The Shiki Monthly Kukai

July 2007 Kukai

Here are the results for the July 2007 Kukai, wherein our Kigo subject was "Flea" and our Free Format subject was "Weekend Activity".

Congratulations to Paul Hodder, winner of our Kigo section and to Nancy Smith, winner of our Free Format section!

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

(214 = 12) would indicate that the poem above received two 3-point votes, one 2-point vote, and four 1-point votes.

July 2007 Results
Kigo Theme: Flea	Free Format Theme: Weekend Activity
First Place -- 34 points flea haiku ~ I scratch my head Paul Hodder (3,4,18) = 34 pts No more than clever, perhaps, but no less. Second Place --28 points sand fleas the bites don't stop at her tan line Susan Constable (1,7,11) = 28 pts Very seasonal without the use of "summer" and great, vivid image. I feel those bites on her covered parts. Of course, it's none of my business . . . I'm not sure what 'tan line' has to do with it, but I am sure the boyfriend had fun checking for more. Third Place -- 25 points flea market the bargainer stops to scratch his head jul (2,5,9) = 25 pts Nice play on words not quite erring on the clever side. Fourth Place -- 24 points summer fleas teaching the dog yoga Marianna Monaco (1,6,9) = 24 pts Charming; dog behavior well-observed and appropriately seasonal. Zenny and funny. Fifth Place -- 21 points on the pillow one flea between us not much else Neil Muscott (3,5,2) = 21 pts I took this at first to reflect the wearing out of love that sometimes occurs, but it could also reflect material poverty. The latter has a more wistful flavor. The former perhaps more bitter. Sixth Place -- 14 points seaside souvenirs — sand fleas Allen McGill (0,4,6) = 14 pts Perhaps a colon rather than a dash? Generally, resort souvenirs are of little more quality than 'fleas' so this is a fitting and ever so brief tribute to them. The brevity and humor here has the almost senryu flavor of commentary. Seventh Place -- 13 points dawn heat fleas along the rim of a doe's eye Joyce Clement (0,3,7) = 13 pts Eighth Place -- 12 points sunlit blanket fleas burrow the wrinkles of a bulldog Collin Barber (1,2,5) = 12 pts Nice textures. flea market — my memories in a new light Ana Cadarin (1,3,3) = 12 pts long after the neighbor's dog a flea Quendryth Young (0,3,6) = 12 pts Ninth Place -- 11 points police siren . . . my cat battles the flea Kathy Lippard Cobb (2,1,3) = 11 pts Tenth Place -- 8 points flea collar the dog's bark looks louder Bill Kenney (2,0,2) = 8 pts after the all-natural flea powder fleas Roberta Beary (1,0,5) = 8 pts I've noticed that modern industrial chemistry often has advantages over traditional remedies. Eleventh Place -- 7 points Beijing sunrise a flea has left its marks and left Tore Sverredal (0,2,3) = 7 pts I really liked this one and would have given it more points except for the last word "left" repeated which seemed to detract from the haiku. Perhaps “gone” would have been better. itching for more we applaud the last act ...flea circus doris kasson (0,2,3) = 7 pts VACANCY VACANCY we check the mattress for fleas Dana D. (0,1,5) = 7 pts midnight thumping . . . our old beagle hosting the flea circus Carol Raisfeld (0,1,5) = 7 pts spring litter the puppies tip over scratching their fleas Carmel Lively Westerman (0,1,5) = 7 pts hot summer night the flea escapes again Sjs (Stevie) (0,1,5) = 7 pts Twelfth Place -- 6 points first warm day in May young kittens explore our yard fleas hitching a ride Harvey Jenkins (2,0,0) = 6 pts flea market... a carved coffin waits for its client Tanya Dikova (0,3,0) = 6 pts spring floods — the cat and I scratch one thousand fleas bre :^) (0,2,2) = 6 pts dog days gramps calls his old mutt a flea bag tom painting (0,1,4) = 6 pts A grumpy couple? librarian's dog a flea jumps in the Guinness Book Norsto (0,1,4) = 6 pts flea market — the caged pup scratches his flea collar Darrell Byrd (0,1,4) = 6 pts mid-summer birthday my dog gives mom his fleas Pris Campbell (0,0,6) = 6 pts Thirteenth Place -- 5 points bedroom sunlight a flea’s trail of bites on my stomach martin (1,0,2) = 5 pts Driving my car — The cat’s fleas get a free ride to the vet. Daniela Bullas (1,0,2) = 5 pts Egret stands proudly but ten feet away.... fleas bite my ankle Glenn Laundre (0,2,1) = 5 pts A nice image. Nice contrast of images to show a complete scene. the flea jumps on a greyhound – stowaway Mary Davila (0,2,1) = 5 pts blue eyed kitten< —BR> her wedding dress dotted with baby fleas andrea (0,1,3) = 5 pts I picture a little girl owner is playing 'dress-up' but they both will need a bath more. I like 'kitten' combined with 'baby' fleas, and imagine the girl is very young too. An artful haiku. summer bath the old dog scratches at his new flea collar Edward (0,0,5) = 5 pts Nice contrast and homely. Fourteenth Place -- 4 points do remove my fleas said my mother’s Siamese I’m obliged to please Deirdre Godwin (1,0,1) = 4 pts I'm overcome by the urge to rhyme in haiku every now and again. This is clever enough to get away with it. a boy in the sea washing a brown cow- still fleas Maria (1,0,1) = 4 pts Outstanding! A beautiful image and fine contrast. blessing of the pets a crowd of leashes gives room to the one with fleas Dan Schwerin (1,0,1) = 4 pts morning stroll sand fleas in the flotsam every which way Cherie Hunter Day (0,2,0) = 4 pts kitty's birthday — he shows his daughter how to use the flea comb aom (tim) (0,2,0) = 4 pts so excited she cannot stop kissing him a flea in her ear john Daleiden (0,2,0) = 4 pts I love the "aha" moment in this one. Even knowing ahead of time that the kigo was flea, this haiku made me think of humans first. little fleas children dancing in my room while I sleep Raquel BAILEY (0,2,0) = 4 pts on a clean white bed how can i create haiku without Issa's fleas Paul R. Cassidy (0,1,2) = 4 pts I like the way this reflects the current distance from nature. Without Issa, how gratified would we feel to be writing about fleas at all? fleas in my jacket warmth for the book of Issa Tony A. Thompson (0,1,2) = 4 pts asleep dog on the beggar's hand: a flea Dorota Pyra (0,1,2) = 4 pts Fifteenth Place -- 3 points feral cats wait... scratching their fleas for the soup kitchen's cook Rose Marie Stutts (1,0,0) = 3 pts A flea Circus stopped performing Union strike Ashi (1,0,0) = 3 pts under the granary — the dog scratches its body to remove fleas ~ Samson Onyango (1,0,0) = 3 pts pre-race stretches — a flea bounds away from old legs George Hawkins (1,0,0) = 3 pts beach dogs  — ticks take the place of fleas Audrey Downey (0,1,1) = 3 pts "You'd do this to me?" the cat's eyes ask from the flea bath P. O. Williams (0,1,1) = 3 pts Been there! Monday morning . . . one of my dog's fleas hitches a ride Nancy Smith (0,1,1) = 3 pts winter morning — my only friends fleas wake me up gently Vanja Nikovic (0,1,1) = 3 pts the flea is a summer kigo? ... now I know! Isabelle Prondzynski (0,1,1) = 3 pts he sells it as a package: a dog and its fleas Zhanna P. Rader (0,0,3) = 3 pts summer festival the main attraction a flea circus! Meredith Stern Cavalieri (0,0,3) = 3 pts flea on the cat on my lap sunbathing Beth Powell (0,0,3) = 3 pts I'd put an article in line 1, but I like the sense of acceptance in this. Quite Dr. Seuss-y. proudly sitting at the flea market  — the stray dog Petar Tchouhov (0,0,3) = 3 pts Sixteenth Place -- 2 points Two cats on the grass a wee flea visits one by one scent of Summer roses anonymous (0,1,0) = 2 pts the girl pretends to scratch along with the dog... imaginary fleas N. C. Whitehead (0,1,0) = 2 pts an old dog scratching its body  — dead fleas fall Bilher Wanjiku (0,1,0) = 2 pts Images of age. Nice word balance. fleas crawling up his dirty face — mad man scratches his head Caren Cheptoo (0,1,0) = 2 pts a dog brushing itself against the wall — flea bites Anne Wairimu (0,1,0) = 2 pts burying the mouse along with the fleas - two plague deaths Chandra Bales (0,1,0) = 2 pts beach barbecue — sandy hot dogs sand fleas Leslie Montgomery (0,0,2) = 2 pts strays through the cat door more fleas gourdmad (0,0,2) = 2 pts Still happens to me. in from the beach — a flea jumps off before I shower Mike Montreuil (0,0,2) = 2 pts Seventeenth Place -- 1 point Late summer flea attack mom screams bomb the house! yositaka "no fleas!" my friend swears, but when I get home I scratch an anklet of bites anonymous bathing our white cat — so black and in a hurry the fleas Djurdja Vukelic Rozic such rapid knocking I check who's at the door — the dog scratches fleas Glen Keener the smell of decay — my sister has tried to drown the fleas on the carpet marlène buitelaar flea bites — sun glints from the fish in the osprey's grip anonymous Two cats Too many fleas Summer Mary E. Gray cool evening — shaking the mattress to remove fleas Elkana Mogaka dead dog on the roadside -- fleas crawl on its body Moses Makila summer circus fun fleas flying on the trapeze catch me if you can Ben Gieske a night out helping friends bathe their cat — shared fleas =LGD Social disappointments all round. Dog days — the cat shaking his fleas miorita safe from the cat but not from its fleas, a sparrow nestling Ito Eighteenth Place -- no points this time, sorry! childhood puppy spreading the soft white fur pink skin, live fleas Bruce Ross Dilapidated Sofa in Hotel Room Fleas Audrey Fitzgerald I scratch the dog behind his ears ~ the fleas behind mine Gautam Nadkarni Outstretched arm sweaty in high noon heat  — slipping flea Leena Halych fur and fleas I itch to kick the cat camped on my feet Mechaieh the door my heart thump, thump, thumping...old Toby scratches fleas Barbara Snow Tom's flea falls in love with a fly on Jerry's flies. Flies to it. Time flees. Petya Gleridis pocket circus — the director trains his fleas max verhart flea market booth a jack-in-the-box refuses to come out of his box Marie Summers spring meditation interrupted by a flea is there something to lose? anonymous glittering flea market sling bag similar as her wedding's anonymous my-dog-has-fleas... ukuleles named for the biting uku shanna feral cats, and my dog has fleas — bath time Barbara Campitelli Lawn fleas poisoned thirty summers past, three dogs my family, all dead now. Maha haha heat daze the kitten beside himself biting at fleas Jeanne Jorgensen sleepless night — fleas bite and sneak under the mattress Patrick Wafula thin furless bitch moving restlessly with her puppies — fleas under their skins Walter Otieno hopping flea enjoying a daily game on my dirty mattress David Wandera unhappy dog burying its muzzle under skin — the bite of fleas Truphosah Osendi a flea crawling on top of my book — our dusty classroom Timothy Wambugu shaggy dirty man scratching hard his body — fleas under his clothes Mary Wangare dog dogs... my retriever's again caught fleas Lech Szeglowsk Beer garden... lost among the satiate drunkards a thirsty flea Vasile Moldovan Humid night, fleas on hot forehead. We worry. Trevor Camp yellow hound scratches a flea bite in the dust Ruth Powell flea bath for the cat — shredded shirt and band-aids for the cat's former friend Jill hungry fleas  — my aunt sends the dog in first after her trip anonymous General Comments (Kigo Section): You really challenged us this month! Nice entries!	First Place -- 34 pts long weekend… the gardener cultivates his shadow Nancy Smith (4,5,12) = 34 pts The sun constantly at his back. Could describe many moments, but manages to keep it to one. Second Place -- 28 pts packing … unpacking … weekends with dad Nancy Nitrio (2,5,12) = 28 pts You can hear the weariness in this. Simply captured and original. A familiar routine for so many. The bit in between is sadly lacking. Third Place -- 27 pts jazz festival . . . the glint of a sax at sunset Carol Raisfeld (2,3,15) = 27 pts I can almost hear this one! Fourth Place -- 18 pts Sunday dad ~ in his pocket a dying daisy Paul Hodder (2,3,6) = 18 pts Very evocative of the 'single dad' trying to pack fathering and Dating anew into his weekend - or perhaps still carrying a torch or 'daisy' for his ex-wife. Also a hint of the competition for children's affection which can arise between divorced parents. I also like the alliteration of the 'hard' 'd' sound between 'dying' and 'daisy' - almost like the sigh of finality that separates regret from acceptance. Point of view a bit shaky here (What are we doing in his pocket?), but a real and poignant moment comes through. Sunday morning — a lawn mower drowns out church bells Neil Muscott (1,3,9) = 18 pts Fifth Place -- 15 pts Sunday at the beach three kites holding a conversation Bill Kenney (1,2,8) = 15 pts Sixth Place -- 14 pts potluck a little bit of everything on my plate Beth Powell (2,3,2) = 14 pts darkening skies sudden raindrops sizzle on the grill soji (0,2,10) = 14 pts cool saturday I walk from grave to grave Jacek M. (1,2,7) = 14 pts Seventh Place -- 13 pts another husband following his wife into the bead store P. O. Williams (1,3,4) = 13 pts family gathering — hidden in the garden I write haiku Vanja Nikovic (1,3,4) = 13 pts The counsel is often given not to write about writing, as too many writers do. Yet in this case I like the suggestion of 'the secret garden' of our minds, as we are mostly introverts. Neatly suggests the complexities of family relationships. We are not obliged to approve of the poet's behavior. Eighth Place -- 12 pts the Monopoly board with hotels on Park Place summer rain Cherie Hunter Day (1,2,5) = 12 pts Ninth Place -- 11 pts sunday walk our hands on the stroller Dorota Pyra (1,1,6) = 11 pts A precious moment, perfectly captured; a triumph of understatement. the lord's day a lengthy drive to the first tee tom painting (0,3,5) = 11 pts Humans may worship many strange gods, but the worship is sincere. opera booming she sips chilled wine and folds warm laundry Leslie Montgomery (0,2,7) = 11 pts A pleasant contrast between 'chill' and 'warm'. I envision a woman trying to lighten a mundane chore with her favorite pastimes. Good contrasts in this one! Performing a routine chore and making the moment hers; effectively sensuous. Tenth Place -- 10 pts Saturday concert her clear voice soars over the vacuum cleaner Petar Tchouhov (1,1,5) = 10 pts I love haikus that deal with sound. This is beautifully balanced and every detail counts. Eleventh Place -- 9 pts sunday going out barefoot jul (0,3,3) = 9 pts sleeping in the dog's damp nose on my cheek Irene Golas (0,2,5) = 9 pts Cozy and evocative. I can almost smell puppy breath. Twelfth Place -- 8 pts satin sheets — the alarm clock doesn't ring Laurene (2,0,2) = 8 pts Sensual! I love how the silent alarm clock says it all and implies so much...well done. still drunk — waking at noon with my shoes on Collin Barber (0,0,8) = 8 pts weeding — a ladybug lifted from leaf to leaf Ann K. Schwader (0,0,8) = 8 pts Thirteenth Place -- 7 pts fresh coffee at the water's edge sunday city marlène buitelaar (0,1,5) = 7 pts I love the imagery this haiku presents: a slow and easy weekend. serious work oiling his bike chain a crow critiques Ruth Powell (0,1,5) = 7 pts Two serious guys, a nice portrait. Fourteenth Place -- 6 pts driving the kids to church yelling Roberta Beary (1,0,3) = 6 pts Poets angling... instead of fish Basho's frog Vasile Moldovan (1,0,3) = 6 pts backyard badminton the new puppy runs away with the shuttlecock Edward (0,2,2) = 6 pts Fifteenth Place -- 5 pts picking saskatoons wearing my best church outfit with purple fingers Harvey Jenkins (1,0,2) = 5 pts I had to look up saskatoons though it was pretty clear from the context that they are a sort of berry. Weekends are often like this - hurrying from one 'leisure' activity to another. I like the juxtaposition of berry stains and church finery. weekend anglers — a carp-shaped kite takes to the air ito (0,2,1) = 5 pts Anglers, carps, and kites, nice connections. lingering day . . . a different daydream with each household chore Marie Summers (0,1,3) = 5 pts Saturday grind villagers against a cart wheel recycle gossip Kala Ramesh (0,1,3) = 5 pts Sixteenth Place -- 4 pts seaside ice cream more on my child than the cone Meredith Stern Cavalieri (1,0,1) = 4 pts Sunday dusk, caught watching the barn swallows whirl ~ so much yet to do Shelley Krause (1,0,1) = 4 pts a last chore — deadheading the geraniums the scattered petals Bruce Ross (0,1,2) = 4 pts at last getting to know each other... me and the rain sanjukta (0,1,2) = 4 pts rainy weekend — even the snails abandons the orchard miorita (0,1,2) = 4 pts yawning... sunday wakes up lazily Tanya Dikova (0,0,4) = 4 pts church bells tolling — the love we make before breakfast max verhart (0,0,4) = 4 pts sunday comics . . . the cats and I just chillin' Kathy Lippard Cobb (0,0,4) = 4 pts cottage evening — my new pen lost underneath the deck Mike Montreuil (0,0,4) = 4 pts Seventeenth Place -- 3 pts sails slat — searching for cat's-paws in Chesapeake calm Glen Keener (1,0,0) = 3 pts all the homely things packed into my leisure time once just “woman’s work” Deirdre Godwin (1,0,0) = 3 pts Saturday service — in a converted church we attend salsa lessons Daniela Bullas (0,1,1) = 3 pts sunday evening... a big soap bubble from her loop K. Ramesh (0,1,1) = 3 pts second-hand smoke — forced off my deck by my neighbor's barbecue =LGD (0,1,1) = 3 pts sunrise each weekend my blind friend kayaks bre :^) (0,0,3) = 3 pts weekend to do list wash the dog clothes and kids Carmel Lively Westerman (0,0,3) = 3 pts This evokes a usual activity for a working woman. On weekends one washes 'everything' often wishing it all could be dumped in together - rub-a-dub-dub. weekend shopping mom's arms are loaded and so is dad doris kasson (0,0,3) = 3 pts sunday afternoon — i join our dog sleeping in the sun anonymous (0,0,3) = 3 pts Eighteenth Place -- 2 pts going to church first Saturday in July cirrus clouds gillena (0,1,0) = 2 pts applauding a future millionaire T-ball Sjs (Stevie) (0,1,0) = 2 pts first garden party — my son ordered good weather anonymous (0,1,0) = 2 pts walk to church — deep silence surrounds my office block anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 pts city heat coolers at the beach shanna (0,0,2) = 2 pts summer Saturday watering the plants inside and out anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 pts my father hurriedly searching for his bible — Sunday morning John Mwangi (0,0,2) = 2 pts sunday evening — a lover and her partner licking icecones Stephen Nzomo (0,1,0) = 2 pts cold Sunday morning — the pastor reads the bible, drinking hot tea Jane Mumbua (0,0,2) = 2 pts Nineteenth Place -- 1 point inner city Saturday — children get cool in a park fountain Rose Marie Stutts adds — a tea stained sun bleached to do list Allen McGill setting things in order — mom’s ribbon bound bunch of dad’s love letters Gautam Nadkarni this weekend the Sun too took two days off Djurdja Vukelic Rozic weekend rates a roach disappears into the brown door martin That long line suggests it scurrying towards its doom. endless Sunday pickup soccer game Monday aches gourdman sleepy with catfish I swim in slow circles deadlines distant Mechaieh weekend paint job setting Monday's alarm: maybe just one wall? Barbara Snow vermont weekend mouse turd in coffee cup spider in the tub anonymous weekend grocery shopping next-door quiet as a church anonymous lucky sevens hot pink bridesmaids pose in the shade andrea mom's taxi — a preen in the mirror before the little league game anonymous weekend nap time our legs and arms akimbo myself and my dog Paul Cassidy Saturday laundry — still remembering that fresh air aroma Barbara Campitelli waving goodbye to balloons nursing strings the mother ship tish davis Flushing ibis across this muddy park the poodle grows wild. Maha haha Friday night — entertainers prepare for tomorrow Martin Kamau Sunday smoko neighbors' mowers side by side Quendryth Young Saturday, bat and balls ready. Mother smiles. Trevor Camp anthill under the pine the public park fills with sunday activities Tore Sverredal birds on the fence — Saturday's seed delivery is running late Jill Twentieth Place -- no points this time, sorry! Dragon boat racing cancer survivors paddle smile carnations on the sea Angelika Kolompar Bygott gusting wind — surfers ride the cresting wave Janice Friday night movie I missed the return call from overseas anonymous fishing in the river my grandson reels in the famous "Old Man" Yositaka Driving to cabin Dog hangs out open window Friday afternoon Audrey Fitzgerald Sunny morning  — Reach past the spiky heels to rubber soles Leena Halych A burial in mind The weekend is rather slow Activities start on Monday Ashi flag football grandfather has us run the same play Tony A. Thompson Sunbathing in the back yard reading lazily sixty - nine on Saturday night. Pe Saturday night — communication breakdown between her and me Norsto last night's party chairs... rearrangement by a sunbather anonymous his honey-do list gathers dust on the fridge cold beer and tv anonymous all afternoon making love on the beach office phones silent anonymous golf course dawn a squirrel peeks at something in the ball washer Darrell Byrd Slab of meat sizzling on the fire...... Grandfather yawns Glenn Laundre vacuuming dog hairs from the couch Rex claws the front door Raquel BAILEY weekend activity husband installs a fan to stir the hot air Jeanne Jorgensen cool Sunday evening — family picnic in the green park Samson Onyango cool evening — two lovers enjoying a picnic in the park Maxmailla Khasandi my sister dusting her open shoes — Saturday date Catherine Maina cold evening — football match on the pitch Timothy Wambua Saturday evening, lovers hugging each other — date time Samuel Ndung'u Sunday morning — my father carrying a bible heading to church Bilher Wanjiku Saturday evening — two lovers doing their shopping Harrison Mwangangi sunny weekend — lovers swimming in the clear pool Mary Wangari father dusting his bible and humming a hymn — sunday morning Gladys Naomi second service — few people attending church anne wairimu white suits and blue badges with s — the Salvation Army drum beat anonymous weekend night, the family watches T.V. — each in his/her own room Zhanna P. Rader father and son get ready for surfing a lonely sunday Ruth Franke canoeing a Saturday morning's mist whispers the waters away Ben Gieske friday pastime — circling out in daily personal ads Lech Szeglowski world of fiction the dream of a nap on some grassy hill Dan Schwerin Football game on TV he looks in the fridge another beer Dsnake1 cool reception he lays an egg in the chicken dance George Hawkins GENERAL COMMENT (Free Format Section): Sunday afternoon was the right time to read these. I had a hard time with this one! This part was very hard to select for voting as there were some excellent entries that I enjoyed very much.

Thank you for participating in the July kukai! Please note there will be no kukai this August. We will be resuming in September. Look for the Call for Submissions on Monday, September 3rd.

We look forward to receiving your entries then.

With much appreciation,

Robert and Jennie, co-secretaries
Gary Warner, web host

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