The Shiki Monthly Kukai

December 2009 Kukai

Here are the results for the December 2009 Kukai, wherein our Kigo subject was "Wintering Animals" and our Free Format subject was "Breakfast".

Congratulations to Melissa Spurr, winner of our Kigo section and to Ann K. Schwader, 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.

December 2009 Results
Kigo Theme: Wintering Animals	Free Format Theme: Breakfast
First Place – 43 points icy moon coyote cries crack the silence Melissa Spurr (3,11,12) = 43 pts Very sharp visuals, sounds, and mood in this haiku. Second Place – 24 points migrating birds - a line of traffic lights turns green Israel Lopez Balan (0,6,12) = 24 pts Third Place – 17 points last leaf on the dogwood chrysalis Barbara Snow (2,3,5) = 17 pts Fourth Place – 16 points christmas mosquito I guess you too are the last of your generation John Thompson (1,3,7) = 16 pts Fifth Place – 14 points the year ends with the long tail of a squirrel’s shadow martin (1,3,5) = 14 pts I like the resonance of the tail and year's end the year ends with the long tail of a squirrel’s shadow. winter thaw the stray cat moves closer Earl Keener (1,3,5) = 14 pts The different readings of the first and last lines are lovely. Sixth Place – 13 points withered grasses... a field mouse slips into the pantry Irene Golas (0,3,7) = 13 pts Clever mouse! Love the touch of humor. Seventh Place – 12 points longest night of the year — between the owl's hoots silence deepens Leslie Montgomery (0,0,12) = 12 pts Eighth Place – 11 points two-foot drifts my poodle looks at me then pees on the porch Terri French (1,2,4) = 11 pts frozen lake some seagulls huddle along a crack Kathleen O’Toole (0,4,3) = 11 pts Ninth Place – 10 points overwintering the bats in mother's attic Tom Painting (1,0,7) = 10 pts frozen fields — a flock of goldfinches on the thistle Tomislav M (0,2,6) = 10 pts A clear visual, with lovely sounds and rhythm. Tenth Place – 9 points Ice hole — a deer drinks from the pond the moon and some stars Adina Enachescu (0,2,5) = 9 pts bare branches wind slices through the fawn's carcass Alan S. Bridges (0,0,9) = 9 pts Again I like the resonance here bareness and carcass. Great use of senses in this haiku. Eleventh Place – 8 points standing tall battling wind and sleet proud penguin papa Washi (1,1,3) = 8 pts (You could drop "proud", He's already standing there, Tall?? Maybe also drop "and sleet" ??) Like it very much, though! almost Christmas a juvenile gull mewling over our dumpster andrea (1,1,3) = 8 pts winter drizzle stray cat takes shelter under my car Jacek M. (1,1,3) = 8 pts Frost at noon — on the sledge a Teddy Bear covered with a scarf Oprica Padeanu (0,3,2) = 8 pts moonlit sky — a polar bear rests on seamless ice Narayanan Raghunathan (0,2,4) = 8 pts granite sky the lynx’s snow-prints across the ledge Catherine J.S. Lee (0,1,6) = 8 pts I like the contrast between the hard/soft and dark/light. Twelfth Place – 7 points first snow feasting on ash berries robins natalia kuznetsova (1,1,2) = 7 pts fresh snow with a strutting swagger the crow adds his tracks Edward (0,1,5) = 7 pts I like the contrast of colour and the detail in the description of the motion. Thirteenth Place – 6 points the farmyard — a white sheet with foxtrot diagrams Jon Espen Vassbotn (1,1,1) = 6 pts leathers and furs in the coat closet christmas guests Carlos Gesmundo (0,2,2) = 6 pts sun at last a squirrel scampers snow off the fence Ann K. Schwader (0,2,2) = 6 pts 'at last' here made me gasp or breath I truly empathized with the writer in this one. winter evening a pigeon returns to the dunged sill Dorota Pyra (0,2,2) = 6 pts the mist rising from a crowded feedlot the bawls of the calves Garry Eaton (0,1,4) = 6 pts trembling branch the eagle has landed shedding snow Ben Gieske (0,1,4) = 6 pts winter afternoon a cat and a plush dalmatian doze together Walter Franceschi (0,1,4) = 6 pts white stillness suddenly turning orange — a passing fox oana posnaies (0,1,4) = 6 pts orange leaves on pines' branches — wintering butterflies Iga (0,1,4) = 6 pts Fourteenth Place – 5 points Prolonged howl... in the wake of the pack a lone wolf Vasile Moldovan (1,1,0) = 5 pts five inches last night horses rolling in fresh snow make monster angels F.J. Bergmann (0,2,1) = 5 pts in and out of snow covered hedges - chirping chickadees Mike Montreuil (0,2,1) = 5 pts misty morning... a lonely goose flies into early snowfall Keith A. Simmonds (0,1,3) = 5 pts gray flannel blanket — sprinkles of migrating birds on dull winter sky sandy friedlander (0,1,3) = 5 pts Fifteenth Place – 4 points hibernating bear — inside the cave echoes of my rapid heartbeat Daniela Bullas, UK (1,0,1) = 4 pts a pile of brown leaves even after he's pointed them out— unblinking peahens Sheila K. Barksdale (1,0,1) = 4 pts The horses breath blows warmth on my hand Yositaka (0,1,2) = 4 pts greenstone den — the new cub nestles into his mother's warmth Nancy Smith (0,1,2) = 4 pts winter thaw a drowsy hedgehog pauses at the spring Tore Sverredal (0,1,2) = 4 pts gradually the snow hides the deer's hoof prints — recalling my life... Zhanna P. Rader (0,1,2) = 4 pts silent birch trees color of wolves' eyes add to the white Harvey Jenkins (0,0,4) = 4 pts snow plowed roads whitetail deer leap the drifts DeVar (0,0,4) = 4 pts snowy evening a dog tied up outside starbucks Roberta Beary (0,0,4) = 4 pts Sixteenth Place – 3 points Ducks on ice cold cold feet South, dumb ducks! Fly south! Geoffrey A. Landis (1,0,0) = 3 pts the squirrel digs through snow for a nut . . . pecan pie cooling Warren Gossett (0,1,1) = 3 pts black swans blur in the snow storm— candles lit against war Ron Moss (0,1,1) = 3 pts starlit night wintering animals around the manger Elaine RIddell (0,1,1) = 3 pts a new snow in the graveyard filling in the possum's tracks Cindy Tebo (0,1,1) = 3 pts winter woods young deer and old men turned grey Steve Rojcewicz (0,0,3) = 3 pts lakeside inn wild ducks clamour for bread pieces _kala (0,0,3) = 3 pts Seventeenth Place – 2 points deadly cold a struggle of wills captured by wing beats in snow marco b (0,1,0) = 2 pts tiny chipmunk prints cross the snowy porch dripping icicles if (0,1,0) = 2 pts black fox crosses my path so lightly -- winter dawn Ruth Powell (0,1,0) = 2 pts the last mallard trapped in pond ice... blue norther Janice Hornburg (0,0,2) = 2 pts christmas eve he hangs grapes on the tree for the birds Judith Gorgone (0,0,2) = 2 pts swirling snow a spider family wintering in the garage Carol Raisfeld (0,0,2) = 2 pts full wolf moon— mouse's snow tunnel between the stone walls Diane Mayr (0,0,2) = 2 pts In the zoo a young polar bear fears the ice Ralf Broker (0,0,2) = 2 pts Winter night — a hungry fox at the coop where the dog sleeps Miorita (0,0,2) = 2 pts Eighteenth Place – 1 point sleeping in the warmth of home is the only wish of foreclosure dogs Jennifer Stefanow Moonlit patch on mounds Crossing over the stripped vines A skunk with full coat Leslie Brockway crackling fireplace cricket vacates log home for a cooler climate Elinor Pihl Huggett fly, my paper crane spread your wings and fly away, a Christmas tree waits Tom Conally snowy owl-so still— full of origami life made from cold paper James Dobson early morning drive pooches and mommy sporting matching plaid sweaters Hazel No more protected the timberwolves howling long in these icy lands Horst Ludwig bits of bread on crusted snow — a cardinal! Laurene No points this time. Sorry under disguise in snow-covered eaves an ermine hides Barbara A Taylor Shrouded in ice The sentry Dreams of home... James Sawers tracks in the snow next to the pine tree squilroy was here! Erik Boye sweet polaroid images gray and white blurs flit flitting the snowbirds are back dragonfly The buck shakes his antlers amidst the snow covered red ferns Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black fresh fallen snow cardinal's compete at the bird feeder anonymous soup kitchen day the homeless eat inside feral cats eat in the snow Rose Marie Stutts increase in golf fees just for the wintering snowbirds Bill Hudson derelict barn cobwebs dust and bats sleeping the winter away Frances McCarthy coming down the hill a pair of seasoned squirrels frolicking about Tom Burgess polar bears in my bedroom only because of TV gillena cox Bird feeder, three song sparrows - full. Cheerful thanks. Trevor Camp full bird feeder— wintering animals plan the attack Bill Gunter owl … oiling door with shaking hand Reza Radiators hissing As Cat melts into mousy dreams Warm safe winter naps Pat Lammers winter mist sparrows that sing sweet, sweet Canada, Canada jennie townsend cold weather sets in robins pause on migration for a berry-feast Deirdre Godwin red-tailed hawk circling rabbits and field mice scurrying todd eddy head cocked at snowbirds packing the beach florida seagull Pris Campbell blizzard winds— the snow piles up where do squirrels go? Marylouise Knight penguins sliding on their bellies the telly og_a camouflaged by snow an albino deer mocks the hunter Dharma Bum The tiny bear: mom, freeze the winter, i'm not tired yet Petru-Ioan Garda dungenese crab sale in season out of season Stella warm december a gray squirrel's coat turning white J Blain snowball thrown at a cat lurking under the bird feeder gourdman stray cat's food bowl— puff-feathered blue jay opportunist jill coyote crosses the ice to prey on our island Beth Powell Early morning Rabbit freezes Brown patch on snow Mary E. Gray blue jays fighting over the last peanut the seventh day of snow Stevie Strang the hare in my heart waiting for change turns grey theodora	First Place — 24 points tea steam the east window brightens Ann K. Schwader (2,6,6) = 24 pts Ordinary images of an ordinary day, I settle right in as I read it. Second Place — 22 pts Christmas brunch a place at the table for her new doll Catherine J.S. Lee (0,9,4) = 22 pts I love the mood of indulgence in this haiku. This seems to reflect the spirit of the season, by showing the love and joy of a little girl. Third Place — 20 pts vapors rising from the lake... morning coffee Janice Hornburg (1,4,9) = 20 pts Nice light unfettered, contemplative piece. I like the juxtaposition. Lovely imagery, with a lot of warmth and subtle shifts of meaning. thick fog — four brightly colored pills beside her oatmeal Susan Constable (0,4,12) = 20 pts Fourth Place – 19 points toast crumb balanced just so on the ant's back Paul Hodder (2,4,5) = 19 pts This one made me smile. I could see that little guy diligently trudging along! Fifth Place – 14 points Breakfast — in the stork's beak the first frog Vasile Moldovan (1,3,5) = 14 pts Sixth Place – 13 points snow day :: the dog gets her share of cold toast jennie townsend (2,1,5) = 13 pts breakfast in bed gently taking off a crumb from grandma's cheek Dorota Pyra (1,3,4) = 13 pts Seventh Place – 12 points five days of rain he asks for eggs sunny-side up Terri French (0,3,6) = 12 pts A little bit of humor and a lot of truth! Eighth Place – 11 points scrambled . . . she talks about the sunrise I missed Bill Kenney (1,0,8) = 11 pts breakfast the heavy silence from last night Carol Raisfeld (0,3,5) = 11 pts Ninth Place – 10 points third shift the broken yolk of my sunny side Alan S. Bridges (2,1,2) = 10 pts This one says so much. My dad worked 3rd shift as I was growing up. His "sunny side" was often broken! breakfast trickles through her IV tube we wait Pris Campbell (0,3,4) = 10 pts Tenth Place – 9 points the same aria sung each time he froths the milk — north beach barista John Thompson (1,0,6) = 9 pts Eleventh Place – 8 points dusky dawn the swirling snow reflects in my tea Tore Sverredal (0,3,2) = 8 pts I have lots of versions on this one...shorter ones.. but I like it! Be proud! butter melting on hot breakfast scones — your smile Ruth Powell (0,2,4) = 8 pts Lovely juxtaposition. This one really touched me. garden breakfast my son mixes cornflakes with plum petals Jacek M (0,1,6) = 8 pts Twelfth Place – 7 points Hiroshima Day to break an egg will sicken me Earl Keener (2,0,1) = 7 pts Often Hiroshima Day is used to elicit an emotional state the haiku is too weak to carry but this is almost brilliant. Simply stated reaction to the poet's (our) awakening to the day, realization, and response. coffee and toast knees touching lightly first morning after Frances McCarthy (0,2,3) = 7 pts garden breakfast — yellow butterflies among lotuses Narayanan Raghunathan (0,1,5) = 7 pts Thirteenth Place – 6 points note to self: send e-mails _after_ caffeine reaches brain F.J. Bergmann (2,0,0) = 6 pts insomnia finding sleep in the kettle's whistle Beth Powell (1,0,3) = 6 pts the morning after... a cup of black coffee double bitter natalia kuznetsova (0,1,4) = 6 pts hard boiled opinions scrambled editorials breakfast a la print Tom Conally (0,1,4) = 6 pts between storms the sun comes out— a Sunday croissant Marylouise Knight (0,1,4) = 6 pts we share coffee and red mountains — Sedona breakfast jill (0,1,4) = 6 pts Fourteenth Place – 5 points school bus — some scrambled eggs with ketchup left on the plate Laurene (0,2,1) = 5 pts grandma's house we eat oatmeal again Carmel Lively Westerman (0,1,3) = 5 pts morning chill mom keeps her coat on until the coffee arrives Cindy Tebo (0,1,3) = 5 pts anniversary with a flourish he pours the cornflakes Roberta Beary (0,0,5) = 5 pts another foot of snow butter cascading down the stack of pancakes Stevie Strang (0,0,5) = 5 pts Fifteenth Place – 4 points breakfast the day he leaves for Iraq — her tears in his coffee Aalix Roake (0,1,2) = 4 pts Breakfast in many traditions is held as the most important meal of the day; teamed up with the urgency of duty and patronage this haiku tells a sad and compelling tale. rice krispies whispers snap-crackle-pop conversations morning gently begins Jeanne Fiedler (0,1,2) = 4 pts homeless shelter snow melts from his shoulders while fresh coffee brews Harvey Jenkins (0,1,2) = 4 pts Here, the theme of humanity tells us that all is not loss in the today's world. al fresco a bluebottle fly finds the bacon Barbara A Taylor (0,0,4) = 4 pts from the kitchen a scent of coffee overtakes the alarm clock Orbi (0,0,4) = 4 pts Appealing to the senses both sound and smell at the same time. This is for sure an aha moment. Sixteenth Place – 3 points Rivers of warm syrup flow past islands of butter Yositaka (1,0,0) = 3 pts peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich having Elvis for breakfast Bill Hudson (1,0,0) = 3 pts Snowflakes melt like tears Watching it while she pours tea One cup, this mourning Jennifer Stefanow (0,1,1) = 3 pts rain tea for one this morning, too og_a (0,1,1) = 3 pts blended family our children contend for the Lucky Charms Tom Painting (0,0,3) = 3 pts Morning — another hotel cereal again? Bill Gunter (0,0,3) = 3 pts can top pops... the only time the cat visibly loves me Diane Mayr (0,0,3) = 3 pts golden waffles — maple butter eases square by square Nancy Smith (0,0,3) = 3 pts There is an unhurried ease implied which intimates an enjoyable meal, makes my mouth water. Seventeenth Place – 2 points dawn call echoes drizzling honey over tahini - bliss anonymous (0,1,0) = 2 pts bell attached cheerios on a string breakfast with the birds Ben Gieske (0,1,0) = 2 pts breakfast for supper too heavy for the morning bacon and fried eggs Deirdre Godwin (0,1,0) = 2 pts Tuscany morning crescendos a road side fig tree Stella (0,1,0) = 2 pts Snowed in. Slow breakfast, good tea. Horst Ludwig (0,1,0) = 2 pts it's already a late noon — forgotten breakfast is now my lunch Juhani Tikkanen (0,1,0) = 2 pts dawn I wake… I rise I brew new tea marco b (0,0,2) = 2 pts early breakfast — my cat sits in a chair and wants me to share Mike Montreuil (0,0,2) = 2 pts outside swirling snow inside stirring the oatmeal whirling white Bridget Cougar (0,0,2) = 2 pts racket in the pantry a mouse having my breakfast Dharma Bum (0,0,2) = 2 pts morning breeze sun-touched clouds in our plates Tanya Dikova (0,0,2) = 2 pts motel breakfast a scouting party of ducks make the rounds J Blain (0,0,2) = 2 pts snowdrops and crocus Kathleen O’Toole (0,0,2) = 2 pts Eighteenth Place – 1 point cornflakes and juice at the crack of dawn Keith A. Simmonds Hot and bitter A cup of tea Begins the day James Sawers table set for one red grapefruit on bone china —whistling garbage man if tepid milk over sugary cheerios slam of a door Garry Eaton eggs milk sugar spice orange squash stir batter fry pumpkin pancakes...yum dragonfly deep winter... suddenly looking forward to porridge! anonymous school day hungry children rush to the cafeteria for breakfast Rose Marie Stutts new egg poacher eating my oatmeal I glare at my old dog Edward sticky from laughter we peel back the skin of another orange Ron Moss two coffee for breakfast … all alone Reza creaming coffee — a dash of vanilla added for panache gillena cox Streams of steam Waving so languidly up Warm tea for breakfast Pat Lammers the dim sun breaks through spreads out a marmalade morning Jon Espen Vassbotn tray for his sleepy wife — fruit, toast and eggs newborn wakes yet again Leslie Montgomery fading memories a Christmas tree in my latte Elena Naskova pancake breakfast — the maple syrup glows in the sun anonymous crack! go gathered nuts stored blueberries thaw in fresh yoghurt gourdman power cut — such a yearning for tea anonymous potpourri breakfast on the plate lavender and anise cookies Walter Franceschi No points this time, sorry break — fast on water as the newly chicks ate my toast Daniela Bullas, UK the same breakfast the globetrotter eats unknown pleasures Erik Boye Eggs fry in skillet Elegant graceful flip — oops That one's for the dog. Geoffrey A. Landis I smile as butter and maple syrup melt into the pancakes Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black late for breakfast he breezes through the doors _kala yellow octopus in grandson's cereal bowl... sliced banana Elinor Pihl Huggett a vicious waking but breakfast aroma helps mmm what a morning matt behan leftover chicken: breakfast for the weary, cold fingerfood, hot tea Sandy Friedlander Each morning a pure yellow feast. Bananas. Trevor Camp A cup of morning coffee steaming into a brooding face bushra naqi first thought hot coffee or a stiff drink what I did last night Judith Gorgone Early morning black coffee and a pill Ralf Broker, Germany toast and hot chocolate a little melted butter floats on the surface DeVar morning sun — a child billowing smoke from a tinsel tea cup Yamame sugarless tea my brother keeps off — a cold morning Antony Njoroge raspberry syrup on Mickey Mouse pancakes breakfast alone Barbara Snow poached or boiled, my dear ? for a change, fried please. poached or boiled, my darling ? James Dobson Christmas holiday sweet bread and black coffee- breakfast for two oana posnaies Big family at breakfast — around the table 12 angry men Petru-Ioan Garda Winter daybreak — the black tomcat eating a titmouse Miorita Shiny new kettle: Lizard doing his morning press-ups ponders his image Sheila K. Barskdale weekend morning french toast, sausage and coffee erase jangled nerves Hazel thumping winter rain — steaming oatmeal, warm coat and gloves John Hubbard

Thank you for participating in the December 2009 Kukai! We will announce the January Call for Submissions on Sunday, January 3, 2010. See you then!

With much appreciation,

The Shiki Kukai Team