MITSUAKI KOJIMA

Quiet autumn
girls hold their breath
shooting arrows

Stirring visions of a breathtaking moment in a 14th century legend about crossbow marksman William Tell piercing an apple on his son’s head, Sosuke Kanda watches an archery contest in Saitama. Apple is an autumn season word in haiku and so are the red and gold colors of the bull's-eye, iro mato used in Japanese archery competitions. Kanda's haiku combines peace and a graceful arch, with human concentration, and imminent action. These three synergetic elements form a perfect haiku.

The haikuist and other members of the Haiku International Association are holding their breath waiting for the winners of this year’s contest to be honored. Judges Toru Kiuchi and Toshio Kimura announce their selections at an award ceremony to be held at the Hamamatsucho Tokyo Kaikan on Nov. 10. For more information see <www.haiku-hia.com/cont_en.html>.

Polish poet Marek Kozubek pays tribute to fallen friends, past and present. Tokyo poet, Shiro Ogawa quotes from Chandler, noting how he scans the newspaper for good news each morning.

All Souls' Day
more and more
familiar names

“The Long Good-bye”
long autumn night
Chandler's world

Tori Inu reflects on autumn colors in a pond.

Colors of the fallen
among the leaves--
lazy goldfish

Guy Simser got a bit of a shock when he opened his front door to a green face blowing a pink bubble on Halloween. He is organizing Haiku North America Cross Currents 2009, a forum for lectures on international haiku, poetry readings, haiga (watercolor sketches that accompany haiku) exhibitions, and haiku book displays. The conference takes place in Ottawa at the National Library of Canada, Aug. 5-9.

Through goblin lips
fresh bubble gum explodes
…a full moon

Anna Akamatsu compared the smiles and grins carved into pumpkins along a street near her home in Kawasaki. Barbara Taylor celebrates with just desserts in Australia.

All Saints’ Day
no matter how big
pumpkins grin

Praise to All Saints' Day--
tasting pecan pie with cream
and a toffee apple

Brian Robinson smiled at the look of the little clown who sang out “trick or treat” at his door in Philadelphia. Shadows loom in Richard Straw’s haiku from North Carolina. Jacek Margolak received a visit from a six-year old bat in Poland.

Painted smile
pockets sag with sweets
doorbell rings

Trick or treat night--
parents stand in shadows
as ghouls jump in light

Halloween
the gap-toothed smile
of little dracula

Indian poet Gautam Nadkarni explains what happens to a pumpkin when its candle reaches the end of its wick. Beate Conrad presents a scene of destruction on a farm in Michigan. Writing from Illinois, Natalia L. Rudychev saw horrible faces in the night.

Equinox--
the jack-o’-lantern melts
in candle flame

Right before night fall
a murder of crows chasing
through the corn maze

Monster masks
leave
nothing but darkness

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