First Place -- 47 Points
early spring
all night the pond ice
shifts its weight
tom painting
(6,8,13) = 47
The first contractions have just begun to be felt, but the groaning and heaving, the struggle and drama of full-blown labour are yet to come. How quietly and precisely the poet has pinpointed the exact time (this night) and place (the depths of this pond) of spring's beginning.
For me, this really captures the season. Love the sounds, movement, and emotion it evokes.
Second Place -- 30 Points
early spring
green at the heart
of an onion
j cully
(2,6,12) = 30
Onions? Of course, of course.
The humble onion, though having been taken far from its home in the earth, nevertheless hears the call of Mother Nature and faithfully responds in its little "heart"! The use of the word "heart" in an unsentimental way expands the dimensions of the haiku brilliantly.
Third Place -- 24 Points
early spring
her wrinkled fingers
sort seed packets
Yositaka
(1,1,19) = 24
Fourth Place – 21 Points
early spring
the hatless
scarecrow
Lech Szeglowski
(0,3,15) = 21
Brings a smile. Even the scarecrow senses warmer weather!
Fifth Place -- 19 Points
early spring the crossing guard's smile
w. f. owen
(1,4,8) = 19
No more standing out in the dreary cold for kids keeping their heads
buried in collars - both may bloom with smiles.
Such an elegant haiku - a story made out of six plain words and containing great mystery and drama. From where to where is the crossing? Who is crossing? Why? We come to see that the "crossing" in the poem is the moment at which the guard undergoes a "conversion", within himself, from winter to spring. We are led to feel the power of nature's rhythms and the responsive power of hearts. Six-word poems don't come any more power-packed than this!
early spring —
fresh twigs line
an old nest
Melissa Spurr
(0,3,13) = 19
"ever-returning spring," concisely and concretely caught.
Sixth Place -- 15 Points
a stray dog
going my way
early spring
Bill Kenney
(1,3,6) = 15
A lovely carefree feeling to this haiku, which goes so well with
the season. Full of deep simplicity.
Seventh Place -- 12 Points
the sound of water
as you move through it
early spring
Josh Wikoff
(1,2,5) = 12
I can both hear and feel this... nicely done.
Eighth Place -- 11 Points
the soil splits
above a daffodil
early spring
gourdman
(0,3,5) = 11
early spring
we try to grow
a little apart
George Hawkins
(1,3,2) = 11
A poignant haiku. The season of rejuvenation also brings its own sorrow.
early spring
the butcher
wears a daffodil
Helen Buckingham
(0,3,5) = 11
february
winter turns into spring
and back
max verhart
(1,1,6) = 11
early spring
a fresh crop of rocks
in the vegetable garden
Jim Swift
(0,2,7) = 11
Ninth Place -- 10 Points
early spring…
my heart too
is thawing
john tiong chunghoo
(1,1,5) = 10
my daughter's
first valentine
~ early Spring
Paul Hodder
(1,1,5) = 10
Tenth Place -- 9 Points
early spring
my sightless cat sniffs
a remembered path
Barbara Snow
(1,2,2) = 9
rinsing celery
from rib to heart
early spring
Joyce Clement
(0,1,7) = 9
Eleventh Place -- 8 Points
fawn's footprints
circle snowdrops
early spring
Harvey Jenkins
(0,2,4) = 8
early spring
the wind-chime and icicle
drip… in unison
Terra Martin
(0,3,2) = 8
early spring . . .
the frayed swing rope
feathered with frost
Ron Moss
(0,1,6) = 8
the weeds get a head start early spring
the weeds
get a head start
early spring
Susan Constable
(1,0,5) = 8
I prefer the one-breath format.
early spring breeze
the clothesline all in
baby shirts
Petar Tchouhov
(0,2,4) = 8
frost
cradled in the crocuses~
early spring
Kate Creighton
(0,2,4) = 8
Twelfth Place -- 7 Points
A fly
wakes suddenly?
early spring
Vasile Moldovan
(1,1,2) = 7
girl in pink
dangling from the monkey bars —
early spring
CPW
(0,0,7) = 7
I much like blossoms from bare boughs.
"dangling" gets it just right.
Very visual -- love the "pink", "dangling", "monkey" --
beautifully expressed.
early spring —
squirrels run in circles
around the stop sign
Marylouise Knight
(0,1,5) = 7
passing me
her perfume
early spring
Neil Muscott
(0,2,3) = 7
Pleasure, heightened by transience.
early spring
another handwriting
in my signature
Jerzy
(0,2,3) = 7
plum blossoms
stuck in my hair ~
early spring
Keith A. Simmonds
(0,2,3) = 7
Thirteenth Place -- 6 Points
early spring
branches breathe
with the wind
Agnes Eva Savich
(0,2,2) = 6
I find this a rather curious haiku and actually aren't entirely sure
what it mean in real life. Still somehow it seems true that branches,
seemingly dead in winter, begin to breathe as their leaf buds begin to swell
in spring, while dead boughs, being stiffer, do not.
thwacks
from the sandlot
early spring
Alice Frampton
(0,1,4) = 6
early spring
a vase of pussy willows
on the kitchen table
Carmel Lively Westerman
(0,0,6) = 6
Rubber boots
caked with
early spring
Elaine Fields
(0,2,2) = 6
raindrops
surf the windshield
early spring
ruthanne
(0,1,4) = 6
early spring
kites in the sky
adding colors
kala ramesh
(0,2,2) = 6
early spring ~
a sudden softness
in my wooden flute
Li Ree
(0,1,4) = 6
early spring garden
in the earthen pot's bottom
a dead butterfly
Dorota Pyra
(1,1,1) = 6
early spring —
morning papers now
makeshift umbrellas
Shelley
(1,1,1) = 6
Vivid and original.
Fourteenth Place -- 5 Points
early spring —
red noses bloom
all across campus
Laurene
(0,1,3) = 5
early spring thaw
places where the dog went
all over the yard
andrea
(0,1,3) = 5
Ok, I admit it, my first thought was of paw prints. I like it that
multiple (mis)readings of this are possible.
early spring
only snow in the trees
blossoming
rob scott
(0,1,3) = 5
early spring sun?
sound of his voice
is still cold
Vanja Nikovic
(0,1,3) = 5
early spring —
the blackbird's first song
still short
Tom M.
(0,1,3) = 5
the smell of mud
from the half frozen creek
early spring
DeVar
(0,1,3) = 5
Fifteenth Place -- 4 Points
early spring —
my three year old tries
mamma's high heels
vishnu kapoor
(0,1,2) = 4
This warming sun.
And how the snow glitters
as it vanishes.
Horst Ludwig
(1,0,1) = 4
early spring
an orange bow saw
hangs in a tree
Keith Heiberg
(0,1,2) = 4
Lightning
jigsaws the dark —
early spring
Marilyn Hazelton
(0,1,2) = 4
cruel early spring —
scattered on frozen snow
a red bird's feathers
jill
(1,0,1) = 4
Sixteenth Place -- 3 Points
crying newborn
calls early spring
into the house
Aalix Roake
(0,1,1) = 3
my grandma
wears a red geranium
early spring again
Don Basilio
(0,1,1) = 3
early spring
a sea breeze rocks
the infant's cradle
Gautam Nadkarni
(0,0,3) = 3
early spring weather
the wreath out on the mail box
sheds its needles
Edward
(0,1,1) = 3
darker ? lighter
an earthworm retreats into
early spring soil
Mark Hollingsworth
(0,1,1) = 3
fading memories
the early spring rain
washes out the snow
Elena Naskova
(0,0,3) = 3
early spring walk
a sunray
from puddle to puddle
Jacek M.
(0,0,3) = 3
early spring
there next to the snow shovels
pots of daffodils
doris kasson
(0,0,3) = 3
early spring —
another 3 inches
to shovel
LGD
(0,0,3) = 3
early spring —
my teenaged daughter's cellphone
never stops ringing
sanjuktaa
(0,1,1) = 3
stacks of firewood
marked half price
early spring
Laureen McHugh
(0,0,3) = 3
early spring —
out of the snow
snowdrops
Betty
(0,0,3) = 3
in the city park
green beer bottles
—early spring
Piotr Mogri
(0,0,3) = 3
a chat with old friends,
early spring snow turns to rain
and then back again
j. blain
(1,0,0) = 3
early spring night
slowly thawing the moon
in silent lake
Boris Nazansky
(0,1,1) = 3
nursing home visit
outside early spring
inside dead of winter
Roberta Beary
(0,0,3) = 3
I read this one as I picked the last page off the printer and thought, "I bet that makes my final list." And so it did.
Seventeenth Place -- 2 Points
early spring —
some jacarandas bloom
before others
Israel Lopez Balan
(0,0,2) = 2
early spring
cleaning the golden typesetting
my parent's tombstone
Emile Molhuysen
(0,0,2) = 2
bright daffodils
in steamy hothouse glass
early spring
April Serock
(0,0,2) = 2
colder than Christmas
in my overcoat pocket
shred of daffodil
mechaieh
(0,1,0) = 2
early spring
they return to their back yards
barking dogs
Bill Hudson
(0,1,0) = 2
early spring
on faded heather blooms
a hint of pink
anonymous
(0,1,0) = 2
crocus maiden-white
wisp of snow's kiss
early spring
Ben Gieske
(0,1,0) = 2
early spring moonrise
the tuba player
with gusto
Francine Banwarth
(0,0,2) = 2
early spring
stretching to reach the sun
paperwhites
Judith Gorgone
(0,1,0) = 2
within
desire's labyrinth
early spring
anonymous
(0,0,2) = 2
our last hope for rain
fading with the end of March
early spring sunshine
mek
(0,1,0) = 2
parked car
dusted by early spring
the neighbor's plum
Deborah P Kolodji
(0,0,2) = 2
early spring
the ghost owl's call
answered through the mist
Beth Powell
(0,1,0) = 2
early spring?
the groundhog sees
no shadow
anonymous
(0,0,2) = 2
early spring —
a cross country ski track
now a gentle walk
anonymous
(0,1,0) = 2
early spring
our new baby
smiles
Lynne R.
(0,0,2) = 2
early spring ~
New patch to
my trouser
Reza-Iran
(0,1,0) = 2
a robin hunkers
in the sudden snowfall
early spring
Catherine J.S. Lee
(0,0,2) = 2
early spring —
freed of ice, the brook
regains its sound
Zhanna P. Rader
(0,0,2) = 2
early spring
a bathing swallow
splashes the sky
RaV
(0,0,) = 2
Eighteenth Place -- 1 Point
eight ravens new nests
contradicting the hedgehog
—early spring
bre:^)
bouncing
from the duvet
early spring light
anonymous
a bud of grass
bows by the chapel door
early spring
anonymous
trees in bloom outside her window,
she marvels at her budding breasts —
early spring
Leslie Montgomery
early spring
frost flowers spreading
up the window
Earl Keener
a Daffodil nods
at strapped Clogs
in early Spring
Rebba
early spring-
the firm smooth skin
of a cherry tomato
anonymous
early spring
wakening days
shed light on cobwebs
Frances McCarthy
she sweeps the kitchen
wheelchair trails garden mud
early spring
assu
snowdrops
gliding downhill-
early spring
Dejan Pavlinovic
early spring
billowing white clouds -
crabapples bloom
Tanya Dikova
As in heaven, so on earth.
Morning walk,
deer tracks in the snow.
Early spring
Trevor Camp
early spring —
the booming call
of a bullfrog
anonymous
early spring morning —
what the sun and mist are up to
I do not know
Jon Baldwin
early spring
she wears again the tulle dress
from the night they met
anonymous
no morning frost
on the windshield
early spring
Meredith Stern Cavalieri
early spring —
the first voices
of peepers
peter
sparkling river
in early spring - liquid sunshine
anonymous
half-open bud
the spreading yellow
of early spring dawn
Jennifer Corpe
the magpie's nest
visible in the oak tree
early spring
Marian Burke
Nineteenth Place -- 0 Points
shamelessly March's
yellow dandelions
unhinge early spring
Ed Higgins
early spring
all the stars fade
in and out
Bruce Ross
clear day after rains
children bounce on pogo sticks
early spring
Bridget Cougar
pink poui blossoms
first week of February
early spring
gillena
our volcano
skirted by mists —
early spring style
Jan O'Loughlin
early spring;
wind plays tune on icicle
leaves of birch tree
anonymous
Snow on Candlemas eve,
February 2nd
Brings early spring
Ashi
sorbet slush
shovel scrapes on sidewalk
early spring
Steve Rojcewicz
no crocuses yet
and barely any snowdrops
early spring is late
Deirdre Godwin
Sun's light lasts longer
Hint amidst crunch of snow that
Early spring comes soon
Philip Mizener
Early spring snow falls
Cascading beauty whispers -
he moves close to me.
athorneburg
unable to sleep
with carousing spring peepers —
early spring night
P. O. Williams
curtains drawn —
a robin sings
of an early spring
Mike Montreuil
Seeing ghosts of geese
The Early Spring Squadron's
V for Victory
Jon Vassbotn
early spring
old leaves' shivering
accompanies new songs
Marlène
bird early spring —
every day to come
singing
Jacek K
bright early spring days
then winter returns: cold rains
polish our suntans
Sandra Friedlander
muddy boots
and anticipation:
early spring
Ruth Powell
Poinsettia drops leaves
out there beneath this snow
bulbs wait for early spring
Jeanne Jorgensen
treetops moving
in every direction —
early spring
Ami
early spring —
a snowdrop appears
from the putrid leaves
miorita
a tawny owl calls
from the snowdrop woods —
early spring
Sara Winteridge
performance review —
but I see
the first jacaranda
D.M.
early spring?
dog piles blossom
on snowbanks
anonymous
early spring —
awakening to the chirps
of a nestling
anonymous
early spring —
pulling the new curtain
a guest on my window
maria
early spring
coffee blossoms look of
snow on the mountainside
shanna
General Comments:
So many great haiku to choose from!
A refreshingly large number of entries managed to avoid the clichés so easily associated with this kigo.
I just wish i had more than 6 pts to give...there are so many good ones, it's difficult to make up one's mind.
The submissions this month show why I dislike generic kigo like 'early
spring' -- too many poets used an early spring kigo along with the kukai
phrase. That's a technical violation called a 'double kigo.' It would be
much better to let us suggest the phrase by using early spring kigo. That's
how the Free Format kukai worked, and it worked well.