114

RESULTS OF THE 2017 ANNIVERSARY KUKAI



Poems remain the copyright of individual writers

Players: 1. Ana Drobot, Romania; 2. Dan Iulian, Romania; 3.Keith A. Simmonds, France; 4. Precious Oboh, Nigeria; 5. Stella Pierides, UK; 6 Vasile Moldovan, Romania; 7. Krzysztof Kokot, Poland; 8. Rebecca Sanchez; 9. Devin Harrison, Canada; 10. Christina Sng, Singapore; 11. Jim Force, Canada; 12. Cara Holman, USA; 13. Justice Joseph Prah, Ghana; 14. Christine L. Villa; 15. Adjei Agyei-Baah, Ghana; 16. Anthony Q. Rabang, Philippines ; 17. Madhuri Pillai; Australia; 18. Cezar-Florin Ciobîcă, Romania


FIRST PLACE

15
hilltop
a monk empties his thoughts
into the rising sun
--Adjei Agyei-Baah (Ghana)
VOTES: 333*** SCORE: 18
COMMENTS:


SECOND PLACE

10
spring retreat
I disappear into
my bonsai forest
--Christina Sng, Singapore
VOTES: 332*** SCORE: 15
COMMENTS:


THIRD PLACE

14
ripples recede
with all my regrets . . .
riverside retreat
--Christine L. Villa
VOTES: 5*2*** SCORE: 11
COMMENTS: I like the display of water (ripples) as a therapeutic balm in the above piece. Indeed, most people have often taken to swimming as a way of dulling stress and rubbing out “regrets” as a way of finding inner peace. Hence the poet at this point in time will certainly right in his thought and composition.


RESULTS CONTINUES

1
monastic retreat -
reminding of my touchscreen
the lake's surface
--Ana Drobot, Bucharest, Romania
VOTES: *1**** SCORE: 02
COMMENTS:


2
seven-star comfort-
from the fir bough shelter
looking at Ursa Major
--Dan Iulian, Bucharest-Romania
VOTES: 11**** SCORE: 03
COMMENTS:


3
The inner sanctum
where I embrace the Passion …
a meditation
--Keith A. Simmonds, France
VOTES: ****** SCORE: 00
COMMENTS:


4
sitting in stillness
in and out of me
a gentle peace flows
--Precious Oboh
VOTES: 121*** SCORE: 08
COMMENTS: I found this haiku the most peaceful, reminding of the simple act of breathing which calms and centres the mind and body. My top choice for the theme.


5
early dusk
I trace the lip
of the jar
--Stella Pierides
VOTES: 42**** SCORE: 08
COMMENTS:


6
Sounding the retreat
bitter tears flowing from
the trompeter's eyes
-- Vasile Moldovan, Romania
VOTES: **1*** SCORE: 03
COMMENTS:


7
prayer in the mountains -
wind carriers toward the peaks
juniper ashes
--Krzysztof Kokot, Nowy Targ, Poland
VOTES: 31**** SCORE: 05
COMMENTS:


8
the kindness of strangers
the world relies on it
we should not retreat
-- Rebecca Sanchez
VOTES: 1***** SCORE: 01
COMMENTS:


9
holy one
over the water ancient words
march wind
--Devin Harrison – Canada
VOTES: 1***** SCORE: 01
COMMENTS:



11
corpse pose
the rhythmic flow
of his snore
--Nika
VOTES: 211*** SCORE: 07
COMMENTS: This haiku really made me laugh, for I am too familiar with snoring. The use of the word “corpse” tricks us into the ultimate retreat but we are brought back to earth into a meditation so calm, it sent its practitioner to sleep.


12
mountain retreat
old and new friends mingle
around the bonfire
-- Cara Holman, USA
VOTES: 3*1*** SCORE: 06
COMMENTS:


13
summer retreat
on a crowded beach
only my shadow and i
--Justice Joseph Prah, Ghana
VOTES: 12**** SCORE: 05
COMMENTS: Sometimes the best retreat is to be amongst so many people that you simply vanish. Here, only the shadow of the poet remains with the poet in retreat. Or another interpretation could be that the poet disappears into his or her shadow.


16
chapel on a hill –
kissing the ground
his tired knees
--Anthony Q. Rabang, Philippines
VOTES: 111*** SCORE: 06
COMMENTS:


17
into the bush
creek's unhurried flow
solitude...
--Madhuri Pillai; Australia
VOTES: 2*1*** SCORE: 05
COMMENTS:


18.
mountain retreat
even the Milky Way
smells of resin
--Cezar
VOTES: 31**** SCORE: 05
COMMENTS



Congratulations to Adjei Agyei-Baah, who will receive a copy of


Ana Drobot's - 'Japanese Thoughts'; which will be posted to him by snail mail.