Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

In the British Haiku Society’s twelfth annual Haiku Award, James W Hackett has chosen the following two £70 prizewinners. (Both are of equal merit):

Seven haiku were chosen as Highly Commended (again of equal merit):

this hoarfrost morning
suddenly, scent of summer grass
- the green tatami

             Janeth H. Ewald, USA

Congratulations to the authors of all the nominated poems.

James W Hackett comments:-

harvest dusk: A whimsical ironic harmony is presented, but this most unusual, memorable haiku offers more. It is day’s end, and perhaps the tired worker needs to ‘set a spell’, or maybe a youngster is getting a ride home! Whatever the interpretation, an aura of oneness is suggested in the nexus between humans, land, toil, and survival. It is a stunning (and even painterly) image, reminiscent of Van Gogh’s early work depicting peasant life.

untended garden: A vivid and rivetting haiku moment. How successfully it conveys a keenly observed (and felt) experience. The ambient harmony of the untended garden and shaking hand well suggest the infirmities of aging. More significantly, how deeply telling is the old man’s decision to pause and closely examine the flower. A ‘classic’ haiku.

The number of entries in 2001 was 597, from 121 poets, roughly comparable with 2000, and is again largely accounted for by the large numbers of UK-based (61) and USA-based (28) writers who entered. In total, 19 countries were represented, although, surprisingly, no one from Wales and only two poets from Scotland entered. The low number of British-based BHS member entrants was very disappointing and this was reflected in both the shortlist and the winning selections. That said, the overall standard of entries was impressively high and resulted in the compilation of a very long shortlist from which Mr Hackett made his selections.

The BHS James W Hackett Award will run again in 2002. Rules and conditions of entry will remain unchanged. David Steele will take over as the administrator of the award from 2002 and his address is Newton House, Holt Road, North Elmham, Norfolk, NR20 SJQ, England. The closing date will be 30 November 2002.

*

Caroline Gourlay points out that her haiku in Ken Jones’ article in BS 12/1 page 38 was misquoted. There is no ‘and’ in the last line.  Apologies from Ken !