The Shiki Monthly Kukai

September 2009 Kukai

Here are the results for the September 2009 Kukai, wherein our Kigo subject was Fog and our Free Format subject was Back to School.

Congratulations to Catherine J.S. Lee, winner of our Kigo section and to Melissa Spurr, 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.

Voters comments are in italics below the respective poems.

September 2009 Results
Kigo Theme: Fog	Free Format Theme: Back to School
First Place -- 38 points evening stillness the fog creeps in pine by pine Catherine J.S. Lee (4,5,16) = 38 pts This one really creates a mood and picture for me. Pick of the litter this month. I like this one, but it would be improved for me if the personification of "creeps in" was changed to something like "approaches" or "moves in". Second Place -- 36 pts autumn fog . . . the river knows the way Francine Banwarth (2,7,16) = 36 pts This one stood out on the first and every subsequent reading . . . a haiku I'll remember. Really like this one. A river's path is not swayed by the fog. Third Place -- 16 pts somewhere in the fog of my mother's memory my name Tom Genovese (1,4,5) = 16 pts Powerfully sad. a gray cat glides in and out of the fog... autumn stillness Janice Hornburg (0,2,12) = 16 pts Since "fog" is widely accepted as an autumn kigo, the word "autumn" is probably unnecessary, but I like it anyway. The grey on grey creates an interesting image. Fourth Place – 14 points low-lying fog the houseguests outstay their welcome Jennifer Corpe (1,2,7) = 14 pts Could be an early scene in a gothic tale, or merely an uncomfortable situation. Works either way. I like the juxtaposition here . . . the heavy feeling of fog and too-long visits by even the best of friends. foggy night the dog keeps leaving me behind Roberta Beary (0,1,12) = 14 pts The line break is effective, and the animal-human relationship, combining companionship and contrast, is nicely delineated. I'd have given this more points if L2 read 'the dog leaves', but still . . . it's a lovely haiku. Fifth Place – 13 points dense fog the whinny of a wild pony Carolyn Coit Dancy (2,1,5) = 13 pts I like the alliteration in this one as well as the contrast of icons, whinny/dense. morning fog - the old radio still works Israel Lopez Balan (1,4,2) = 13 pts The hope in this one appeals to me. fall lake -- a kayak paddle slices the fog Ruth Powell. (0,4,5) = 13 pts Sixth Place – 11 points still arguing whether it's mist or fog rear ended -- andrea (0,3,5) = 11 pts All too believable. Why am I chuckling when it's so sad? ghostly fog ... silence between clangs of the buoy Carol Raisfeld (0,2,7) = 11 pts Very atmospheric. Had I never encountered American buoys, I would not have known what this haiku is all about -- as it is, I find it very evocative indeed. patchy fog the palm reader conjures a future Meggy (0,2,7) = 11 pts I passed over this one on the first run-through, but "conjures" makes it work. Seventh Place – 10 points foggy fields - my mother walks no path Gosia Zamorska (1,2,3) = 10 pts foggy day market - the fishmonger shouted louder olga neagu (0,4,2) = 10 pts Eighth Place – 9 points morning fog clears- the mountain reappears in a poem gillena cox (0,2,5) = 9 pts Perhaps this haiku would be better without "clears". cold fog -- the balcony moss all the greener Isabelle Prondzynski (0,2,5) = 9 pts fogbound stream the duck family keeps formation Paul Hodder (0,1,7) = 9 pts Ninth Place – 8 points morning fog he sips a second coffee to clear it Warren Gossett (0,2,4) = 8 pts tule fog swathes the valley-- the cry of a calf Terri L.French (0,2,4) = 8 pts Tenth Place – 7 points blowing fog the great nose of the bull in the pasture Michael McClintock (1,2,0) = 7 pts foggy morning to see the lighthouse, not to see it Rita Odeh (1,1,2) = 7 pts roadside mist all thoughts of the journey set aside Jim Swift (0,1,5) = 7 pts drawing up the blanket morning fog Bill Kenney (0,1,5) = 7 pts afternoon fog the sky drifts away Melissa Spurr (0,1,5) = 7 pts drifting asleep... the distant sound of fog horns Andre Surridge (0,1,5) = 7 pts picking apples a deer and I share the morning fog A. Dharma Bum (0,1,5) = 7 pts The sentimentality of "share" weakens an interesting haiku. morning fog the milk float's jingle fading Fara Kamaza (0,1,5) = 7 pts The poem captures me enjoying the disappearing jingling as I stand holding my full milk bottle. foggy morning clothes on the line undrying April Serock (0,1,5) = 7 pts Ilove the irony. dense fog-- the slight slurping sound of the cat Dorota Pyra (0,1,5) = 7 pts sunlit fog... the sassafras drops a mitt leaf jennie townsend (0,1,5) = 7 pts I have a number of sassafras trees on my property and the leaf differences have always fascinated as does the root as tea and spring tonic. Mitt leaf is brilliantly descriptive. Eleventh Place -- 6 points foggy evening the full moon even fuller Rafal Zabratynski (1,0,3) = 6 pts dense fog the pale red pulse of a neon martini glass ed markowski (0,3,0) = 6 pts I liked this one so much that I plan on having one tonight! foggy morning... I play with her darker nipple Kameshwar Rao (0,2,2) = 6 pts I was surprised to see how well this stands up to repeated readings. "darker nipple" There speaks the man who knows. fog horn-- still no word of ferry survivors aom (tim) (0,0,6) = 6 pts Ferris wheel the smell of fish guts in the fog martin (0,0,6) = 6 pts An effective discord, nicely alliterated. And somehow the fog makes the smell more intense. Twelfth Place -- 5 points walled in by fog fog Alan S. Bridges (1,0,2) = 5 pts nightfall quiet slap of waves the foghorn jill (1,0,2) = 5 pts early awake-- slowly, as the fog clears forsythia Ellen Compton (1,0,2) = 5 pts main street the fog muffled footsteps of ghosts Terry O'Connor (0,1,3) = 5 pts over the hill a river of fog flooding the valley Ben Gieske (0,1,3) = 5 pts rolling fog ... the youngest child clings to my chest Colin Stewart Jones (0,1,3) = 5 pts out of the clouds and into fog-- final approach LGD (0,0,5) = 5 pts kayak in fog I take the wrong cut into the chute Garry Eaton (0,0,5) = 5 pts September stars fog settles in & around chrysanthemums Pamela A. Babusci (0,0,5) = 5 pts Thirteenth Place – 4 points package of bulbs my wife disappears into the fog Harvey Jenkins (0,1,2) = 4 pts a foggy morning - all men walk today with their heads in the clouds Iga (0,1,2) = 4 pts shoreline fog — her cell phone interrupts a haiku moment Collin Barber (0,1,2) = 4 pts mountain fog the echo of laughter across the lake Sjs Stevie Strang (0,1,2) = 4 pts Fourteenth Place – 3 points cold earth, warm air fog heralds the spring Aalix Roake (1,0,0) = 3 pts night fog anyway I remember you moon Lech Szeglowski (1,0,0) = 3 pts The evening fog: invisible her hand on my shoulder R.K.Singh (0,1,1) = 3 pts barks in the fog collect the bells on the pasture back into the village Tomislav (0,1,1) = 3 pts The fog makes us blind, but we can still "see" the scene with the sounds. chill fog a cricket’s lament at summer’s end soji (0,1,1) = 3 pts out of the fog sounds of geese arguing over flight plans Shelley Krause (0,1,1) = 3 pts 10 a.m. a forest of buildings swallows the fog Chandra Bales (0,1,1) = 3 pts foggy city... I return again in the same place Jacek M (0,1,1) = 3 pts fog over paddy fields- some of it skimmed away by the owl's wings AD (0,1,1) = 3 pts banjo roll through the fog in some dark holler Beth Powell (0,1,1) = 3 pts morning fog — a toot as the ferry crosses the strait Gautam Nadkarni (0,0,3) = 3 pts land's smell - on the lawn rests the thick fog Jordi Climent (0,0,3) = 3 pts in his fog-cloaked car the drowsy policeman licks his fingers clean mechaieh (0,0,3) = 3 pts scenic highway we turn to the sound of a foghorn Susan Constable (0,0,3) = 3 pts sleepy hollow- grape pickers emerging out of the fog Dejan Pavlinovic (0,0,3) = 3 pts Hauntingly appropriate for this time of year! night fog our teen drives away to his first job Joann (0,0,3) = 3 pts Fifteenth Place – 2 points misty memories rise like a faint morning fog bringing back...the day dragonfly (0,1,0) = 2 pts September fog vanishing - the steam of gunpowder green tea Merrill Ann Gonzales (0,1,0) = 2 pts the slow rise of the fog patches a deep stillness Bruce Ross (0,1,0) = 2 pts pea-soup fog rises from the river… reaches the highway Ida Freilinger (0,1,0) = 2 pts leaving wormhood behind fog cocooning carol pearce-worthington (0,1,0) = 2 pts furtively daylight pulls its bridal veil of fog over the hillside Gabriele (0,0,2) = 2 pts fog-bound freeway I drive lost in thought Jan O'Loughlin (0,0,2) = 2 pts I like the juxtaposition. Montana sunrise he wades through chest deep fog his fly rod held high Edward (0,0,2) = 2 pts Autumn half term-- catching the fog with a butterfly net Ralf Broker, Germany (0,0,2) = 2 pts Line 3 is an amusing twist. thick fog swallows the cottage . . . the edge of the cliff Marylouise Knight (0,0,2) = 2 pts shallow water bay - - emerging from the early mist a common crane Ramona Linke (0,0,2) = 2 pts This may be better without "emerging". Village in fog – only the church tower raising from a lake Petru-Ioan Garda (0,0,2) = 2 pts secret touch fog drips from her stone fingers Elena Naskova (0,0,2) = 2 pts rising fog mom's smile as she hangs up the phone anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 pts patchy fog a whitetail fawn sprints across the road DeVar (0,0,2) = 2 pts Sixteenth Place – 1 point My mind's in a whirl - Am I coming or going? This confounded fog! Tanja Cilia head and shoulders out of the fog white-tailed deer Tom Painting milky fog - the wind turbines, silenced anonymous My boat disappears into the September fog. Morning angelus. Horst Ludwig windscreen wipers swaying from side to side night fog thickening Keith A. Simmonds grandmother putting on her glasses didn't clear up the fog Bill Hudson ship's siren hoots its lonesome call somewhere in the fog Frances McCarthy cataracts-- through the fog she looks much younger J. J. Cushman through the fog mourning dove's blues and her red feet Diane Mayr San Francisco fog and radio static take me home Junkyardrose morning fog the empty can of his shaving foam Petar Tchouhov canceled flight - noses of the silver colossi in the deep fog Krzystof chaos and creation – through fog and trees crepuscular rays Daniela Bullas fog blankets the strait cut by eerie, eldritch trails as ferries pass through Deirdre Godwin painting the sign of fall the cat moves its ink through the fog Jon Espen Vassbotn wedding day- waking up to a wall of fog Devika rising fog drawn sunrays dripping down the windowpane Boris Nazansky behind fog the sun in drag as the moon Bill Gottlieb morning mist … in the ditch I found the way Johan Bergstad full moon diffused by the drifting fog Allen McGill Swirling fog shadows in the clouds. Where are you? Trevor Camp Primary colors Bold orb mounts triangled peak Backlit fog rising. Valerie Hanada shrieks and squabbles rising out of the fog estuary birds Barbara Snow in the thin space between fog and breakwater a thickness of galls anonymous from out of the fog cry of an osprey unending grief Renee ten minutes later she again takes the dog out evening fog anonymous a startled deer skipping up the bank in fog headlights Barbara A Taylor AU No points this time, sorry. a sail appearing in the fog lighthouse malfunction Tom Conally sweater-weather fog....... fog.........big red barn miriam chaikin dense morning fog on the lake, behind my eyes —grope for the coffee if Recession ridden pay rolls now look more thinner as I T fogs cloud Purush Fluffy landscape fog spreading my foot ice cold Ashi rising fog in the parachute holding rainbows anonymous White spectre fog enshrouds weeping angel Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black city view wrapped in smoke and fog on my photograph K. Yellow headlamps glow, autumn cars immersed in fog, ghostly spectres pass. Jean Lewis free concert the rhythm of the fog horn accompanies the ocean sound anonymous The way is lonely a lot of thoughts cross my mind the fog is my mate. Maria Griselda Garcia Cuerva from, deep in slumber low lying fog slowly rises Elinor Pihl Huggett almost there coming through the fog —scent of barbecue doris kasson vague contours beckon through a dense fog… Alzheimer’s Shernaz Wadia the sun rises through a curtain of fog the bridge white with ice Elaine Riddell a cloud merging the mountain and the sky -- I lose my way Patrick Wafula fog covered lighthouse the sight – clears my mind Jyothirmai Gubili crackle of pyre flames... and then silently the rolling fog sanjuktaa funeral -- drooping eyelids feel the dawn fog David Caleb Mutua my brain in a fog college statistics on a three by five card anonymous The grand tree whimpers As the chainsaw reechoes - Fog on open waters Nalini Hebbar vending quilt-makers fiddle dunais in the fog-- thinning cotton nirukowa Foggy afternoon. No shadow in the room, not a single sound. Beacon the sun burning up the morning fog --- memories of last night's debauch Conrad Sienkiewicz employees scurrying in from the parking lot the executive floor still in fog Deanna Tief lost in the fog a twisting forest path-- an owl hoots John Daleiden thick morning fog backlighted by the sun a golden moment Eric after the roar a groan in the tule fog one hundred cars deep Karen J. McClintock a weeping willow shrouded in morning mist, cranes' farewell calls... natalia kuznetsova fog in the valley – the photographer looking of the window Miorita river colors bleed through fog . . . songs of the trumpeter swans Bill Pauly ocean fog maya cries with the voice of a gull anonymous sandstone butte looks like a tall ship in morning fog Jim Applegate church steeple - gracefully ascending fog descending Jeff Hanson sunset ride fog pours down the palisades filling the river Hazel	First Place -- 36 pts September wind a school bus pulls away from summer Melissa Spurr (3,8,10) = 35 pts I like the juxtaposition of the wind and the moving bus. I'd like this better if line 3 were dropped, line 2 were broken into two lines, and line 1 became line 3. The sound of the bus stopping to pick up the kids across the street then working against the slight rise of our street, and the combined wills of the children aboard, is our official notice that summer is over. Second Place -- 21 pts same gum under the same desk repeating the class Warren Gossett (1,4,10) = 21 pts Third Place -- 20 pts joint custody trying to figure out the bus schedule Diane Mayr (2,4,6) = 20 pts Not a situation I've ever been in, but, with the help of this fine senryu, I can imagine it. and first day of school his backpack filled with summer David Grayson (0,5,10) = 20 pts Fourth Place -- 18 points slow grin... taller this fall than his teachers Ruth Powell (0,3,12) = 18 pts Finally, in my Senior year…well, a few of the teachers anyway. Fifth Place -- 15 points back to school - in a small, transparent box, his spider Zhanna P. Rader (0,3,9) = 15 pts Sixth Place -- 14 points jumping in puddles on the way to school new shoes Bill Hudson (1,3,5) = 14 pts Well observed, and an amusing little surprise in the third line. back to school standing outside the same clique Beth Powell (1,3,5) = 14 pts Love it even more! I remember that feeling well. lecture theatre the crack of new spines from each textbook Harvey Jenkins (1,1,9) = 14 pts I can hear those spines cracking! September rain the sound of corduroys on the school bus martin (0,4,6) = 14 pts Nothing says cooler weather like the “whit-whit” of corduroy. Seventh Place -- 11 points the yellow slicker of the crossing guard summer's end Tom Painting (1,2,4) = 11 pts One of autumn's colors, "yellow" is nicely inserted. first day of school, that sinking feeling as he steps in line Charlie Rossiter (0,3,5) = 11 pts Wonderful memory! first day of school the softer voices of birds Francine Banwarth (0,2,7) = 11 pts Eighth Place -- 10 points my cherry tomato skipping through the lunch room --new school carol pearce-worthiington (1,2,3) = 10 pts I think this must be read as a memory-ku rather than the in-the-moment variety. It's the kind of moment you never forget, even after you can laugh at it. SO embarrassing, right when you want to make a good impression! wild geese the professor leads his freshmen around the lake Mary Stevens (0,4,2) = 10 pts There is a nice intimation here of the start of discipline. back to school - she sharpens a pencil until there's nothing left Andre Surridge (0,1,8) = 10 pts Man, do I remember kids that did that repeatedly! Ninth Place -- 9 points September rain a matchbox school bus left on the floor Petar Tchouhov (2,1,1) = 9 pts Tenth Place -- 8 points Her first school locker; the spider moves out Elena Naskova (0,2,4) = 8 pts Really nice. Poor spider booted out by a new arrival. first day of school the apple ipods on the teacher's desk Sjs Stevie Strang (0,2,4) = 8 pts first day of school a bunch of sparrows twitter on the playground slide Rafal Zabratynski (0,1,6) = 8 pts Eleventh Place -- 7 points high-rise flats -- a school shirt drips onto another David Caleb Mutua (0,1,5) = 7 pts I imagine the scene well and appreciate that it's not cliched. A suggested change is to replace "a" with "one". first school day the nun's ruler peeks from her sleeve Roberta Beary (0,1,5) = 7 pts Nuns sometimes get a bad rap. Pun not intended. Really. Twelfth Place -- 6 points new perfume at the teacher's desk chrysanthemums Origa (1,0,3) = 6 pts French class-- her pencil lost in Paris Ralf Broker, Germany (0,2,2) = 6 pts first day a freshman sizes up the competition Catherine J.S. Lee (0,2,2) = 6 pts sleepless night -- a mewing cat watches as I pack my books John Mwangi (0,2,2) = 6 pts back to school the flaming leaves upon the path Gautam Nadkarni (0,1,4) = 6 pts back from spring break the school bully taller Paul Hodder (0,1,4) = 6 pts way to school every sunflower to the right Lech Szeglowski (0,1,4) = 6 pts back to school - retired teachers gather for golf Jim Swift (0,0,6) = 6 pts Thirteenth Place -- 5 points geese flying south over the school bus a perfect V Ben Gieske (1,0,2) = 5 pts back to school - double-park cars under the rain Jordi Climent (0,2,1) = 5 pts leaving the dorm each hug longer than the last Meggy (0,1,3) = 5 pts first day of school-- still stooped in the field brown children J. J. Cushman (0,1,3) = 5 pts Back to school - Guys still the same but girls – wow! Petru-Ioan Garda (0,1,3) = 5 pts first day back a smell of new sneakers in the change room Susan Constable (0,1,3) = 5 pts crossing guard a string of kids . . . trailing Carolyn Coit Dancy (0,0,5) = 5 pts all the way home from school the smell of golden rods Jacek M (0,0,5) = 5 pts Though this is in the free form section, the golden rods make it a special and specific time. Fourteenth Place -- 4 points back to school new name of a girl on his arm Dorota Pyra (0,2,0) = 4 pts back to school trying on mom's high heels Rita Odeh (0,1,2) = 4 pts first day of college . . . an upperclassman gives me the wrong directions Collin Barber (0,1,2) = 4 pts back to school a whiff of vomit from her breath Mary Davila (0,1,2) = 4 pts back to school twenty years late twice as scared mechaieh (0,0,4) = 4 pts Fifteenth Place -- 3 points first day back already the smell of kids DeVar (1,0,0) = 3 pts new term a first-year dropped off by her grandson Terry O'Connor (0,1,1) = 3 pts back to school at the senior center computer class Elinor Pihl Huggett (0,0,3) = 3 pts back to school-- he mistakes her shampoo for perfume aom (tim) (0,0,3) = 3 pts back to school mom signs up for online classes doris kasson (0,0,3) = 3 pts first day of school hair slicked with mom's spittle against the grain Gerald Graffe (0,0,3) = 3 pts back to school holiday weather arrives Elaine Riddell (0,0,3) = 3 pts first school day his parents do not notice untied shoe-lace Boris Nazansky (0,0,3) = 3 pts first day of term white chalk powder on my black trousers K. Ramesh (0,0,3) = 3 pts in the coffee shop on campus no decaf Deanna Tief (0,0,3) = 3 pts foreclosed– their son begins school today Bill Kenney (0,0,3) = 3 pts September noon two sets of grandparents in the school bus shelter Joann (0,0,3) = 3 pts Sixteenth Place -- 2 points lesson planning again -- dusting the syllabus from the bookshelf Patrick Wafula (0,1,0) = 2 pts back to school the technicolor patterns of fresh graffiti ed markowski (0,1,0) = 2 pts skipping along-- new ribbons, polished shoes crayola crayons anonymous (0,1,0) = 2 pts Past present future Heartbeats race in fresh face time Big hand small hand- Go! Valerie Hanada (0,1,0) = 2 pts her notes origami folded waste can overflowing Tom Conally (0,0,2) = 2 pts This paints a vivid picture of a student's frustration. a big girl now alone at the school bus stop —hidden, mom watches if (0,0,2) = 2 pts assembling her dorm bed the bruises I still have Alan S. Bridges (0,0,2) = 2 pts school cleaning - some tables with carved names Israel Lopez Balan (0,0,2) = 2 pts back to school the thirtysomething dons a faded tee Jennifer Corpe (0,0,2) = 2 pts back to school -- a student removes a cobweb from his shoe Cecilia Peacock (0,0,2) = 2 pts Back to school the ringing bells, childrens' cheer. Beacon (0,0,2) = 2 pts back to school such long faces on short buses Conrad Sienkiewicz (0,0,2) = 2 pts group project- flat on our backs under the tamarind tree anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 pts old book bag among blunt pencils the lost candy bar anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 pts migrating butterflies a first day for the new teacher, too jennie townsend (0,0,2) = 2 pts Seventeenth Place -- 1 point Starched, stiff, white collars; Squeaky shoes and scratchy socks... Pants torn at the knee! Tanja Cilia Labor Day weekend he refuses to drive into Boston Bruce Ross Being from the Boston area, this one really struck a chord! a new blister in place of the old callus... first football practice Janice Hornburg school library-- busy iPods LGD back in school my classmates so much younger Tom Genovese she and her granddaughter at the same college-- back to school Terri L. French School crossing the new teacher's white teeth against her deep tan anonymous dissection class- suddenly, Basho's frog comes to life sanjuktaa back to school -- latecomers cleaning the school compound Joab N Peacock back to school a teen with a baby on each hip anonymous Most don't slow down in the School Zone. They'll never learn Bill Gottlieb dawdling trout rejoin their school spawn season Allen McGill grandchild’s first day that same schoolroom scent of crayons & floor wax soji chemistry lesson – the girls only have eyes for the new teacher Ramona Linke the bell rings - back to classroom bullies Barbara A Taylor AU fall term's first paper on the teacher's desk airplane Barbara Snow old binder a new backpack on such small shoulders Jim Applegate opening day -- books and pens going at double price Jonson Malombe cold morning -- students stranded at the bus stop Peter Nguribu school again -- my dog barking for me to wake up Kelvin Macharia no points this time, sorry school will soon begin sweaters pulled from the closet moths learning to say goodbye dragonfly Students murmuring over the class test result: the teacher's curved lips R.K.SINGH start/stop/start/stop/start - my path leads me to be behind a school bus Merrill Ann Gonzales her grey hair peeks through the crowd -- excited freshmen all anonymous All kids toys take rest in neatly packed carton box school bells ring again Purush Telling a student about my hip-replacement during the summer Horst Ludwig there he’s been standing - humming his songs - drowned out by laughter Gabriele Brunsch the border guard comes out of retirement school patrol Garry Eaton a new challenge: learning to fight the swine flu back to college Keith A. Simmonds back packs at the bus stop- back to schoolers gillena cox Taking steps towards open doors school bell rings Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black Forward, bag in hand, greet old friends along the way, autumn college starts. Jean Lewis We go back to school nice images of holidays are still in our minds Maria Griselda Garcia Cuerva bare feet and shorts traded for a yellow vest - safety patrol A. Dharma Bum morning recess kids rush to the computer lab to play games Edward autumn bus stop scrubbed children wearing back to school faces Frances McCarthy bare walls a jumble of packed boxes— coming and going Marylouise Knight burned school - children are showing sorrow not very sincere Krzysztof a handsome boy, students, teachers and a college - all new Daniela Bullas jeans so new they squeak stiff backpack and stiff manners facing a new school Deirdre Godwin back to school no fuss – it’s cheese cake day Jyothirmai Gubili empty tank -- all heads lug jerricans to the school anonymous busy morning -- cars pack and unpack at the school gate Esther O Peacock back to school -- a repaired dress in the tailor's window Hussein Haji new uniform -- a pupil laughs at her friend Maurice Peacock note writing again -- a ball pen leaks into my new bag Duncan Omoto schools open -- sitting in class from Monday to Monday Marion M Peacock back to school -- students with plates full of rice Stephen N Peacock tears on dad's hand "don't let them make you fight" small for school age andrea Once again return to old friends back to school. Trevor Camp back to school-- waiting for the bus on the first day John Daleiden restart at school books, doors previously closed now gladly opened Eric new school year - schoolboys stares at new teacher's legs Andrzej Dembonczyk back to school left the garden gate open hard knocks gourdman tough guy this fall flunked out of the school of hard knocks Bill Pauly first day of school... under the teacher's desk spiders playing criss cross Dejan Pavlinovic a truant back to school now running anonymous back to school patinaed roof shingles under the moon Jeanette Blain walking towards the loud buzzing swarm - school recess Jeff Hanson turning leaves, back-to-school sales — the same new colors anonymous holiday hangovers -- a student with unkempt hair sent home Vivian Adhiambo looking for the paraffin lamp -- homework again Erick Mwange fitting for new shoes at the cobbler's -- last weekend Carol Wanjiku opening day -- sweeping the dust off the desks Martin Kamau new term -- book-sellers selling books at higher prices Maxwell George cold morning -- students in new uniforms walking to school Stephen Macharia new term -- students queuing for admission Nassir Shaban Monday morning -- promoted students wearing new badges Kevin Wansala breezy evening-- mother patronizes as I pack my books James Bundi at the corner green chucks patiently wait to board the school bus Hazel before the first class each student takes a deep breath - watching the pause anonymous General Comments: There were so many great fog-haiku, it was hard to judge. But I think there were many so-what three-liners in the Free Format this time; and it was hard to pick out the few haiku or senryu. I really liked this (kigo) topic choice! So many great (kigo)choices this time! This one (free format) was difficult for me to judge--there were many good ones! A bit harder for me to cut (free format) than the Kigo kukai, but I made it. I'm sorry (regrets not having more votes), many beautiful haiku! Great contest!

Thank you for participating in the September 2009 Kukai!

We will be posting October's 7th Annual Poets' Choice Call for Votes on Saturday, October 3rd.

With much appreciation,

The Shiki Kukai Team

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