kukai. Previous month's results.