Haiku Society of America Rengay Award
in Honor of Garry Gay
2023
Judged by
Marcyn Del Clements & Seren Fargo
Judges Commentary
2023 First Place
Yellowing Maple
Japanese garden—
the emptiness
of the teahousegrass in the cherry orchard
wet with dewstepping stones . . .
different languages
in the airhungry koi —
the moonbridge crowded
with childrenthe calligraphy
of pine branchesa turtle sunning
at the pond’s edge—
yellowing mapleIon Codrescu 1, 3 & 5
Michael Dylan Welch 2, 4 & 6
2023 Second Place
Color of Life
rising early
the woodpecker’s head
flicking wood chipsa Cortland apple
polished on flannelmeeting in the middle
of the row of raspberries
full bucketssweat beads
tilting back
a cherry cokelicking a drop of blood
from a fingertipsnapping his suspenders
the old Farmall tucked away
in the barnJacquie Pearce 1, 3 & 5
Alan S. Bridges 2, 4 & 6
2023 Third Place - tie
Sky Dance
a killdeer's cry
as it circles overhead
red sky at morningcriss-crossing the wrack line
ruddy turnstonesincoming tide
a swirl of plovers
lands at my feetthe back and forth
of waves
of sanderlingsphalaropes spinning
in the saltmarsh shallowsfirst of spring
the evening sky dance
of a woodcockKristen Lindquist 1, 3 & 5
Alan S. Bridges 2, 4 & 6
2023 Third Place - tie
Thirst
morning mist
a dew drop slides down
the mango leafgreen papaya’s bitter edge
monsoon heatnight showers
singing your name
red hibiscusafter the downpour . . .
chattering crows drown out
the muezzinsugarcane harvest
a whiff of afternoon toilmoonbow
the pregnant tabby laps
from an oxcart rutNeena Singh 1, 3 & 5
Billie Dee 2, 4 & 6
2023 Honorable Mentions (in judges' rank order)
A Day Between
an osprey preens
our canoe
glides into springrainbow trout tails flash
in the morning lightdownstream
a lazy whirlpool
stirs the cloudsnearby campfire
scent of coffee
soft breeze in the tall reedsemergent daydream
paddle blades lifting waterpink sunset
the color of rose wine
stars risingLee Hudspeth 1, 3 & 5
Joan C. Fingon 2, 4 & 6
Matinee
circus parade
the ballerina rides
an old elephantstale peanuts
swirl of a juggler’s flamesslack
in the safety net
empty trapezebreathing life
into a swan—
the balloon mansideshow barker
the rattle of pocket changehis face-paint smile. . .
from behind her ear
an Anthony dollarBillie Dee 1, 3 & 5
Richard L. Matta 2, 4 & 6
Kaleidoscope
sunset
the variegated shades
of mourningweaving pale buds
into a wreathaloha
her photo draped
with orchid leisfreeze frame
shot before the blossom
falls to the groundrosemary flowers
in our potpourrifading light
we wrap ourselves
in our storiesCarol Judkins 1, 3 & 5
Lorraine A Padden 2, 4 & 6
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