Thursday, April 16, 2026

160

[digital image credit- gillena cox]

 None of the comments during the kukai are from the kukai coordinator.

 Comments and votes of the players are anonymously stated.


PLAYERS:1. Sheikha A, United Arab Emirates; 2. Ed Bremson, USA; 3. Eduard Tara, Romania; 4. Lakshmi Iyer, India; 5. Ana Drobot, Romania; 6. Mark Gilbert, UK; 7. Fatma Zohra Habis, Algeria; 8. Paul Callus, Malta; 9. Elaine Ashley, USA; 10. Dan C. Iulian, Romania; 11. Jacek Margolak, Poland; 12. Daniela Misso, Italy; 13. Melissa Dennison, UK; 14. Billy Antonio, Philippines


FIRST PLACE

12

a dive in the pool . . .

the fragrance of jasmine

spreads into the night

--Daniela Misso, Italy 

VOTES: 331***SCORE:12

COMMENT 1:A haiku making readers experience fragrances as if they were there with the poet. we hear the sound of the dive and we smell the scent of jasmine. 

COMMENT 2:leaving out the word ‘the’ in the last sentence may improve flow. Nice visual! 


SECOND PLACE

1

pond splash

a frog dives in

butterfly style

--Sheikha A. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

VOTES: 3*2***SCORE:09

COMMENT :A humorous take on the famous old pond poem by Basho


4

dive in and out . . .

the gibbous moon bounces

on a dolphin's nose

--Lakshmi Iyer, India 

VOTES: 221***SCORE:09

COMMENT :There's such palpable innocence and playfulness in this haiku. To me, this alludes to goals and dreams too, a childlike purity in nurturing ambitions held at tender ages, believing everything and anything is possible. 


THIRD PLACE

14

first light at the pond 

the ducks begin 

to dive in 

--Billy Antonio, Laoac, Philippines

VOTES: 121***SCORE:08


RESULTS CONTINUE

2

white noise–

cicadas invite me 

to dive in 

--Ed Bremson, Raleigh,USA

VOTES: 1*2***SCORE:07


3

before diving in -

sending his cormorant

into the twilight

--Eduard TARA, ROMANIA

VOTES: *11***SCORE:05

COMMENT 1:So much mystery and tragedy in this haiku is what I perceive. The questions why he was diving in and into what and why did he release his cormorant first, or is the cormorant a metaphor for death and darkness... stark, probing and mysterious imagery. 

COMMENT 2:I love the tranquility of this, and the timelessness of this fishing method commonly used in China and Japan. It says so much about existence and our relationship with nature.


5

old pond - 

I dive in 

a dream

--Ana Drobot, Bucharest, Romania

VOTES: *1****SCORE:02


6

dive in

enjoy the flavor

drink responsibly

--Mark Gilbert, UK

VOTES: 1*****SCORE:01

COMMENT :I enjoy the humour and the insightful observation of contradictory messages in society. Please spend money, buy a drink, have fun, but not too much. Within limits.


7

first cold rain

the smell of earth

makes me dive in

--Fatma Zohra Habis/ Algeria

VOTES: *12***SCORE:07

COMMENT : An intense atmosphere, of images, scents, and physical sensation. 


8

hunger pains –

cormorants dive in

where frothing waves break

--Paul Callus (Malta)

VOTES: 21****SCORE:04


9

lone eagle hunting 

circles dive-in eatery 

splash! salmon for lunch

--Elaine Ashley, USA

VOTES: *1****SCORE:02


10

blue lagoon −

the pearler dives in

the sky

--Dan C. Iulian, Romania

VOTES: *21***SCORE:07


11

shattered sky — 

a fish's dive in 

the milky way

--Jacek Margolak, Poland

VOTES: 111***SCORE:06

COMMENT 1:I like the imagery in this. To me, reads like a scifaiku, not just because of the Milky Way, but alluding to the zodiac element/constellation of fish (pisces), and the Milky Way to seem like a liquid plane of stars. 

COMMENT 2:I imagine an ocean on a clear night, as a fish dives in to the reflection of the night sky. The juxtaposition between big and small, eternity and ephemera, it's lovely.


13

blue splash

a kingfisher dives in

to morning

--Melissa Dennison, UK

VOTES: *2****SCORE:04


HAPPY HAIKU POETRY DAY; APRIL 17TH

Friday, March 20, 2026

159

 

Dear haiku friends you are invited to participate in The Caribbean Kigo 'International Haiku Poetry Day' Kukai 2026

The Kigo is dive in 
SEND one haiku,   any form,  which MUST include the words dive in 
Your entry should include your name, and country from which you are sending.

EXAMPLE
splash from his dive in
sound of wetness follows -
grass surrounding sprayed
© gillena cox; St James, Trinidad



Deadline for sending entries is April 2nd 2026
Deadline for sending votes is April 10th 2026


A voting list will be e-mailed to all players

VOTING
Votes to be scored using a total of 6 points; voters must use all 6 points

EXAMPLE
Haiku#76………3pts
Haiku#34………2pts
Haiku#8………1pt

The example given is just one of several ways you can allot your points


COMMENTS
Comments during voting are encouraged but must be limited to 3 lines [about forty words]. When published, these comments and votes will be given anonymous listings. Comments should be kept in the nature of encouraging the continued good haiku writing practice.

The Co-ordinator retains the right to not include a comment as anonymous and to ask the commenter to post his or her thoughts directly to the blog under Comments.


RESULTS
The results of this kukai will be published here at Caribbean Kigo Kukai on April 17th 2026 After results have been posted, I encourage your after-words as general comments, you can post directly here at the blog, just click on Comments at the end of the post.


CONTACT ME
e-mail your Submission, Vote, Comments 

INTERNATIONAL HAIKU POETRY DAY IS APRIL 17TH 2026


much love
gillena

No comments: