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The Shiki Monthly Kukai

February 2010 Kukai

Dear Friends,

Here are the results for the February 2010 Kukai, wherein our Kigo subject was Groundhog Day and our Free Format subject was Hope.

Congratulations to David Grayson, winner of our Kigo section and to Janice Hornburg and Catherine J.S. Lee, 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.

Those who were given less than three points and who requested anonymity in such a case are so noted.


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.

Voters comments are in italics below the respective poems.

February 2010 Results
Kigo Theme:
Groundhog Day
Free Format Theme: Hope

First Place — 30 Points
the hawk also waiting
for shadows —
Groundhog Day

David Grayson
(3,5,11) = 30 pts

All I can say is "I wish I had written that!"


Second Place — 21 Points
Groundhog Day
the trickle of water
under ice

Tom Painting
(0,2,17) = 21 pts

A rodent's shadow is not the only sign that matters.


Third Place — 19 Points
groundhog day
the shadows of road crews
patching chuck holes

Cindy Tebo
(0,4,11) = 19 pts


Fourth Place — 17 Points
cancer ward
he asks if the groundhog
saw his shadow

Bill Kenney
(2,2,7) = 17 pts

Groundhog Day —
her catalog open
to swimwear

Bill Pauly
(0,4,9) = 17 pts


Fifth Place — 16 Points
Groundhog Day
the pain in my knees
returns

polona
(0,4,8) = 16 pts

An amusing observation, but the arthritic knees are probably a lot more accurate than the groundhog!

I sure feel that one!


Sixth Place — 14 Points
Groundhog Day
the tarot reader tells me
what I already know

Collin Barber
(1,2,7) = 14 pts

A great comparison between the groundhog and the tarot reader - telling us what we probably know, if we'd only pay attention to what's around us.

groundhog day —
a lonely commuter emerges
from the subway

tori inu
(1,1,9) = 14 pts

As far as we know, that commuter has absolutely nothing to do with Groundhog Day or anything else, and that is precisely what makes this one work. A wonderful urban haiku.

Groundhog Day
I put the chains
back on my tires

Meredith Stern Cavalieri
(0,3,8) = 14 pts


Seventh Place — 13 Points
Groundhog Day
a hole in the clouds
brings my shadow back

Rafal Zabratynski
(1,3,4) = 13 pts

Groundhog Day
the dog wants out wants in
wants out

Melissa Spurr
(0,3,7) = 13 pts

Isn't that true to life. And a reflection on the groundhog's accuracy as a weather predictor.

no hurry
to sharpen the hoe —
groundhog day

A Dharma Bum
(0,3,7) = 13 pts


Eighth Place — 12 Points
Groundhog Day
the mail carrier’s shadow
underfoot

martin gottlieb cohen
(0,1,10) = 12 pts


Ninth Place — 11 Points
Groundhog Day . . .
shadow
of a doubt

Francine Banwarth
(1,1,6) = 11 pts

second month, second day
the tree's shadow
climbs the tree

Alan S. Bridges
(0,4,3) = 11 pts

groundhog day
my back door and front door
snowed in

Catherine J.S. Lee
(0,2,7) = 11 pts


Tenth Place — 10 Points
Groundhog Day...
the street vendor strokes
his five o'clock shadow

Elinor Pihl Huggett
(0,2,6) = 10 pts

Groundhog day
granddad's fish story
gets longer

Paul Hodder
(0,2,6) = 10 pts

Groundhog Day
my desk calendar
still last year’s

John Thompson
(0,0,10) = 10 pts


Eleventh Place — 9 Points
Groundhog Day —
on my grandfather’s face
a dream of spring

Kaiser
(1,2,2) = 9 pts

Groundhog Day —
barking at his own shadow
the new puppy

Carolyn Coit Dancy
(0,1,7) = 9 pts

groundhog day...
shadow of a hawk
passes over

Ruth Powell
(0,1,7) = 9 pts


Twelfth Place — 8 Points
six more winter weeks
the old dog declines
a walk

C.P. Harrison
(0,3,2) = 8 pts

Groundhog Day ::
six more weeks
of chemo

timothy russell
(0,2,4) = 8 pts

The shift in perspective is more powerful because of the starkness of expression.

Groundhog day —
a lot of people together
hoping to see nothing

Petru-Ioan Garda
(0,2,4) = 8 pts


Thirteenth Place — 7 Points
Groundhog Day —
a snail carrying
one melted snowflake

Manuela Dragomirescu
(1,1,2) = 7 pts

between blizzards groundhog day comes and goes

Roberta Beary
(1,1,2) = 7 pts

snow
under our shadows
Groundhog Day

jeff hoagland
(0,3,1) = 7 pts

groundhog day —
some jacarandas bloom
before others

Israel Lopez Balan
(0,2,3) = 7 pts

an old letter
has made me restless —
Ground Hog Day

Earl Randal Keener
(0,1,5) = 7 pts


Fourteenth Place — 6 Points
Groundhog Day
is school out today?
my son asks

Carmel Lively Westerman
(1,0,3) = 6 pts

Trust a kid to ignore convention in favor of what's really important!

fitting a blue piece
to dad’s jigsaw puzzle
—Groundhog Day

if
(0,1,4) = 6 pts

the view
from under the covers
Groundhog Day

Ann K. Schwader
(0,1,4) = 6 pts


Fifteenth Place — 5 Points
Groundhog's cake
he lights the candles --
no shadows

James Dobson
(1,1,0) = 5 pts

his birthday shadow
no more
early springs

carol pearce-worthington
(0,2,1) = 5 pts

ground hog's day plus three —
really wanting to wallop
Phil and his shadow

Hazel A. Witherspoon
(0,2,1) = 5 pts

Authentic, spontaneous, evocative and funny.

Ground Hog Day
furrows of dark earth
rise from the snow

Beth Powell
(0,2,1) = 5 pts

Groundhog Day
her pregnant shadow goes with her
back indoors

Garry Eaton
(0,1,3) = 5 pts


Sixteenth Place — 4 Points
Groundhog Day
only
the shadow knows

Donna Bauerly
(0,2,0) = 4 pts

Groundhog Day
these daffodils say
it's spring

Barbara Campitelli
(0,2,0) = 4 pts

groundhog day
a tiny shadow on global
warming

Terra Martin
(0,2,0) = 4 pts

groundhog
temperamental sundial
for a season

Elaine Riddell
(0,1,2) = 4 pts

groundhog day
the silent progress
of my own long shadow

jeanette blain
(0,0,4) = 4 pts


Seventeenth Place — 3 Points
Groundhog Day —
all these people expecting
to get the shadow

Radu Ignatescu
(1,0,0) = 3 pts

Groundhog Day
the end of three months
not shaving my legs

Laurene
(0,1,1) = 3 pts

stepping backward
on the heels of my shadow,
six weeks of winter

Chandra Bales
(0,1,1) = 3 pts

groundhog day
the drip-drip drip-drip
of icicles

max verhart
(0,1,1) = 3 pts

thick fur coat
sun glistens on snow
long shadow

charlie smith
(0,1,1) = 3 pts

Groundhog Day
the Iraq-bound plane
casts no shadow

Carlos Gesmundo
(0,1,1) = 3 pts

anniversary
my shadow seems to fall
in her's

Ralf Broker
(0,0,3) = 3 pts

groundhog day
I take my coffee
black

Ben Gieske
(0,0,3) = 3 pts

Love the possible interpretations with this haiku, although I'm thinking that the poet might need that black coffee to make it through another six weeks of winter!


Eighteenth Place — 2 Points
early morning sunshine
on groundhog day
before heavy snow storm

Jim Applegate
(0,1,0) = 2 pts

Groundhog Day
my petite shadow and I
take a walk at noon

anonymous
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Groundhog Day —
I make two to-do lists,
telling no one

Michael McClintock
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Groundhog Day
my shadow spreading
over the snow

Jacek M.
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Groundhog Day
our backyard snowman's shadow
is missing an arm

Edward
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Groundhog Day
he orders his eggs
over easy

anonymous
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

will you wait for me
a taxi honking
groundhog day

Dan Schwerin
(0,0,2) = 2 pts


Nineteenth Place — 1 Point
linger long shadows
groundhog day slumbering sun
beds snowy meadows

Keith Moser

groundhog day
our shadows on the
wall

Brenda Roberts

groundhog day...
a shadow in sight
winter deepens

Keith A. Simmonds

no groundhog shadow...
a farmer plows under
the last of the snow

Janice Hornburg

artificial sun
all the lights and cameras
shadow Groundhog Day

Deirdre Godwin

she wakes with
a gnawing hunger
...february 2

Diane Mayr

we stand in shadow
pressing close to stay warm
Groundhog Day

Harvey Jenkins

Groundhog Day,
contemptuous crow
struts by -

Kurt R. W.

Under ground
warm thoughts fill the nest
six more weeks.

Trevor Camp

February —
these daffodil shoots don’t care
about PA shadows

Bill Gottlieb

Groundhog Day morning —
Bob Dylan wakes
me up again

Tomislav Maretic

shadows —
looming winter trees
and a groundhog

Ellen Romano

ice, piled up
under the bridge ...
Groundhog Day

og_a

Mary's Candlemass
for the ground-hog, too, the snow
glist'ning in new sun

Horst Ludwig

shadow, no shadow —
six more weeks
timber wolves dying

anonymous

Groundhog Day —
our three year old scrawls his name
again and again

DeVar


No points this time. Sorry.
Groundhog Day: unheated gym:
the martial arts people step onto the mat
complaining of cold feet

Sheila K. Barksdale

right time to switch over
bidding a farewell to winter
ground hog — to burrow

Purush

Snow already on ground
No surprise
Phil sees his shadow

Mary E. Gray

Groundhog Day
noisy shadow by the trash
just the raccoon

maxianne berger

Groundhog Day
thinking how nice it is
reading by the warm fire

Bill Hudson

Snowman's prayer
to get some new snow —
Groundhog Day

Juhani Tikkanen

dark shadows prevail
the clairvoyant says
on Groundhog Day

Barbara A Taylor

Groundhog Day
unshelved again
in the aftershock

Barbara Snow

Ground Hog Day surprise —
no longer the only child,
baby sister born!

John Hubbard

Groundhog Day
long shadow
bare branches

goblet

early morning
shadows on the wall. . .
Groundhog Day

Marylouise Knight

groundhog day
dense snow covers the ground
and the sky

Tore Sverredal

tyres screech
almost knock over a badger
Groundhog Day

meow

6:00 AM
Still snowed in
try again

gourdman

he laughs the same laugh
at his same old jokes
groundhog day again

Frances McCarthy

the weatherman calls for sun
damn!
Groundhog's Day

Terri L. French

Groundhog Day --
my past the tallest shadow.
I stay inside.

mechaieh

Ground-Frog’s Day
the groundhog’s
been replaced

Deanna Tief

dazed groundhog
yoinked from warm slumber
blind as a mole

todd eddy

Groundhog Day
waking up, he wonders
whether it's saturday

Quamrul Hassan

groundhog day
introverted writers
throw a party

anonymous

playing with
stray cat by mirror …
Groundhog Day

Reza

Groundhogday
moss blooms
on a south slope

Marlene Buitelaar

A pine tree's shadow
falls on cold white snow.
The groundhog was wrong

Tom Conally



First Place — 29 Points
one silk thread...
in the rubble a spider
starts a new web

Janice Hornburg
(3,5,10) = 29 pts

This for me was the outstanding haiku this month. The tiny observation bearing huge meaning. Beautiful!

homeless shelter —
her wrinkled brochure
of Disneyworld

Catherine J.S. Lee
(1,6,14) = 29 pts

This is wonderfully poignant, showing both hope and a longing for the promise of childhood. In this, from a sad present, it looks both ways, backwards and forwards.< P> This one made me smile and made me sad. There is always hope.


Second Place — 27 Points
mid January
he tries a different set
of bathroom scales

Paul Hodder
(3,3,12) = 27 pts

Amusingly down to earth, showing more than telling.

A winning combination of dealing with a familiar truth with a touch of humor.


Third Place — 19 Points
after
the aftershock
one star

Francine Banwarth
(1,4,8) = 19 pts


Fourth Place — 18 Points
pea tendrils
find each other
to cling to

John Thompson
(2,1,10) = 18 pts

I love the pure, natural imagery of this one!

I love the fragility of this image.


Fifth Place — 17 Points
divorced
toast and an egg
sunny-side-up

Tom Painting
(2,3,5) = 17 pts

I like the subtle connation between the image and a recently divorced person. L3 does the trick.

refugee camp
searching for
a familiar face

Meredith Stern Cavalieri
(1,3,8) = 17 pts

I found myself hoping the person recognized someone!

holiday ceasefire
the street artist gives me
a smile

Collin Barber
(1,0,14) = 17 pts

An effective surprise in L3.


Sixth Place — 16 Points
cancer diagnosis
he buys season's tickets
to the symphony

Susan Constable
(0,2,12) = 16 pts


Seventh Place — 15 Points
forsythia buds —
the pause before opening
my SASE

Ellen Compton
(0,5,5) = 15 pts

Is there a writer out there who hasn’t experienced this moment?


Eighth Place — 14 Points
tenth birthday
the seeing eye dog
she asked for

Garry Eaton
(0,3,8) = 14 pts

This haiku just about brought a tear to my eye. Full of hope!

refugee camp —
kids playing tag
in the food line

Ruth Powell
(0,2,10) = 14 pts


Ninth Place — 13 Points
newborn nursery
her feeble cry
strengthens

Brenda Roberts
(1,4,2) = 13 pts


Tenth Place — 12 Points
a frog hopping
on a dry riverbed --
dark clouds

Isaac Ndirangu
(1,2,5) = 12 pts

chemotherapy —
on the sunny windowsill
tomato plants sprout

if
(0,2,8) = 12 pts


Eleventh Place — 11 Points
spring flowers
where we buried the cat . . .
moving day

Bill Kenney
(0,3,5) = 11 pts


Twelfth Place — 10 Points
query letters
twenty rejections
she buys more stamps

Carmel Lively Westerman
(0,2,6) = 10 pts


Thirteenth Place — 9 Points
midwinter
she dyes her hair
sunny blonde

Rafal Zabratynski
(0,2,5) = 9 pts


Fourteenth Place— 8 Points
winter wind —
the new e-mail
still empty

Israel Lopez Balan
(1,0,5) = 8 pts

sunlight
and Emily Dickinson
on the window seat

Chandra Bales
(0,1,6) = 8 pts


Fifteenth Place — 7 Points
runt of the litter
calling loudly from
the basement

carol pearce-worthington
(0,1,5) = 7 pts

snowed in
the sun melts
an icicle

Terra Martin
(0,1,5) = 7 pts

chemo
she refuses to lose
her smile

Beth Powell
(0,1,5) = 7 pts


Sixteenth Place — 6 Points
hoping for rain
ignored the lush wetness
of morning dew

Bridget Cougar
(2,0,0) = 6 pts

First hope
after the earthquake —
growing grass

Vasile Moldovan
(0,2,2) = 6 pts

children's hospital —
in mother's eyes
a baby's smile

Orbi
(0,2,2) = 6 pts

I hope this time I
win the free format kukai
but I know I won’t

Bill Gottlieb
(0,1,4) = 6 pts

All told, nothing shown - not exactly what I'd be normally looking for in a haiku or even senryu but it made me laugh out loud.


Seventeenth Place — 5 Points
distant shots
a pair of trumpeter swans
slowly recovering

Cindy Tebo
(1,0,2) = 5 pts

sound asleep
then a sudden burst
of daffodils

Elinor Pihl Huggett
(0,2,1) = 5 pts

old sanctuary
she names the newborn
john hope jr

Quamrul Hassan
(0,2,1) = 5 pts

longest day —
hope is the thing
with feathers

Nancy Smith
(0,2,1) = 5 pts

retracing my steps
to ogle her again
candle shop

Earl Randal Keener
(0,1,3) = 5 pts

morphine drip —
at last father's hand
squeezes back

Roberta Beary
(0,1,3) = 5 pts

stomach grumbling
she scours the pantry
one more time

M.E. Fredericks
(0,1,3) = 5 pts


Eighteenth Place — 4 Points
after earthquake's waves —
a tick-tock sound and a voice
under the ruins

Radu Ignatescu
(1,0,1) = 4 pts

lapdogs on a bridge
rainbow ribbons
on stagnant water

Sheila K. Barksdale
(0,2,0) = 4 pts

after the hurricane
the sunrise

C.P. Harrison (0,1,2) = 4 pts

a picture tucked
beneath Santa's cookies
...Christmas eve

Diane Mayr
(0,1,2) = 4 pts

5 pm
sun still glinting
off the River

Donna Bauerly
(0,1,2) = 4 pts

unzipping
her little black
hope

Dan Schwerin
(0,1,2) = 4 pts

a family crowds
the hospital
waiting room

Ellen Romano
(0,0,4) = 4 pts


Nineteenth Place -- 3 Points
chrysalis
broken open -
orange wings

Alexander "Lex" Joy
(0,1,1) = 3 pts

hair growing back
where the surgeon shaved it
winter's end

Melissa Spurr
(0,0,3) = 3 pts

Almost a case of "too much information," but hope is where you find it.

morning of the final
mother folds
his lucky socks

Ralf Broker
(0,0,3) = 3 pts

Kentucky Derby —
my horse in a
photo-finish

James Dobson
(0,0,3) = 3 pts

first blossoms —
a balding man buys
a predictor test

max verhart
(0,0,3) = 3 pts

slow approach
to the pretty girl
sitting at the dance

Bill Pauly
(0,0,3) = 3 pts

armistice —
a chestnut tree blossoms again
among ruins

Kaiser
(0,0,3) = 3 pts

snow melting
amaryllis and hope
bloom again

charlie smith
(0,0,3) = 3 pts


Twentieth Place — 2 Points
may valleys of death
worn by waterfalls of pain
be kissed by hope's breath

Keith Moser
(0,1,0) = 2 pts

Around falling leaves
a lone dreaming flower —
mid-February

R.K. SINGH
(0,1,0) = 2 pts

a toddler
stands beside her stroller
gestures for others to pass

Leah Ann Sullivan
(0,1,0) = 2 pts

sunrise —
the morning glory
opens up

Peter Nguribu
(0,1,0) = 2 pts

yellow ribbons
on kids' forefingers
last deployment

Carlos Gesmundo
(0,1,0) = 2 pts

Mother Nature
in cataclysmic mood...
miracles for Haiti

Keith A. Simmonds
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

looking up
from bible
to the Cross

meow
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

day three —
wanting a sign
when the phone rings

anonymous
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Olympic hopeful
cherry blossoms
in the rain

andrea
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

heart monitor —
blips... blips... blips...
my hand gets a squeeze

tori inu
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

more silent
than feathers
hope softens my footprints

mechaieh
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

dark clouds —
my father cleaning
the gutters

James Bundi
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

dark clouds —
a farmer preparing
seedbeds

Teresiah Njeri
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

waiting room
filled with patients' families
and hope

freddy gier
(0,0,2) = 2 pts

Dripping Honey Pear
crisp, sweet, and delicious.

Spring Seeds Catalog

Horst Ludwig
(0,0,2) = 2 pts


Twenty-First Place — 1 Point
ascending the mountain
there is, at least
hope

Alan S. Bridges

Valentine's Day
on the winter heather blooms
a hint of pink

anonymous

dawn still dark:
sings though
the bird

vishnu p kapoor

young bride —
first dinner at home
with her in-laws

Carolyn Coit Dancy

wear a pink ribbon
praying that a cure be found
home for Mother’s Day

Deirdre Godwin

missing in action...
praying for a miracle,
adamant

natalia kuznetsova

breaths of disbelief —
between fallen concrete
four wriggling fingers

Barbara A Taylor

the rain comes
flooding the gutters —
blessed coolness

Marylouise Knight

Early spring
we meet at sundown —
hopeful smiles.

Trevor Camp

home from war
the hope of water
after sand

Laurene

hope,
eyeing his tea leaves
as if I could know

jeanette blain

fresh tracks mar the snow
zig-zagging from drift to drift
rabbit seeks green grass

todd eddy

shuffling through
new seed packets
late flakes

Ann K. Schwader

sunrise —
the minister baptizing
new believers

Eric Mwange

maternity ward —
an expectant mother
unpacking napkins

Elkana Mogaka

early February —
office after office he
looks for a job

Duncan Omoto

hot afternoon —
he smiles out of an
exam room

Joab Nyawate

Ice-cream cart
If dad was
here

Reza

wrensong
her touch of the keys
more secure

Marlene Buitelaar

the hope of mankind
is engendered in the young,
spring comes soon

Tom Conally

shoe rack
i move boots to the back
bring sandals forward

miriam chaikin


No points this time. Sorry.
hopes do spring and sprout
irrespective of season
they deserve our praise

Purush

rain swept night . . .
at her window a woman
burning with love

Michael McClintock

plow field for hay
snow capped mountain
promise crop

Jim Applegate

magnolia blossoms —
he informs
about cancer remission

Jacek M.

evening chill
glowing embers
spark of hope

Ben Gieske

Cold arctic wind —
a hope
for an iceberg

Juhani Tikkanen

parched prairie pastures
he shields his eyes
she whispers, Thunder?

Edward

after the earthquake -
many people have
only hope

Andrzej Dembonczyk

groundhog's shadow...
yet, a rosy hint
on that gray plum

Barbara Snow

darkness, cold,
a sound...a flicker?
hope reborn

John Hubbard

bottom of the lake
one last gulp of car's air
before heading up

Harvey Jenkins

sudden burst of rain
breaking the long silence
he asks her out

Tore Sverredal

grim prognosis
extending a lifeline
your medication

Elaine Riddell

Sunshine in February
witch hazel scented breeze

gourdman

tip of bud
swells on the birch bough
looking forward

Frances McCarthy

letting her granddaughter paint
flowers on her bald head
Life!

Terri L. French

hard times
killing a lot of friends —
Hope died the last

Petru-Ioan Garda

muddy yard -
suddenly, despite the clouds
the Sun all over

Manuela Dragomirescu

World AIDS Day —
around the globe
so many hopes

Tomislav Maretic

the snow storm falls
leaving its soft peace
a breath of fresh air!

Jeanne Fiedler

Valentine date
with a HIV/AIDS person —
the radiance in her eyes

Patrick

spring rain
weather forecast
sun

Barbara Campitelli

huge snowstorms in NYC...
in Rochester
a flock of robins

Deanna Tief

mid-winter snow
brings hope
of an early spring

A Dharma Bum

cloudy day —
students transplanting
seedlings

Joseph Kilunda

hot sunrise —
warm vapour rising
up in the sky

Faith Achieng

fairy lights
sparkling in the shop —
grey January dawn

Isabelle Prondzynski

law house —
students queue to get
birth certificates

Angeline Muthoki

fierce sunshine —
step after step she plants
her seedlings

Violet Wangira

February thirteenth —
telling my broken hearted friend
yes....she will survive

Hazel A. Witherspoon

cosmic convergence —
Valentines/Chinese New Year
chocolate love and good fortune

anonymous

all star weekend
the old basketball star
limps down the hall

DeVar

leaving ...
ah, venus,
my friend!

og_a

old bridge —
as soon breaks
ice

goblet


General Comments:

Not coming from the Anglo-Saxon environment (although familiar with the symbolism of groundhog day), I was a bit skeptical about the selected kigo but it turned out I enjoyed many of the poems and had a hard time selecting the few to award my points to.

Many fine shadows.

The relatively small number of entries (under 100, as against 119 in the free format category) suggests that we found "Groundhog Day" a difficult kigo to work with. I'm especially pleased, then, that my short list was longer than usual.

The shadow motif was so common in these – it was good to find some haiku that didn’t use it, or used it somewhat unexpectedly.

Thank you for your work. This was a fun theme to work with.

So many good poems here. Very difficult to decide.

Again, I had a hard time - but also fun - selecting these after paring down the list to a dozen or so.

I found that the most successful entries did not include the word "hope." I'll be interested in seeing if the results suggest that I'm alone in this.

It wasn't easy to choose!

Tough theme for a good poem.

Well done, everyone. It was hugely enjoyable assessing your 118 Free Format haiku. I preferred those that I thought showed a juxtaposition of two clear images and contained a kireji and those where "hope" was hinted at, not openly stated.

Thank you for participating in the February 2010 Kukai! We will announce the March Call for Submissions on Sunday, February 28, 2010. See you then!

With much appreciation,

Robert and George

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