The Shiki Monthly Kukai

June 2010 Kukai

Here are the results for the June 2010 Kukai, wherein our Kigo subject was Nakedness and our Free Format subject was Children.

Congratulations to Beth Powell and Diane Mayr, winners of our Kigo section and to Rob Scott, 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.

(2,1,4 = 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 2010 Results
Kigo Theme: Nakedness	Free Format Theme: Children
First Place — 22 Points life drawing the pear shaped curve of a breast Beth Powell (2,5,6) = 22 Points And stifling heat — his mother finally sees the tattoo Diane Mayr (0,7,8) = 22 Points More of an uh-oh moment than an ah-ha moment! Good one. A lovely example of allowing the reader to use some imagination and appreciate the subtle reference to nudity. Second Place  — 18 Points bare foot stirring the whole Milky Way Kurt R. Westley (2,3,6) = 18 Points Third Place  — 17 Points strip dancing the last rose petal off the stem Chuck Welt (1,5,4) = 17 Points I appreciate the way nudity is alluded to through the image of the last petal having fallen from the rose. Fourth Place  — 15 Points bath time grandma's faded rose tattoo Paul Hodder (2,1,7) = 15 Points I've never read an image more wistfully sad and true. Fifth Place — 14 Points sultry noon… just our heartbeats between us Rob Scott (1,0,11) = 14 Points A lovely juxtaposition of images, giving us the heat of passion and a subtle reference to nudity. topless beach trying not to stare at her tattoo Roberta Beary (0,4,6) = 14 Points A most elegant twist. Sixth Place — 13 Points barefoot on the roof — the full moon as it is Israel Lopez Balan (2,2,3) = 13 Points I never viewed the night sky as being in all its naked glory until I read this haiku. The unveiled mystery in such a small poem. Freezing breeze — the nakedness of my old bones Juhani Tikkanen (1,4,2) = 13 Points Hardly a "summer kigo," as the instructions suggested, but an imaginative variation. sunshine I count the freckles on her naked shoulder Gabriel Sawicki (0,1,11) = 13 Points Seventh Place  — 12 Points new baby a bit slippery in the bubbles Barbara Snow (2,0,6) = 12 Points after... her scent lingers on me Jacek M. (0,3,6) = 12 Points skinnydipper the Moon swims In the ripples Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black (0,1,10) = 12 Points I really liked the image in this one. I think it might have been even more interesting had it read: skinny dipper swimming in the ripples the moon Eighth Place  — 11 Points bright night the smoothness of moonlight between her breasts Rafal Zabratynski (1,2,4) = 11 Points Ninth Place  — 10 Points junemooned waterlilied nightswimmers Jon Espen Vassbotn (0,2,6) = 10 Points Tenth Place  — 9 Points summer hat a young woman reads on a nude beach martin (0,3,3) = 9 Points beach day — changing clothes behind a towel Gryta Wansdronk (0,2,5) = 9 Points Eleventh Place — 7 Points naked boy . . . jumping up and down in the rains Kala Ramesh (1,1,2) = 7 Points The never ending innocence of children. midnight bath — breasts caressed by silver waves Isabelle Prondzynski (0,2,3) = 7 Points midday sun… the clothes-optional beach covered with umbrellas Michele L. Harvey (0,2,3) = 7 Points The middle line was a little cumbersome. I might have just put ‘nudists' beach’. Still, a very vivid haiku. Eminently practical, when you think about it, but funny even so. so hot only the curtain veils the fireflies mechaieh (0,1,5) = 7 Points out of the lake we dry each other — summer moon Carol Raisfeld (0,0,7) = 7 Points Twelfth Place — 6 Points maternity ward — a nurse wipes him into his birthday suit aom (tim) (1,0,3) = 6 Points One of my all time favorites! A fresh look at a familiar phrase. wedding night — slowly she reveals her body Barbara Campitelli (0,2,2) = 6 Points Thirteenth Place — 5 Points nude beach getting the best of me Tom Painting (0,1,3) = 5 Points Very funny! old pond clothes in messy heaps the sound of water maxianne (0,1,3) = 5 Points moonlit lake washes even her goose bumps C.P.Harrison (0,0,5) = 5 Points Fourteenth Place  — 4 Points moonlit beach glistening water-drops adorn nakedness charlie smith (1,0,1) = 4 Points the drowsy murmur of waves... sun warm on my back Cara Holman (0,1,2) = 4 Points my naked garden ~ reminding me... of you Kaylene (0,1,2) = 4 Points dog days — the window dresser takes off the dummies Kaiser (0,1,2) = 4 Points nudist camp — without clothes it's the same conversation Bill Kenney (0,0,4) = 4 Points I'm assuming nudist camps do their biggest business in the summer. There's an allusion/homage in this to a famous (with me, anyway) senryu by John Brandi. Fifteenth Place  — 3 Points the nudity multiplies infinitely — a mirror bathroom Narayanan Raghunathan (0,1,1) = 3 Points shedding all sheathed in sheer moonlight under the stars Ben Gieske (0,1,1) = 3 Points moon-lit sea — bathing in the nude a black girl natalia kuznetsova (0,1,1) = 3 Points summer evening — she extends her limbs to rinse in the lamplight Alegria (0,0,3) = 3 Points admiring Rubens' Three Graces she finally exhales Terri L. French (0,0,3) = 3 Points I like this very much, except for its line arrangement. I would have at least arranged it this way: admiring Rubens' Three Graces, she finally exhales. The arts always captivate. a women's glove next to a dandelion still in bloom Svend A. Doggfall (0,0,3) = 3 Points toddlers in a tub checking out equipment Donna Bauerly (0,0,3) = 3 Points hospital gown sense of nakedness magnified Frances McCarthy (0,0,3) = 3 Points phosphorescence skinny dipping under the stars Elaine Riddell (0,0,3) = 3 Points Sixteenth Place — 2 Points waking the mountains laughing at my modesty against natures nakedness Bill Hudson (0,1,0) = 2 Points Early spring, birds without shelter. Tall bare trees. Trevor Camp (0,1,0) = 2 Points the squeals of a skinny-dipper midnight moon anonymous (0,1,0) = 2 Points boys in old swimming hole girls sneak up and steal their clothes Jim Applegate (0,0,2) = 2 Points I remember a friend and i went to what we thought was a private swimming hole and had this happen (many years ago). farm mud fishing for her yellow boots barefoot andrea (0,0,2) = 2 Points how we feel naked in moonlight jellyfish Francine Banwarth (0,0,2) = 2 Points backyard hot tub the wrinkles and stretch marks go unnoticed Edward (0,0,2) = 2 Points sweat around my belly I wish I was pretty just to please her Ralf Bröker (0,0,2) = 2 Points skinny dipping  — unable to go past that point DeVar (0,0,2) = 2 Points I like the teasing ambiguity. Skinny-dipping  — some little fish nibble at our bodies. anonymous (0,0,2) = 2 Points Seventeenth Place — 1 point snakelock anemone — a nudist regrets for his swimming suit Tomislav white butts stark against deep suntans boys catch crayfish if hospital gown . . . where in !&% are the armholes anonymous sea shell wanderer... the only clothed person on the naturist's beach Laurene wind-stripped branches my aged mother keeps wearing the same frayed jacket Harvey Jenkins Nakedness Being Beware-Summer's heat has seized Arctic winds now sneak Carmen H. sun-warm waves — do the dolphins notice our nakedness? Catherine J.S. Lee the flutter as you take it... rainbow trout —iokua our bareness touched softly by moonlit waves Ruth Powell fleeting sneer  — contempt darts through the smiling visage Shyam Prasad colossal melon angled arms try to cope with its bare roundness Sheila K. Barksdale summer evening party, run naked thru the sprinkler...$5 No? $10...$15! John Hubbard No Points this time, sorry. stones at the window — my son's smile my nakedness john McDonald She goes out into sultry heat — feeding time R.K. Singh Sun, ice-creams and sea; More tourists than locals here... A Maltese summer! Tanja Cilia All the summer roads to save from blasting sun strokes embraced nudity purush spied upon... I race for my towel hanging on the rocks Barbara A Taylor bathed in afternoon bare feet touch over flowers dandelion wishes Jennifer Stefanow naked and lonely she enjoy shower bath summer morning radhey shiam bikinis up and down the beach... tropical delight Keith A. Simmonds At nine o’clock the sand castle is ready — children without clothes Miorita moonshine — the gently rippling water envelopes us gillena cox unblinking moon — from the bed room window she changes into a nighty Vishnu P Kapoor drenched hollers of shock and joy — skinny dippers anonymous Some topless maidens yet cheering, splashing, and washed away white sea spray Beacon nakedness to the sea — border guard trembling in the post Petru-Ioan Garda wind bells murmur — he shares a bath with his ducks James Dobson mountain lake — mother and daughter in naked og_a sunset swim without her bathing suit — swimming like a dolphin Leslie Montgomery personal summers open the upright freezer to cool all my skin Hazel sweaters packed away — the thin skirt clings to my legs Marylouise Knight a goldfinch charging strings of naked notes disappearing Stella barely visible ripples on the reservoir when we skinny- dip Amicus skinny dipping . . . "I can't be the second one in, too." Bill Pauly	First Place  — 23 Points rain… the floor awash with toys Rob Scott (2,4,9) = 23 Points Simple, yet elegant, with 'awash' turning this one into a winner. Second Place  — 21 Points quiet breakfast — faint height marks on the wall James Dobson (1,7,4) = 21 Points And carousel she tells the unicorn to giddyap Ellen Compton (1,4,10) = 21 Points Third Place  — 16 Points changing weather my son renames his chameleon Francine Banwarth (1,3,7) = 16 Points Love this one! There is change in every line! Change in every line. I knew as this haiku came off the printer that it was going to be a "keeper" on my list. So clear & fluid. Fourth Place — 15 Points jungle gym children at every angle Tom Painting (0,2,11) = 15 Points A strong visual image. Fifth Place — 14 Points fifth birthday party — the oak adds another ring Cara Holman (1,2,7) = 14 Points A subtle yet effective haiku, both the tree and the child sharing a birthday, so to speak! Sixth Place — 13 Points cherry popsicles a mother spit-washes her child's face Terri L. French (0,1,11) = 13 Points Like "September morning" below, an excellent haiku that is more about parents than children. Seventh Place — 12 Points September morning — I try on my son`s school bag Jacek M. (1,1,7) = 12 Points An excellent haiku, even though it is more about parents than children. honeysuckle breeze . . . a whiff of the children we used to be Catherine J.S. Lee (1,1,7) = 12 Points A lovely way to bring back childhood without using the word 'memories'. 'honeysuckle breeze' is one of my favorite fragments and risks overuse but the phrase portion carries well—ah me, yes, "the children we used to be"—a sense of time, shared history, and an intimation that "we" have not forgotten how to play. Eighth Place — 11 Points Chinese restaurant we order pu pu platter to hear our kids laugh Amicus (1,1,6) = 11 Points This brings me back to when my kids were little and I did anything to make them laugh just so I could enjoy the sound. I guess I'm a kid at heart; I laughed. light rain — the faint marks of hop scotch Caleb Mutua (0,3,5) = 11 Points Ninth Place — 10 Points a red crayon rolls across the floor shared custody Roberta Beary (0,2,6) = 10 Points I can see that crayon rolling as the child leaves one parent to go to another. Poignant and sad. Tenth Place — 9 Points recess ends — the silence of the playground Ruth Powell (0,3,3) = 9 Points A silence unlike any other; well caught. rainy day: even the sock monkey is accused of cheating — Kurt R. Westley (0,1,7) = 9 Points This one made me laugh out loud. Typical rainy day frustration. Not sure why the cutting dash at the end of L3 but this surely captures it for me. It's a tad on the tell side but innocuously. Eleventh Place — 8 Points summer wind — mother, daughter and doll with the same hairstyle Israel Lopez Balan (0,2,4) = 8 Points yellow gum boots — a splash dance in every puddle DeVar (0,1,6) = 8 Points Twelfth Place — 7 Points tenth birthday — she asks a diary for her secrets Gryta Wansdronk (0,3,1) = 7 Points cloudy afternoon — a muddy teddy bear on the lawn Gloria Kerubo (0,2,3) = 7 Points siesta time . . . street children huddle around with cigarette butts Kala Ramesh (0,1,5) = 7 Points grandma forgets to put the scissors away  — his first haircut Diane Mayr (0,1,5) = 7 Points Very, very funny and everyone has this dilemma. Thirteenth Place — 6 Points My little one with his dandelion... roses can wait. Zhanna P. Rader (0,1,4) = 6 Points news of the day she decides to have children anyway Bill Pauly (0,1,4) = 6 Points Fourteenth Place — 5 Points first biology lesson no matter where she sits  — the skeleton Paul Hodder (0,1,3) = 5 Points first frost my tears for the child born too soon Liz Rule (0,1,3) = 5 Points Very poignant and I’m sorry for your loss. A poignant haiku, with not a trace of sentimentality, but with a great juxtaposition of images. little boy's bath — he names all the things that float Susan Constable (0,0,5) = 5 Points A loving moment. I like how focused this haiku is. Fifteenth Place — 4 Points paper boat dances on waves children laugh with joy Radhey Shiam (0,2,0) = 4 Points Backyard sandbox — Green elm leaves shadow A rusting toy truck Old Grayhouse (0,1,2) = 4 Points mysteries of sidewalk chalk summer glyphs Ann K. Schwader (0,1,2) = 4 Points stubborn as the weeds they'll outgrow mechaieh (0,1,2) = 4 Points chilly afternoon — she tries to imitate her dad's loud whistle Hussein Haji (0,1,2) = 4 Points armistice — children playing hide-and-seek among ruins Kaiser (0,0,4) = 4 Points This is so natural an observation that it doesn't feel contrived. Perhaps because I recently saw children climbing on our town's 9/11 memorial and experienced a distressed chill before realizing they were children and children live in the moment. Sixteenth Place — 3 Points endless crying — the maid returns the baby to her mother Kelvin Mukoselo (1,0,0) = 3 Points puddle plashing shoes in their pockets — dad and two-year-old if (0,1,1) = 3 Points handicapped outing — children's' laughter drowning out the thunder John McDonald (0,1,1) = 3 Points a newborn baby future looks at me from the bassinet Harvey Jenkins (0,1,1) = 3 Points some children playing football — the warm rain og_a (0,1,1) = 3 Points new rainy shoes; my daughter asks will it rain today? Chitra Rajappa (0,1,1) = 3 Points Father's Day — in the coffin sheen, my face my sister's face aom (tim) (0,1,1) = 3 Points CARE poster the coat-hanger arms of hungry children Barbara Snow (0,0,3) = 3 Points Biafra — children worshiping the white saints Petru-Ioan Garda (0,0,3) = 3 Points hot air balloons the child more interested in a dog Elaine Riddell (0,0,3) = 3 Points Seventeenth Place  — 2 Points children play on the twilight sky — a fragrant breeze Narayanan Raghunathan (0,1,0) = 2 Points the child’s smooth face — desperately trying to butterfly kiss C.P.Harrison (0,1,0) = 2 Points a child’s morning hug — I have not yet finished living! Isabelle Prondzynski (0,1,0) = 2 Points stillness... the stone buddha's heavy lids  — iokua (0,1,0) = 2 Points twilight children squeal with delight and chase fireflies Hazel (0,1,0) = 2 Points his swift boats flying fast and furious the length of the tub maxianne berger (0,0,2) = 2 Points with his balloon — soaring over the rooftops Barbara Campitelli (0,0,2) = 2 Points moon rise — children crowd over snail in little girl’s palm Alegria (0,0,2) = 2 Points A lovely scene of childhood wonder. summer the boys still barefoot at noon jennie townsend (0,0,2) = 2 Points the paper route — a small hand collects the coins gillena cox (0,0,2) = 2 Points rock pool magic children spellbound by a miniscule sea Frances McCarthy (0,0,2) = 2 Points child's delight hopscotching flashing fireflies Ben Gieske (0,0,2) = 2 Points quick draw artist his geese fly across the bedroom wall Edward (0,0,2) = 2 Points break time — children chasing butterflies across the field Antony Mwangi (0,0,2) = 2 Points stained clothes — children moulding dolls from mud Faith Atieno (0,0,2) = 2 Points How beautiful and it should get more points than I’m allowed to give but I give it 1 point. tap tap tap — two boys knock marbles during a prayer Isaac Ndirangu (0,0,2) = 2 Points Eighteenth Place — 1 Point smelling of talcum  — Or splattered with chocolate sauce... All too soon, they're gone. Tanja Cilia childhood — sweet cherries and an ice tea Alex Serban express not in words All your thoughts and ideas simply smile at us purush generosity... a little girl shares ice cream with her dog Barbara A Taylor longest day the laughter of children chasing pigeons Bill Kenney saturday's parade swashbucklers and mermaids pirate with a pacifier Bill Hudson nine years already too cute for playing games but pushing the pram Beacon Baking summer sun toddler dives into paddling pool splish, splash, belly flop! Mark Lonergan four grown men still little boys in my heart — family reunion Marylouise Knight all our children gone the way of butterflies flickering from sight Michael McClintock grown-up children — it hurts to go back to being man from superman Shyam Prasad proudly watching children's' first flight — a mother-crow Juhani Tikkanen not speaking- busy fitting chestnuts back into their husks- stepsisters Sheila K. Barksdale 5.4 centimeters 120 beats per minute — finally, a grandchild! John Hubbard How true!! in a trance the little boy dances to his father's tune Stella No Points this time, sorry. Beware of the dog!  — a collie in the courtyard playing with children Tomislav Parents pelt stones at the mating street dogs — nosey children R.K. Singh shrieks and squawks ice cubes in birdbath children chillin’ anonymous innocently wise young souls dance in laughter Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black jubilant voices blowing upon the wind... children in the park Keith A. Simmonds working hard uphill bikes coasting down children laugh in fun Jim Applegate mirth jumping into puddles the smell of rubber Svend A. Doggfall white petals — they fix two on each doll's fluffy ears Catherine Njeri Maina In the cherry tree — some dirty faces and full bellies Miorita stair vigil her sobs tearing even my soles Donna Bauerly awaken by grandson's belly laughs — happiness Kaylene what candy? a crumb of chocolate on his lips Carol Raisfeld first rains : children's shrieks of laughter and frogs' songs Vishnu P Kapoor heat wave talk her kid hoards the snowpeas in the picnic salad Carlos Gesmundo in need of some paint the red wagon and I to cover the rust Michele L. Harvey two little girls sharing their bath — play hair salon Leslie Montgomery chalk creates worlds one is the lookout Ralf Bröker playtime — a kid rolling an old tyre at high speed Stephen Macharia hopscotch — they renew the sandlines after some hops James Bundi games time — three girls skipping rope in the field Anne Wairimu Three children playing in the rain. Baby robins. Trevor Camp soccer field orange t-shirts win the 3-year olds miriam chaikim the frog plops cry for the moon tears slide into the laughter Boris Nazansky ancient grave mound oak my laughing daughter on a swing Jon Espen Vassbotn missing teeth the granddaughter takes the lead Rafal Zabratynski General Comments: Writing (a kigo entry) was a very tough task this time. Voting wasn't. The kigo seems to have been stuck into categories of nude swimming, bathing babies, or vacation delights. As a transplanted Boston Irishman, I only get naked in the shower. And I keep my eyes closed. I wanted to let you know I found 7 very exceptional (Free Format) haiku in this section and it is very hard for me to pick them. I'd liked to have voted for #90 and #91 (Free Format), too, but wanted to put those six points to best use. A commendable absence of cuteness, considering the topic (Free Format).

Thank you for participating in the June 2010 Kukai!

We will announce the July Call for Submissions on Monday, July 5, 2010. See you then!

With much appreciation,

Robert and George

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