Haiku Society of America Senryu Award
in Memorial of Gerald Brady
Complete Archive Collection
2022
Judges: Lithica Ann & Joshua Gage
See 2022 judges' comments.First Place
rocket's red glare
at low tide
a coca-cola canJoshua St. Claire, Pennsylvania, USA
Second Place
kept overnight
for observation
phantom birdsongEric Sundquist, Virginia, USA
Third Prize
what she means by blackish half moon
Aaron Barry, British Columbia, Canada
Honorable Mention
carrion feeder
the senator says
it's a mental health problemJim Chessing, California, USA
Honorable Mention
we slip
into our mother tongues
lovers' quarrelChen-ou Liu, Ontario, Canada
Honorable Mention
muscle memory
her ritual of braids
before chemoLorraine A Padden, California, USA
Honorable Mention
tiger bones steeped in rice wine my sanity
Corine Timmer, Faro, Portugal
Honorable Mention
washing dishes
my son tells me
he has a boyfriendDavid Watts, California, USA
2021
Judges: Mike Rehling & Kelly Sauvage
See 2021 judges' comments.
First Place
brooding
over world events
cicadasAmy Losak, New Jersey, USA
Second Place
rainbow flag
there is no color
for who I amAlvin B. Cruz, National Capitol Region, Philippines
Third Prize
home movie
my parents mute
the sex sceneSpyros Mylonas, Tennessee, USA
Honorable Mention
another fight—
the roses from last time
still bloomingGreg Schwartz, Maryland, USA
Honorable Mention
conspiracy theories why you won’t return my calls
kjmunro, Yukon Territory, Canada
Honorable Mention
crushed by guilt
cicadasAmelia Cotter, Illinois, USA
Honorable Mention
election night seabirds switch to the other landfill
Matthew Markworth, Ohio, USA
Honorable Mention
estate sale
a bargain
on bedpansSpyros Mylonas, Tennessee, USA
Honorable Mention
falling leaves
the unexpected weight
of her ashesHelen Ogden, California, USA
Honorable Mention
travel ban
I stroke her hair
with my cursorAlan S. Bridges, Massachusetts, USA
Honorable Mention
world hunger
the emptiness
of emojisJune Rose Dowis, Louisiana, USA
2020
Judges: David Grayson & J. Zimmerman
See 2020 judges' comments.
First Place
a hole
in the fence, mostly
on their sideTony Williams, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Second Place
insomnia—
lying under fleece
counting wolvesSuzanne Niedzielska, Glastonbury, CT
Third Prize
she died peacefully
according to family
whose views
she detestedBarrie Levine, Wenham, MA
Honorable Mention
x plus x
chromosomes
she loves algebraJerrold Levy, Deerfield, IL
Honorable Mention
haiku gathering
a whole lot of shakuhachi
going onJohn Stevenson, Nassau, NY
Honorable Mention
horrormones
Julie Warther, USA
2019
Judges: Susan Burch and Steve Hodge
See 2019 judges' comments.
First Place
refugee—
where to bury
his childPMF Johnson, Minneapolis, MN
Second Place
newborn
the unplanned
mother-in-lawRoberta Beary, Westport, County Mayo, Ireland
Third Prize
holiday letter
the stories we choose
not to tellAnnette Makino, Arcata, CA
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
town undertaker—
seeing more and more
of his old friendsBarry George, Philadelphia, PA
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
age spots
the last banana
in the bunchTom Painting, Atlanta, GA
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
park map
at the end of the day
‘You Are Here’Jayne Miller, Hazel Green, WI
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
migrant children
in cages
not terrorists—yetMel Goldberg, Ajijic, Mexico
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
identifying
scat on the trail . . .
election yearBrad Bennett, Arlington, MA
2018
Judges: Deborah P Kolodji and Tom Painting
See 2018 judges' comments.
First Place
play date
the awkwardness
of naked BarbiesJoshua Gage, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
Second Place
graffiti
I choose a bench that supports
my viewsAnn Magyar, Brighton, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Third Prize
family reunion
proof we are alone
in the universeJay Friedenberg, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
forest walk
the chirp
of each textJacquie Pearce, Vancouver, BC, Canada
bird watching
from the dentist’s chair
hum of the bufferMarcyn Del Clements, Claremont, California, U.S.A.
2017
Judges: Chuck Brickley & Julie Warther
See 2017 judges' comments.
First Place
tangled shadows lying about what’s making them
Sam Bateman
Second Place
flea market
we once had
it allJoe McKeon
Third Prize
family cookout
enough of everyone
to go aroundMichele Root-Bernstein
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
back pain
again I pick up
unsaid wordsKyle D. Craig
sunrise
no one in line
for ticketsJoe McKeon
a fish
in the heron’s bill
town gossipRoland Packer
2016
Judges: Paul Miller & Peter Newton
See 2016 judges' comments.
First Place
single again
the woman
in my dreamTom Painting, Atlanta GA
Second Place
estate sale
the hard
erasersJohn Stevenson, Nassau NY
Third Prize
sacred shrine
worshippers raise
their selfie sticksAnnette Makino, Arcata CA
2015
Judges: Gayle Bull & Jerome Cushman
See 2015 judges' comments.
First Prize
grass trampled
by demonstrators
Earth Daypaul m., Bristol, RI
Second Prize
Independence Day parade
a child marches
in the wrong directionJay Friedenberg, New York, NY
Third Prize
sleepless and alone
I search for new friends
on FacebookMargaret Chula, Portland, OR
2014
Judges:
Charlotte Digregorio & John J. Dunphy
See 2014 judges' comments.
First Prize
night crossing
Tijuana border guard
in sunglassesNeal Whitman, Pacific Grove, CA
Second Prize
small town
the same dream
as last nightJohn Stevenson, Nassau, NY
Third Prize
half-empty cup
I decide I’ve had enough
of youSusan Burch, Hagerstown, MD
2013
Judges:
Alan S. Bridges & Michele L. Harvey
See 2013 judges' comments.
First Prize
middle age
in the mirror
the turn toward itPeter Newton
Second Prize
wedding day
the time he takes
to knot the tieMarylyn Appl Walker
Third Prize
stick figures
including one
i recognizeJohn Stevenson
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
boy girl party
the slow speed
of the blenderMichelle Schaefer
life and death decisions
the need to feel
the satin liningJulie Warther
perfect storm the perfume not hers
Ernest Berry
phantom pain—
the shape of her
in a strangerJayne Miller
2012
Judges:
Susan Constable & Susan Antolin
See 2012 judges' comments.
First Prize
death watch
she dies peacefully
in their sleepJulie Warther
Second Prize
rain gauge
the pastor talks
about griefMichele L. Harvey
Third Prize
waiting room—
a fly climbs the stairs
on an Escher printTerri L. French
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
my third glass of wine
the mosquito
comes back for secondsTerri L. French
philosophy class
I talk myself
into a cornerTom Painting
Old Faithful
the crowd arrives
right on timeJim Kacian
2011
Judges:
Eve Luckring & Chad Lee Robinson
See 2011 judges' comments.
First Place
undressing the summer wind turns color
Ernest J. Berry
Second Place
Father's Day--
a potato
without a faceSusan Marie La Valle
Third Place
stirring my coffee
every which way
flamencoSheila K. Barksdale
Honorable Mentions (unranked)
a watermelon smile drips off the end of my elbows
Bett Angel-Stawarz
Trick-or-Treat
a sailboat's name
reflects in the seaAlan S. Bridges
Martin Luther King Day
I readjust
my rear-view mirrorCarolyn Hall
2010
Judges: Linda Jeanette Ward & Marsh Muirhead
See 2010 judges' comments.
First Place
my skeleton
going for a walk
in the cemeteryGarry Gay
Second Place
mother's day
she puts me
on holdRoberta Beary
2009
Judges:
w.f. owen & Johnny Baranski
See 2009 judges' comments.
First Place
the stylist
rinses away
the sound of her voiceBarry George (Philadelphia, PA)
Second Place
their first Thanksgiving
posing together
with the turkeyMarilyn Appl Walker (Madison, GA)
Third Place
graduation day
in the gait of our son
your younger stridKathe Palka (Flemington, NJ)
Honorable Mention
Kona Wind
an ocean between me
and my worriesCarolyn Hall (San Francisco, CA)
Honorable Mention
new bride—
the squeak of her
sweet corn being shuckedBill Pauly (Dubuque, IA)
Honorable Mention
old timers' game
seventh inning stretch
the creaking of kneesTony Virgilio (Camden, NJ)
2008
Judges:
Alexis Rotella & Scott Mason
See 2008 judges' comments.
First Place:
street corner memorial—
my four-year old
asks for the balloonDavid P. Grayson
Second Place:
busy Italian restaurant—
happy birthday
sung to the wrong tableMichael Dylan Welch
Third Place:
Tokyo vending machine
the long line
behind the foreignerMargaret Chula
Honorable Mention
old palm reader . . .
my life line
her longest yetKenneth Elba Carrier
Honorable Mention
engagement ring
he decides
it looks real enoughMarian Olson
Honorable Mention
parade march—
the old vet with canes
refuses to rideCatherine J.S. Lee
Honorable Mention
first day of school
her brother's backpack
with legsRobert Mainone
2007
Judges: Ce Rosenow and Francine Banwarth
First Place:
inviting aromas . . .
the hostess asks
will it just be meScott Mason
Second Place:
our pilot hopes
to see us again real soon
the intercom clicksScott Mason
Third Place:
candlelight dinner
she fingers the rose
to see it it's realCarolyn Hall
Honorable Mention
stale cookie
I give away
the fortuneCollin Barber
Honorable Mention
wrong date
the thickening skin
on her latteErnest J. Berry
Honorable Mention
a new boyfriend
the same lingerie
enticing againAnne Maud Godles
Honorable Mention
feeling the shape
of the wrapped gift
I put on a polite faceMarylouise Knight
2006
Judges: Claire Gallagher & Carolyn Hall
See 2006 judges' comments.
First Place:
first date—
the little pile
of anchoviesRoberta Beary
Second Place:
mistaking telephone
for doorbell—
I let loneliness inDaniel Liebert
Third Place:
arguing—
a deaf man grabs
the other's handsKenneth Elba Carrier
Honorable Mention - 1st place:
crossing the hopscotch
two old women
avoid the linesKenneth Elba Carrier
Honorable Mention - 2nd place
dentist's obituary—
common interests
we could never talk aboutC.R. Manley
Honorable Mention - 3rd place:
As if it were spring
the green mold
on the cheeseGarry Gay
Honorable Mention -4th Place
psychic fair
she brushes some dirt
from the cardsRoland Packer
2005
Judges: An'ya & Carlos Colon
First Place:
centerfold:
the model's navel
off-centerEmily Romano
Second Place:
day moon
a fresh tattoo rises
out of her jeansRon Moss
Third Place:
Independence Day
I struggle to free myself
from a wet swim suitSusan Antolin
Honorable Mention - 1st place:
fresh blueberries
a 'gothic' teenager
darkens her lipsRon Moss
Honorable Mention - 2nd place (tie):
switchbacks—
five or six cub scouts
an octave higherScott Mason
Honorable Mention - 2nd place (tie):
my father and I
paint the barn
compare warsJames Fowler
Honorable Mention - 3rd place:
picnic
in the sun-dappled courtyard
my freckled bananaEvelyn H. Hermann
2004
Judges: Terry Ann Carter & Claudia Coutu
First Place:
in the dream
my dog has a whistle
only I can hearJohn Stevenson
Second Place:
rodeo cowboy
hopefully clutching
a handful of skyEmily Romano
Third Place:
two-way glass—
the patient waits inside
the therapist's reflectionJ. Daniel Beaudry
Honorable Mention:
rush hour—
the blonde in the Porsche peels
an orangeRobert Bauer
Honorable Mention:
scar on her cheek
she gets her lipstick
just rightCarl Patrick
Honorable Mention:
grocery shopping—
his python tattoo
squeezes the CharminMarilyn Appl Walker
Honorable Mention:
on display:
her small and firm
opinion of menFrank Walsh
Honorable Mention:
conservatory,
the carnivorous plants
behind glassJeanne Harrington
Honorable Mention:
grinding sausage meat
she recounts the times
her husband cheatedBill Pauly
2003
Judges: Roberta Beary & Ellen Compton
First Place:
aftershock
the picture on the wall
straightensw.f. owen
Second Place:
in the middle
of making love
counting syllablesCarlos Colon
Third Place:
nudist camp
where to begin
with the sunblockR.A. Stefanac
Honorable Mention:
Clothesline—
the shirt shows off
its bicepsZanna P. Rade
Honorable Mention:
open mike night
the audience
goes deadBob Boni
Honorable Mention:
getting acquainted
I learn another name
for wild radishCarolyn Hall
2002
Judges: Pamela A. Babusci & Tom Painting
First Place:
divorced
she cleans the ring
around the tubw. f. owen
Second Place:
after lovemaking
returning
to ourselvesHeather Basile
Third Place:
nest of black hair
secured with ball-point pens
office geishaArt Stein
Honorable Mention:
naked at the ironing board
concentrating
on a creaseMarilyn Taylor
Honorable Mention:
round and round
debating
circumcisionw. f. owen
2001
Judges: Barbara Ressler & Bill Pauly
First Place:
freezing wind
the body builder pumps gas
in a muscle shirtBillie Wilson
Second Place:
werewolf movie
at the commercial
letting the dog outW. F. Owen
Third Place:
winter rain
holding the umbrella
over the dachshundpissingJaneth H. Ewald
2000
First Place
the clerk’s lip ring
I forget
what I wantedYvonnne Hardenbrook
Second Place
in the midway sun
corn on the cob customers
grinning ear to earRobert J. Guarneir
Third Place
school library
such quiet
booksLeRoy Gorman
Honorable Mention
At the fence
they sit on their tractors
talking hayGarry Gay
Honorable Mention
three surgeons
five nurses
wrong legTimothy I. Mize
Honorable Mention
Full moon
I iron a wrinkle
into his pantsMarian Olson
Honorable Mention
Valentine’s Day
she reminds me
to fasten my seatbeltMichael Dylan Welch
Honorable Mention
before the guests arrive
I straighten
the straight cushionsMichael Dylan Welch
Honorable Mention
a lull in her hands
the hairstylist asks
how I part my hairMichael Dylan Welch
Honorable Mention
your fingers touch me . . .
sunlight on the tree
moves down the trunkValorie Broadhurst Woerdehoff
1999
First Place
in one room
everything she has
and a windowLeatrice Lifshitz
Second Place
Floating
in the dishwater
a pair of chopsticksGarry Gay
Third Place
serious
she takes off her sunglasses
to speak englishJeff Witkin
Honorable Mention
nude beach
an empty bikini
turns me onErnest Berry
Honorable Mention
dropping valentine chocolates
he quickly swaps them
for another boxJohn Barlow
Honorable Mention
leaning back
in their chairs
old friends reunitedCarolyn Hall
Honorable Mention
saving her best dishes
for a better day
my eighty year old motherTheresa Mormino
1998
First Place
fireflies
my neighbor
has moreCarl Patrick
Second Place
blowing out
one birthday candle:
the whole familyD. Claire Gallagher
Third Place
“Just Married”
the attendant
pumping too much gasJohn Stevenson
Honorable Mention
family reunion
everywhere I look
my old noseDiane Tomczak
Honorable Mention
identical twins
their hair neatly parted
on opposite sidesLee Gurga
Honorable Mention
at the flea market
looking through books
I gave awayDavid Gershator
Honorable Mention
nightfall
the zookeeper
lets himself outSandra Fuhringer
1997
First Place
tourist town
postcards of the waterfall
racked upside downJohn Stevenson
Second Place
carrying their canes
two old women lean
on each otherPaul Watsky
Third Place
first date
in the parking lot
our car doors touchJeff Witkin
Honorable Mention
parents coaxing
baby to eat
mouths wide openDiane Tomczak
Honorable Mention
handsome vendor
my name
on a grain of riceFrancine Porad
Honorable Mention
driving lesson done
father and daughter run
fingers through their hairJ. Lent
Honorable Mention
naked
on the bathroom scales
stomach held inBruce Detrick
1996
First Place
reconciliation
the candle between us
sputtersSandra Fuhringer
Second Place
his ashes scattered
what to do
with the boxPaul Watsky
Third Place
nude beach
his enormous
sand castleJohn Stevenson
Honorable Mention
letting the dog out
letting the dog in
wrong dogHelen Dalton
Honorable Mention
A gusting breeze
the comet wobbles
in my binocularsD. Claire Gallagher
Honorable Mention
long walk home
kicking a stone
for companyMarianna Monaco
Honorable Mention
Christmas Day
the exchange
of custodyJohn Stevenson
Honorable Mention
honeymoon trip
he refuses to stop
for directionsJohn Stevenson
1995
First Place
clicking off the late movie . . .
the couch cushion
reinflatesMichael Dylan Welch
Second Place
opening night . . .
missing the entrance
of the night blooming cereusConnie Meester
Third Place
Forgetting his underwear
the one with so many
frequent flier milesDonna Claire Gallagher
Honorable Mention
summer concert
fanning myself faster
during the scherzoDonna Claire Gallagher
Honorable Mention
overmatched boxer
his eyes closed
before the fightJohn Stevenson
Honorable Mention
yard sale:
she takes the baby crib
back into the houseElizabeth St. Jacques
Honorable Mention
his toe
answers mine
a truce beginDiane Tomszak
1994
First Place
making sure
nothing grows
the rock gardenerDavid Carmel Gershator
Second Place
too quick to reply
cutting my tongue
on the envelopeJohn Stevenson
Third Place
Grandfather’s funeral
Cousin Kate, air kissing,
Spies a mirror, checks her makeup.Lynda La Rocca
1st Honorable Mention
in a semi circle
retired sisters watch
“Wheel of Fortune”Marilyn Taylor
2nd Honorable Mention
dissatisfied
with her Virgo horoscope
she tries PiscesMark Arvid White
3rd Honorable Mention
first time
at the zoo my son
watches the peopleLawrence Rungren
4th Honorable Mention
antiquities room
the curator asks
“So what’s new?”Jim Kacian
1993
First Place
meeting her boyfriend
our handshake
out of synchTom Clausen
Second Place
from the Holy Land
he sends a postcard of cracks
two thousand hears oldLeatrice Lifshitz
Third Place
Polaroid of her lover
coming clearer
with timeMakiko
Honorable Mention
visitor’s day
buttons just right
her dress inside outPeter Duppenthaler
Honorable Mention
Blueberries
we show each other
our tonguesGarry Gay
Honorable Mention
battered child
. . . kicking the swing
higherMargaret Peacock
Honorable Mention
a pause in the lecture
all at once three students
cross their legsMichael Dylan Welch
1992
First Place
cropped grass
∏r2 =
the tethered goatChristopher Herold
Second Place
whacking the bat
with a broom, she says
they attack peopleHelen L Shaffer
Third Place
Clear about
everything
the window washerVincent Tripi
1991
First Place
dining out
next to the window
her coatLeatrice Lifshitz
Second Place
late spring blossoms
the silhouette artist facing
another ponytailCarol Montgomery
Third Place
balloon man
selling pins
for poppingMarlina Rinzen
1990
First Place
On the same bus
the same strangers
as yesterdayJohn Thompson
Second Place
New neighbor
eyeing the worn path
between our housesMichael Howell
Third Place
a man swept by
in a wave rising, falling
sees us see him drownMichael Howell
Honorable Mention
fingering my tattoo
granddaughter asks
when she can have numbersLesley Einer
Honorable Mention
the words unspoken . . .
waiting for the toast
to pop upKenneth Leibman
Honorable Mention
drilling deeper
my dentist talks me into
Amnesty InternationalLeRoy Gorman
Honorable Mention
Methodical husband:
On his list of chores, she finds
Her nameAnita Krumin
Honorable Mention
running down
FIGHT ILLITERACY
the gang’s red paintLeRoy Gorman
Honorable Mention
drunken sailor
loses both shoes
tying one onBrenda Duster
1989
First Place
eating alone
my alphabet soup
speaks to meBrenda S Duster
Second Place
lunch
with her lover’s wife
leftoversJoe Nutt
Third Place
Hole in the ozone
my bald spot . . .
sunburnedGarry Gay
1st Honorable Mention
after kindling
his passion . . .
she lights his cigaretteSheldon Young
2nd Honorable Mention
Nurse’s Station
above the heart monitors
a soap operaDavid Elliot
3rd Honorable Mention
how desirable
in the thrift shop window
my old Mah Johng setDee Evetts
1988
First Prize
hopscotch
a one legged man
raises caneFrederick Gasser
Runner Up
young lawyer
his briefs
in the snowCharles D Nethaway, Jr.
Runner Up
in his mother’s house
he walks into the cobweb
she underlookedDee Evetts
Runner Up
Feel the warmth of
Basho’s frogpond
just xeroxedCaroline G. Banks
Runner Up
behind shadow proof blinds
the calligrapher’s
word processorCarol Mongomery