The Shiki Monthly Kukai

July 2009 Kukai

Here are the results for the July 2009 Kukai, wherein our Kigo subject was Mold/Mildew and our Free Format subject was Boat/Ship.

Congratulations to Rafal Zabratynski, winner of our Kigo section and to Karen J. McClintock, 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.

June 2009 Results
Kigo Theme: Mold/Mildew	Free Format Theme: Boat/Ship
First Place -- 24 points abandoned house mold adds its pattern to the wallpaper Rafal Zabratynski (1,4,13) = 24 pts Such a common occurrence in old houses! A good observation, clearly and simply written. Second Place -- 23 points garden path the old-forest fragrance of leaf mold Catherine J.S. Lee (2,3,11) = 23 pts thrift store painting a pony dappled with mildew Melissa Spurr (0,7,9) = 23 pts Although I'd be tempted to change the line order and breaks, I love this dappled pony. Third Place -- 22 points summer house— the calligraphy of mildew j cully (2,4,8) = 22 pts Fourth Place -- 21 points morning sun- the delicate peaks of bread mold Agnes Eva Savich (2,4,7) = 21 pts L1 & 2 set this up beautifully, without feeling at all contrived. And mold, especially under a microscope, is incredibly beautiful! Fifth Place -- 19 points moldy cheese - a full moon glows in the fog Darrell (1,5,6) = 19 pts Sixth Place -- 18 points trial separation I dust her roses for powdery mildew Tom Painting (3,1,7) = 18 pts Seventh Place -- 15 points monsoons¬ a row of mold-speckled shoes at the entrance Barbara A Taylor (0,5,5) = 15 pts August vacation the forgotten peaches mold in silence Edward (0,5,5) = 15 pts Eighth Place -- 14 points the mildew stain on the ceiling wedding night Roberta Beary (1,3,5) = 14 pts A haiku so full of so many layers of meaning... of sadness too... but we don't know how the story ends. The third line comes as a real shock. So well composed! cedar shingle mildew the same shade of grey on her hair Audrey Downey (0,5,4) = 14 pts bookbinder’s workshop he brushes a speck of mold from my old Shakespeare Patricia Prime (0,3,8) = 14 pts I like the use of the word speck, to resonate attention to detail. Ninth Place -- 13 points wartime diary the smell of mildew of all my youth Dorota Pyra (1,1,8) = 13 pts Tenth Place -- 12 points hard times cutting the mold off the cheese gourdman (1,0,9) = 12 pts A succinct statement; a direct no nonsense haiku. first argument ~ on the bedroom ceiling a blossom of mold Paul Hodder (0,3,6) = 12 pts Not a good way to end the evening, but I think the juxtaposition is well worth it! Eleventh Place -- 11 points his love for her only the love letters grew old and moldy Bill Hudson (0,3,5) = 11 pts family bible— mildew wafts from the pages my father once turned Penny Harter (0,2,7) = 11 pts Twelfth Place -- 10 points alone now mold on the dishes in the sink Robert Ertman (0,3,4) = 10 pts setting moon . . . white mold dwindles the old potato Mary Davila (0,2,6) = 10 pts Thirteenth Place -- 9 points mildew- those shoes I always threatened to wear Barbara Campitelli (1,1,4) = 9 pts Fourteenth Place -- 8 points chilly dawn golden fungi rising through the leaf mold Elaine Riddell (0,3,2) = 8 pts midlife the rose leaves touched by mildew Beth Powell (0,3,2) = 8 pts leaving the hospital the scent of mildew on the bus seats Diane Mayr (0,2,4) = 8 pts All-Star Game . . . my glove from the cellar musty with mildew Bill Pauly (0,2,4) = 8 pts Spanning time and awakening senses; presenting memories and memorabilia; a good reminiscing haiku. Fifteenth Place -- 7 points Guacamole she tells her mother-in-law — the moldy tortilla Karen J. McClintock (1,1,2) = 7 pts years have passed mold has grown on the lovers' hearts todd eddy (1,0,4) = 7 pts the scent of leaf mold deep in the forest a twig snaps Jennifer Corpe (0,2,3) = 7 pts Nice appeal to the senses; the word 'deep' adds intrigue. Sixteenth Place -- 6 points mildew in the bathhouse scent of chlorine doris Kasson (0,2,2) = 6 pts Seventeenth Place -- 5 points slow mold in the bank- My billfold of ideas grows fat and lazy. C Johanson (1,1,0) = 5 pts Southern hospitality mildew in my shoe Carolyn Coit Dancy (1,0,2) = 5 pts garbage can — the stray dog wolfs the moldy meat Gautam Nadkarni (0,2,1) = 5 pts the foxing on an old print bearded lady Barbara Snow (0,2,1) = 5 pts sixtieth birthday a little mildew forming on the shower tiles Tom Genovese (0,1,3) = 5 pts musty smell from the mildewed pages- I read the book anyway Ellen Romano (0,1,3) = 5 pts table for two- besides a strong espresso a mildew rose oana posnaies (0,1,3) = 5 pts turned daily the ripening wheel of Stilton blue Alan S. Bridges (0,1,3) = 5 pts St. Patrick's Day... a green coat of mold at the back of the fridge Elinor Pihl Huggett (0,0,5) = 5 pts Eighteenth Place -- 4 points sunny memories gawk through a toothless smile of a pale moldy photo Nalini Hebbar (1,0,1) = 4 pts grief stricken hunger dug hand deep rain soaked garbage blossomed musty mould Rajgiri Hebbar (1,0,1) = 4 pts a live kitten . . . the dead soldier's mildewed boot Michael McClintock (0,2,0) = 4 pts camp out we pick the mold off the bread carmel lively westerman (0,1,2) = 4 pts apple molds in blue and gray the academy Garry Eaton (0,1,2) = 4 pts front stoop mildew creeps up the stairs Meggy (0,0,4) = 4 pts summer rain last year's moldy gourds even softer Robin Beshers (0,0,4) = 4 pts Nineteenth Place -- 3 points By my garden gate a whole forest of mold, shadow on gingerbread. mechaieh (0,1,1) = 3 pts Wet and moldy Babbling ditchwater serves As my only companion James Sawers (0,1,1) = 3 pts jungle outpost - the last soldier, mildew in his boots A. Dharma Bum (0,1,1) = 3 pts after the rain - a crack in the moldy wall pushes out a weed gillena (0,1,1) = 3 pts under the banyan mildew in the shape of buttocks Nancy Smith (0,1,1) = 3 pts mildew - the sound in the night of a mosquito ARW (0,1,1) = 3 pts farmer's angst: acres of vineyards in downy mildew Keith A. Simmonds (0,0,3) = 3 pts This line 1 is a winner. summer house mildew and silverfish run riot Ruth Powell (0,0,3) = 3 pts the ex-wives— he scrapes some mold off the cheese DeVar (0,0,3) = 3 pts Twentieth Place -- 2 points downy mildew... devastation on the african farm anonymous (0,1,0) = 2 pts father's garden mould works in my hand Ralf Broker (0,1,0) = 2 pts morning heat- the mold on my tea bag is snow-white Jacek M. (0,1,0) = 2 pts Cobwebs, dry rot, mould; A house where there's no laughter And dark shadows lurk. Tanja Cilia (0,0,2) = 2 pts her mind mildewed with thought so many years Ben Gieske (0,0,2) = 2 pts December warmth circling the bird feeder bottom green mold Bruce Ross (0,0,2) = 2 pts dirty light— the mildew climbs the stairs Nelson (0,0,2) = 2 pts mold on the stilton mother's pallor as she removes Dad's socks Terra Martin (0,0,2) = 2 pts summer again— on the patio cushions that black mildew Mary Lee McClure (0,0,2) = 2 pts a child's wonder! molds viewed... with a microscope Rose Marie Stutts (0,0,2) = 2 pts Twenty-First Place -- 1 point in my son's gym bag forgotten socks and the smell of moldy cheese Terri French dusty rose presents "powdery mildew" this month. white fungi drama. dragonfly aging bathtub our failing marriage neglect and mildew if mildew on my shoes… did i walk on clouds? nirukoba molds. . . an overnight design on my wall anonymous that summer night- rendering to the mold our love and trust natalia kuznetsova so much more than the mushroom tones of her brand new bikini Lin Geary crippled child - the moldy bread is tasty, too. Rita Odeh visit with great grandma the kids dissect bleu from the cheese Joyce Clement mildew parchment - ancient history buried in a grave Virginia Popescu in his ancient desk mold grows on his last will— she gets everything John Daleiden Odor of summer mold blackens the cellar stairs— horror film dungeons Carl Brennan Deserted building - on memories and the walls climbs up the mildew Ioan Marinescu-Puiu admiring the mold patterns on the aquarium glass Meredith Cavalieri no points this time, sorry Smelling of Death & powdery mildew. . . The roadside IED Ed Higgins the sky painted blue inviting me, to look at the leprosy wall Purush Fall’s dusty apple crop lost to silver mildew bane Podosphaera lencotricha Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black laying scrappings of windowsill mold in my garden Bhalachandra a simple mold's light - variable trichia's shining gold Merrill Ann Gonzales Genuine Swiss cheese smuggled in successfully with molded conscience Horst feeding on mildew a ladybug – a spider and a bird come one after another Daniela Bullas old rusted surfaces mold piles ___time to leave Bushra Naqi feeding on powdery mildew an orange ladybird Andre Surridge in between bath tiles black mold disappears - hands cleaned from neglect Mike Montreuil the mold in the corner- I’ll put up for auction the only picture I have Nelu Garda Aspergillus mold so vital for the new year season of soy sauce Deirdre Godwin summer dumpster dive penicillium on blue cheese provides familiar flavor Harvey Jenkins perfect dinner party silent mildew creeps beneath the sink Frances McCarthy House for sale. We check the basement. Blue green mould. Trevor Camp. on the grave - mold stains the shells from that wonderful day Jon Espen Vassbotn fine harvest of nuts aspergillus flavous black back to the earth eric the mildew in icebox - pale track after ring attracts look Krzysztof cleaning old machine cool purple and green mold as I lift the bottom Hazel bright morning green in the garden white with mildew Betty Kaplan my best painting left in the basement— mold creeps up the frame Marylouise Knight air stills mold bookish priest Stella traces of mold on her photograph- gone six months sanjukta rainy evening – the walls of grandpa’s house loaded by mildew Miorita empty house closed with four sides mold Lech Szeglowski after the mold and saddle soap polish— my old shoes anonymous beach resort— a mold-shaped mouse on the gluetrap anonymous	First Place -- 32 pts in the shipwreck a china doll with open eyes Karen J. McClintock (3,5,13) = 32 pts I like the surprise in Line 3. A doll is skillfully used here to help us imagine the fear onboard. Good job! This one is extraordinary: resonant, evocative, minimal to good effect. The haunting image lingers in my mind. Second Place -- 29 pts show and tell for the AA meeting — ship in a bottle — andrea (4,3,9) = 27 pts This gave me a chuckle. Third Place -- 24 pts evening hush a kayak parts the duckweed Susan Constable (2,4,10) = 24 pts Fourth Place -- 20 pts moonlit marina the boats lightly rub against each other Rafal Zabratynski (0,5,10) = 20 pts Fifth Place -- 19 pts unzipping the world in two a ship's wake Dejan Pavlinovic (1,5,6) = 19 pts Sixth Place -- 18 pts my rowboat adrift in the blues summer's end Tom Painting (1,4,7) = 18 pts Seventh Place -- 17 pts after Katrina a pirogue weaves down Bourbon Street Alan S. Bridges (1,3,8) = 17 pts Eighth Place -- 16 pts going home all the gulls follow the fishing boat Bruce Ross (1,2,9) = 16 pts Ninth Place -- 15 pts the silence after stowing oars- boat in mist Agnes Eva Savich (0,3,9) = 15 pts Tenth Place -- 14 pts hauled into the boat the slap slap slap of a salmon Andre Surridge (1,4,3) = 14 pts I like the alliteration in this one. autumn sea . . . a sail sways among the whitecaps Darrell (1,2,7) = 14 pts her name on a moored boat summer ends Petar Tchouhov (0,2,10) = 14 pts Ah . . . perhaps not just the summer has ended. The touch of mystery is interesting. Eleventh Place -- 12 pts summer night a freighter’s horn lengthens through the fog Catherine J.S. Lee (1,2,5) = 12 pts L2 with 'lengthens' at the end helps us hear what the poet heard. Twelfth Place -- 11 pts leaky boat - just you and me and the river Marianna Monaco (1,2,4) = 11 pts a fishing boat rambling upon the sea towed by the moon Keith A. Simmonds (0,4,3) = 11 pts Thirteenth Place -- 10 pts the ferry’s wake amidst a swirl of city lights her scribbled number John Thompson (0,2,6) = 10 pts Fourteenth Place -- 9 pts beach panhandler the ribs of a wrecked ship jut from the sand Melissa Spurr (0,2,5) = 9 pts goodbyes said . . . tasting salt in the boat's wake Ellen Compton (0,2,5) = 9 pts Fifteenth Place -- 8 pts a lone white sail breaching the horizon . . . . then another Ed Higgins (1,1,3) = 8 pts slipknot the red rowboat carried out by the tide Meredith Cavalieri (0,1,6) = 8 pts Sixteenth Place -- 7 pts ...when our ship comes in... a family built on decades of hope Merrill Ann Gonzales (2,0,1) = 7 pts I thought this was philosophical, abiding, and interestingly written. calla lilies a crone rows a skiff around the lake Carolyn Hall (1,0,4) = 7 pts waving goodbye ~ the ship's widening wake Paul Hodder (0,2,3) = 7 pts A very well observed scene, which also brings out the feelings of sadness as one watches others leave on a ship. summer still-life she colors the rusted boat purple Devika (0,2,3) = 7 pts alone on the beach watching a ship disappear into nothingness natalia kuznetsova (0,1,5) = 7 pts waterline . . . boats tilting toward open sea Patrick M. Pilarski (0,1,5) = 7 pts Seventeenth Place -- 6 pts rippling pond paddle boats swish by the water lily Frances McCarthy (1,0,3) = 6 pts crashing waves- the warship now a coral reef A. Dharma Bum (0,0,6) = 6 pts Eighteenth Place -- 5 pts boating dock - the anchor holds broken rope Alexander "Lex" Joy (0,1,3) = 5 pts overturned boat, drawn high on the shore – drumming of rain Tomislav (0,1,3) = 5 pts A lovely watery haiku. I particularly like the word "drumming" here, as it shows how ample the rainfall is. a boat rides on a river – hitchhiking on my shoulder a butterfly Daniela Bullas (0,0,5) = 5 pts shimmering moonlight tethered boats rocking with the stars Ben Gieske (0,0,5) = 5 pts waiting for the wind- the next paper boat sails into the sunset Jacek M. (0,0,5) = 5 pts morning mist a departing boat betrayed by its mast Tom Genovese (0,0,5) = 5 pts Nineteenth Place -- 4 pts Cape Cod June— in the sun all the boats are new Marylouise Knight (1,0,1) = 4 pts laughter— tiny boats float in the kiddie pool Meggy (0,1,2) = 4 pts origami ship drifts downstream crescent moon Terra Martin (0,1,2) = 4 pts a red kayak dipping into the rapids water ouzel Barbara Snow (0,1,2) = 4 pts Nile wind fills the felucca’s sail time travel Ann K. Schwader (0,1,2) = 4 pts Charred boats on the shore. I, too, have to continue my journey. Horst Ludwig (0,0,4) = 4 pts rock pool reflections of rippled light inside the shipwreck Elaine RIddell (0,0,4) = 4 pts Twentieth Place -- 3 pts we say, "I do" in the cruse ship chapel gardenia scent John Daleiden (1,0,0) = 3 pts there is no-one but footprints on the beach from the ship wreck Washi (0,1,1) = 3 pts iron jaws open to swallow the next ship... Soo Locks Elinor Pihl Huggett (0,1,1) = 3 pts after the storm an empty boat floats towards the beach D.V. Rozic (0,1,1) = 3 pts fireworks ended — red and green lights return to the harbor Deanna Tiefenthal (0,1,1) = 3 pts goose bumps . . . a pirate ship drifts in the shallows Jennifer Corpe (0,1,1) = 3 pts ocean voyage- the ship heading for a double rainbow Barbara Campitelli (0,0,3) = 3 pts sailing halfway down the drainpipe his toy boat doris kasson (0,0,3) = 3 pts sail boats line up to enter the harbour - we leave with the sun Mike Montreuil (0,0,3) = 3 pts his new boat the “Swan Song” Carolyn Coit Dancy (0,0,3) = 3 pts howling night winds. . . a catamaran arrives on a wave _kala (0,0,3) = 3 pts We're left to fill in the story for ourselves: did the boat come in with, or without, its passengers onboard? Nicely done. canoe moves slowly in circles she doesn't get it Diane Mayr (0,0,3) = 3 pts shipwreck - on the waves only a bottle Virginia Popescu (0,0,3) = 3 pts Twenty-First Place -- 2 pts 4th of July sailboats, motorboats, rowboats all standing still in the harbor anonymous (0,1,0) = 2 pts I like the festivity, the rhythm, repetition of Lines 1&2 set against the stillness in Line3. canal boat painted on its cabin doors roses & castles Patricia Prime (0,1,0) = 2 pts the sunfish glides and swerves against the swaying rhythmic wind idle fisherman watch Jeanne Fiedler (0,1,0) = 2 pts ship leaving the harbour- my heart in resonance with the welter Nelu Garda (0,1,0) = 2 pts nutshell boat a little boy blows on used ticket Dorota Pyra (0,1,0) = 2 pts Shipshape boat Always at anchor Old captain Mary E. Gray (0,1,0) = 2 pts sailing ships two boys wait for the neighbors sprinklers anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 pts summer breeze – the bobbing boats on the river Gautam Nadkarni (0,0,2) = 2 pts long boat ride the rocking motion of my childhood bed anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 pts moonlit beach tracks leading up to coracles Garry Eaton (0,0,2) = 2 pts against the north wind— so many questions on board Ralf Broker (0,0,2) = 2 pts Admiral of the fleet on his mahogany desk his first toy boat Edward (0,0,2) = 2 pts setting day the priest up early to bless the fleet Beth Powell (0,0,2) = 2 pts from the rowboat Nana and I feed swans one last time Chandra Bales (0,0,2) = 2 pts once a musician, the businessman names his sailboat Allegro Ellen Romano (0,0,2) = 2 pts daybreak . . . a splash of white behind the whale watching boat anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 pts sunbathers- alongside us two upturned boats sanjukta (0,0,2) = 2 pts under tow our captain finding the shore a bit drunk Lin Geary (0,0,2) = 2 pts Twenty-Second Place -- 1 pt cry of the deer . . . a boat rounds the island wreathed in haze Michael McClintock meditation preventing him full absorption his leaky boat Bill Hudson Crescent moon sails on a starry boat cloud across Summer’s sky Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black harbored in a driveway for years, the boat suddenly wet from drainage water Bhalachandra rowing a boat on the sea— where are the footprints? nirukoba if my boat in these waves capsizes.... Ruth Powell sailing races an old moored boat waves in a bay Mariusz O. sex sex sex is that all you have in mind — the squeaking boat Kameshwar Rao Ship plays accordion. Fish d a n c e waltz Daniel Mohorovic boarding our ship at our journey’s last port — summer dusk anonymous draught- ship in a bottle sets sail Iga our whispers nose to nose canoes in still water Joyce Clement serene summer dusk a white moth flies in and out of the bum boat oana posnaies middle of the lake no wind in the sails— dog jumps ship anonymous my rowboat's waves don't reach the shore— loons on the lake DeVar doldrums— the sail slaps with the first of the wind anonymous The boat is searching for another religion among the waves Ioan Marinescu-Puiu in ebb tide the skeleton of a ship building dreams Anonymous songs of the sea— a young boy's sailboat safe in dad's hands Ron Moss after the rain floating leaf boats with the neighbors kids Rose Marie Stutts no points this time, sorry Caught in a maelstrom The boat becomes but matchsticks - All the crew is lost. Tanja Cilia Naval cadets master the waves in Peacock Bay— pelicans on boat R.K. Singh house sold for a 40 foot cruiser— named "Luna Sea" Terri French in summer noon sun cruiser trip on charles cooled my heart and mind Purush Climbing the sides Slosh of gentle waves Ships at anchor James Sawers curtains are drawn... scraggly weeds grown tall now her ship's come in Barbara A Taylor sailboat marina clouds brood o’er and under October dawn if I stand on the pier waiting. "Feel free," he said easily, "come aboard." Corri Johanson the billows rise rocking a cradle ___on an angry sea Bushra Naqi Logos lights twinkle - eager book buyers aboard at night gillena sea at dawn— a black sail silhouette on the horizon Derwisz solitary sentinel watching over nesting grounds as the ferry docks Deirdre Godwin beached sailboat water fowl busy enjoying low tide Harvey Jenkins gray boat bright water trout mechaieh ship in storm— I'm under lock and key in my cabin Nelson lake superior waves crash the ship's stern sailor's eternal sleep todd eddy West wind blows, the ketch sails billow. Bright blocked sun. Trevor Camp pursue with passion that which floats your boat and fills your sails eric boat in rushes- broken oar a duck is gnawing Krzysztof out in a rowboat on the lake of your childhood we pull at the oars Penny Harter echoed by the water — laughter and music from the loading party boat Mary Lee McClure fog wrapped your smile as you pushed my boat out Jon Espen Vassbotn vaca tomorrow packing extra Dramamine for day boat trip Hazel Saturday morning the boats from the marina playing on the lake Betty Kaplan war ship - the sailor is shouting torpedo! Andrzej Dembonczyk divorce talk- that boat is still persecuted by the storm Rita Odeh oil tanker the effortless arc of dolphins ride its wake anonymous the laker steaming out of Duluth its wake of stars through whitecaps Bill Pauly chair? boat? benzene molecule oscillates Stella misty daybreak – on the port Mangalia only a boat Miorita moonlit boat the old sailor treads her holey shadow Lech Szeglowski as far west as I can go... sails black against the setting sun j cully separated that lack of a boat the greener shore gourdman General Comments: This is always fun, thank you! As usual the haiku were very difficult to pick from. They are all so well written and evoke lasting impressions. A hard choice this time, made only slightly easier by ruling out the haiku which did not use "mold" or "mildew" as a genuine kigo. This theme seemed to produce a fair number of desk haiku and some picture book scenes a bit too twee for haiku. There still remained excellent haiku to take the points!

Thank you for participating in the July 2009 Kukai! We will be posting the August Call for Submissions on Sunday, August 2. See you then!

With much appreciation,

The Shiki Kukai Team

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