1st Place


wreckers yard
a ghetto blaster
comes to life

Ernest Berry



2nd Place


hunger moon -
the words
i meant to say

Roberta Beary



3rd Place


Rain -
Spider
on a leaf boat

Joe McFadden



red leafed bramble
grips the ankle-
bloody rivulet

Hazel Newman



slowly filling
black pepper grinder
- first snow

Maeve O'Sullivan



4th Place


your quiet breathing
long before dawn
the roaring wind

Kim Richardson



Also got points:


Plated waves
Of hammered silver
Pan the shelving beach

Neville Keery




a light snow -
the garden melting through

Harry Bradley




4 a.m.
the sofabed's
iron bar

Roberta Beary



crosses on the skyline
bodies down deep
spirits freely wandering

Hazel Newman



waxing moon
peeping out between clouds –
mid-January blues

Mave O'Sullivan




Calm sea,
cormorants
on rocks

Joe McFadden




november gale
terrifying the roses-
i take them in

Marian Neary Burke




convent chapel vespers
the nuns' clear voices
December gale

Kim Richardson



on a damp park bench
this chill morning
whose folded blanket?

Kim Richardson




COMMENTS


Why I gave 5 points to:  HAIKU #5

THE LINKED IMAGERY OF RED LEAF AND BLOOD APPEALS. NATURE IS EVOKED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.



Why I gave 5 points to:  HAIKU # 6

This haiku made me catch my breath. In some way this defines a haiku that 'works' for me - the involuntary gasp as the heart is touched and 'opened'.
I'm not sure I can explain how this is achieved. Technically, one could say this haiku has a number of classic elements: a good example of the 3rd, 'cutting', line; clear, contrasting imagery: the contrast between the 'black pepper' and the (implied) white of the snow; and  'wabi / sabi'  carried by the domestic image of filling the grinder contrasted with the impending cold of winter implied by 'first snow'.
All this explanation is leaden, however, beside the clear, delicate image itself.
One suggestion: I'd invite the poet to consider putting a short word - 'the' or 'my', or 'our' - in front of the pepper grinder.
Usually 'shorter is better' but in this case 'my' or 'our' for example, could give this haiku even greater power
by bringing the experience deeper into the personal.


Why I gave 5 points to:  HAIKU # 12:  

I gave top marks to this haiku because of the simplicity of its imagery and the effectiveness of the stark contrast between the "wreckers' yard" in line one,
where destruction takes place, and the sudden sound of "a ghetto blaster" in line two "coming to life" in line three.
I can see it, I can hear it, and I feel like I've been transported right over there right here and right now!


#12 shows visual and then, augmenting that, audial imagery---shows a definite, concrete particualr scene which,
while being itself, at the same time points to larger phenomena: here is  a place of cast-offs that points, beyond iself, to others around the world.
The visual scene--at first soundless-is further "wrecked" by the blast of noise coming from a source (radio station, CD manufacturer) outside: thus a reciprocating action, pointing from inside out, and pointing from outside in is set up.


I gave five points to no 26 because of the hope and colour I saw in this haiku..



REVIEWS


# 1 - not easy 2 tell a story in 7 syllables but this succeeds nicely.......


#12 - The juxtaposition between wrecking and life is striking but the haiku lacks the "nature" dimension of the classical haiku and the punctuation is faulty.


#21 - 9-syl story without waste - well done!


My review for Haiku #32
I saw such beauty and simplicity in this haiku.
the image gave me the feeling I get when I look at the moon.
Just a suggestion below.
 
mid january blues-
waxing moon
peeping out between clouds


#42 - something we all relate to - could profit from pruning of:  'your, long, the" - otherwise fine senryu
 


My review for Haiku # 23:

I think that this three-liner is a lovely evocative short poem.
However, I would question whether it is indeed a haiku in its current state!  "my tears / a frozen river / this winter" uses beautiful language to create a mood of sadness, cold, pain and isolation. But, for me at least, it doesn't share one single moment with us, something which is a prerequisite for any haiku.
I wonder if even one or two small-ish changes were made, could it become a haiku, albeit a "metaphorical" one? (but let's not go there!!), for instance:

my tears
a river (or stream?)
this winter morning

You might even try another adjective in line 2 besides "frozen" - any suggestions?