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[IMAGE from google dot com]


POEMS REMAIN THE COPYRIGHT OF INDIVIDUAL WRITERS

Players: 1. Walter Artificium, Belgrade; 2. Ana Drobot, Romania; 3. Bill Kenney USA; 4. Brendon Kent, England; 5. Keith A. Simmonds, France; 6. Manoj Sharma , Nepal; 7. Pat Geyer, USA; 8. Andy McLellan, UK.; 9. Eufemia Griffo, Italy; 10. Andela Nikolic; 11. Nicholas Klacsanzky, Ukraine; 12. Michael H. Lester, USA; 13. Carol Raisfeld, USA; 14. Jacob Salzer, USA ; 15. Adjei Agyei-Baah, Ghana; 16. Martha Magenta, UK; 17. Devin Harrison, Canada; 18. Justice Joseph Prah, Ghana; 19. Ernesto P. Santiago, Greece; 20. Stella Pierides DE and UK; 21. Vibeke Laier, Denmark; 22. Mark Gilbert, UK; 23. Krzysxtof Kokot Poland; 24. Henryk Czempiel, Poland.


FIRST PLACE

20
world cup final
the old couple holding
hands
.--Stella Pierides Neusaess, DE and London, UK
VOTE:362*** SCORE: 21
COMMENT 1: A warm, touching haiku
COMMENT 2: In a crowded stadium this haiku focuses in on one couple - the word 'final' suggests it might be their last match
COMMENT 3: A modern fairy-tale ending, with they lived ever after. The old couple has won.
COMMENT 4: Sporting tournaments bring people together and you imagine this old couple have been watching their team play for many years. Maybe this is the first time they have attended the actual final.
COMMENT 5: Though this world cup final has not yet been played, I find the poet's imagination is very vivid. A moment of anxiety has been captured vividly.
COMMENT 6: Like #2 (lullaby) in reminding us that there is more in the world than the World Cup (Full disclosure: I’m one half of an old couple myself).


SECOND PLACE

22
a shooting star
plunges into the sea
penalty shoot out
--Mark Gilbert, UK
VOTE:323*** SCORE: 16
COMMENT: 1.strong juxtaposition
COMMENT: 2.This haiku suggests the silence of the penalty shootout. I wonder if anyone noticed that shooting star. Nice image
COMMENT: 3.We all feel for those players who miss a penalty in a shoot-out. It often happens to those who have had an exceptional tournament and their star suddenly plummets in a moment.


THIRD PLACE

16
penalty shootout –
not a breath
of wind
--Martha Magenta, England UK
VOTE:313*** SCORE 14
COMMENT 1: Even the wind is captured by the game.
COMMENT 2: Captures a specific moment with atmosphere and subtlety
COMMENT 3: A natural detail well chosen to suggest the breath-holding tension of the moment.



RESULTS CONTINUE

1
a dream rolls
across the green grass
those beautiful losers
--Damir Damir
VOTE:*1**1* SCORE: 07
COMMENT 1: I love the way it starts with a dream, but finishes with loss.
COMMENT 2: Hope and pain are beautifully portrayed in this haiku.Impressive juxtaposition. The poet is successful in convincing his observations to the reader


2
world cup -
deep inside it
emptiness
--Ana Drobot (Bucharest, Romania)
VOTE:311*** SCORE: 08
COMMENT 1: This haiku shows the uncertainty and the expectations involved in the tournament.Nice juxtaposition between line one and line three.Good haiku.
COMMENT 2: I like the expression of attitude through image, even though I don’t entirely share the attitude.


3
Go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-a-a-l
guy at the end of the bar
looks up
--Bill Kenney USA
VOTE:231*** SCORE 11
COMMENT 1: I like the ambiguity of the poem. I am not sure whether the attention of the guy at the bar has been caught by the result of the game or by a certain lady.
COMMENT 2: We find the atmosphere of World Cup in the haiku.


4
beads of sweat
at the penalty spot
a deeper hole
--Brendon Kent, England
VOTE:*1**** SCORE: 02
COMMENT:


5
A flash of lightning
across the World-Cup field ...
two M'Bappé goals
--Keith A. Simmonds; Rodez, FRANCE
VOTE:****** SCORE:00
COMMENT:


6
midnight blue -
face of a coach
on own goal
--Manoj Sharma
VOTE:****** SCORE:00
COMMENT:


7
his slide hugs the field...
celebrating his scoring
loving his tenth goal
--Pat Geyer
VOTE:****** SCORE:00
COMMENT:


8
back yard penalties
two boys take turns
to be Harry Kane
--Andy McLellan; Canterbury, UK.
VOTE:331*** SCORE: 12
COMMENT: Careless but sincere scene of children play


9
penaltys shoot-out
a mother whispers a lullaby
to her child
--Eufemia Griffo, Italy
VOTE:331*** SCORE: 12
COMMENT 1: Both sweet and emotional haiku
COMMENT 2: Beautiful haiku. The moment of grief and excitement is nicely blended with two images of "penalty shoot-out and mothers lullaby". A successful haiku.
COMMENT 3: I’m not sure of the connection between parts, and I suspect that may be the point: even at World Cup time, other things matter.


10
They will carry home
only grass stains on their knees
This year favorits
--Andela Nikolic
VOTE:**1*** SCORE 03
COMMENT:


11
hovering
over the football goal line
summer fog
--Nicholas Klacsanzky
VOTE:2***** SCORE 02
COMMENT: I like the way nature feels like taking part in the game. The fog looks just like another player. Is is about to win?


12
wide-open mouths—
the soccer ball enters
an open net
--Michael H. Lester
VOTE:221*** SCORE:11
COMMENT: I love the juxtaposition of this one with open mouths and the open goal. You can imagine the ball going into those mouths!
COMMENT 2: An amusing parallel that also rings true.


13
the goalie
in a leap of faith
the hero
--Carol Raisfeld; Atlantic Beach, NY USA
VOTE:*1**** SCORE: 02
COMMENT:


14
different country flags
moving in unison---the color
of the wind
--Jacob Salzer
VOTE:3***** SCORE: 03
COMMENT: Beautiful image


15
deciding goal
winners and losers
all shed tears
--Adjei Agyei-Baah
VOTE:11**** SCORE: 03
COMMENT:


17
strategic thinking
uses his head to put the ball
in the net
--Devin Harrison - Vancouver Is, Canada
VOTE:****** SCORE:00
COMMENT:


18
FIFA fair play
an own goal
seals our friendship
--Justice Joseph Prah; Ghana, Accra
VOTE:12**** SCORE: 05
COMMENT: I enjoy how "fair play" signifies balance and respect in friendship. The second line: "an own goal" seems to symbolize humility, and that when you give yourself to a friend, you are also giving to yourself.


19
football real grass
trembling in a light breeze
penalty shootout
--Ernesto P. Santiago Athens, Greece
VOTE:****** SCORE:00
COMMENT:


21
all day tv
a butterfly fluttering by
the window frame
--Vibeke Laier, Denmark
VOTE:1*1*** SCORE: 04
COMMENT: 1. I like the off-centre focus of this haiku, the fluttering butterfly captures a sense of being shut in all day.Haiku #20 In Haiku #22 This


23
whistle's sound -
for some a beginning
for other the end
--Krzysxtof Kokot POLAND
VOTE:4***** SCORE: 04
COMMENT: Beautiful haiku. How a final whistle decides the fate of a team and shatters the dream, is nicely picturised. This haiku is successful in carrying the Zen aspect


24
hot sunset -
muezzin's call is drowned out
by the goal shout
--Henryk Czempiel, Poland
VOTE:41**** SCORE: 06
COMMENT: Lovely image emphasising the global nature of the World Cup. 'Hot', 'out and 'shout' chime, and the latter two rhyme in a subtle way.



BOOK PLEDGE

A gift for the first place winner is pledged from Michael H. Lester
Many Thanks Michael
AND
to the first place winner

[congrats image from google dot com]