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Last Chance to Vote in the December 2020 THF Monthly Kukai

This month’s theme:
recovery

Voting closes for The Haiku Foundation Monthly Kukai tonight (the 24th) at midnight (east coast time). So make those final decisions and let us know whom you think did the best work this month.

Voting for The Haiku Foundation Monthly Kukai

Shortly after the conclusion of the submission period, an anonymous ballot comprising all submitted poems on that month’s theme will be posted to Troutswirl (The Haiku Foundation blog) on the THF site. Any reader of this ballot is eligible to vote for their favorite poems at this time. A voter may vote for up to five (5) poems per theme. A top vote will receive 5 points, a second-place vote 4 points, a third-place vote 3 points, a fourth-place vote 2 points, and a fifth-place vote 1 point.

Please use the Kukai voting form below to enter your selections, and then press Submit to cast your votes. No other votes will be recognized or honored. All votes must be signed (that is, no “anonymous” votes will be accepted, and the Submit button will not be available until both Name and Email fields are filled in), and no poet may vote for his or her own work. No commentary upon the poems will be accepted or published. Votes will be accepted from the appearance of the ballot on the 18th of that month through midnight of the 24th of that month. Readers may vote only once per ballot. Administrators of the kukai are ineligible to vote.

The Ballot

1

3 long deep breaths cool wind

2

      a year long wait
for Covid 19 vaccine —
road to recovery

3

after my mother’s
funeral
a newborn cry

4

      after the rain
windshield clean
air smells of laundry

5

      ah, dusty love letters
all that’s left
of my lover’s touch

6

      almost there
she stumbles
on the 12th step

7

      amicable divorce —
returning the stars
received as a gift

8

      as the years pass by
fall’s red leaves remind me less
of the taste of wine

9

      at the last instant
a squirrel lands feet first
spring fever

10

      baby steps
I stop feeling guilty
for being happy

11

      back from hospital —
her dried plants
more thirsty

12

      birdsongs . . .
the gentle stretch
of my days
in lockdown

13

      black ice
quicker than you
can imagine

14

      both boots
on firm ground
Marine Sergeant

15

      broken hearts . . .
yet the orange blossom
returns to bloom

16

      bruised peaches I unpick my battles

17

      catching a slur
i throw back a smile
winter games

18

      chemo brain
remembering that tune
but not the words

19

      Christmas lunch
in the prison camp
potato peels

20

      cool breeze
through a beaded curtain —
droplet waterfall

21

      Covid lockdown
Old friend at my door
An unseen smile

22

      dandelion fluff . . .
the wishes that can never
bring mama back

23

      darkened skies
raking the leaves
to clear a path

24

      divided country
all hopes in the heart
of a red rose

25

      drawn-on eyebrows
beneath her hat’s brim . . .
first day back

26

      dry seed rattle
the doctor says
I should be just fine

27

      Empty bottles
Full bottle
No bottles

28

      fading track lines
the recovering addict’s
first run

29

      fistful of sand
I reclaim
my sandcastle

30

      fit again —
a jasmine is
a jasmine

31

      fresh green shoots
on blackened trunks . . .
tender signs of life

32

      Granddad recovers
from the dreaded pandemic . . .
a new lease on life

33

      grey moon
turning green
covid survivor

34

      half moon
she shows me a pad
that replaces her breast

35

      he can do-si-do
with his partner once more
arriving spring

36

      healing —
the waxing moon and
I

37

      hopeful moon
this year’s coral
spawning

38

      I
am
still.

39

      jasmine blooms
the first scent she wakes up to
— — — — — — after comatose

40

      killing time . . .
a call
that does not want to come

41

      laugh
   with friends
uplifting

42

      leaving the hospital
the mask discreetly down
by the rose bush

43

      midnight snowfall —
my hospital
window

44

      missing
from the chocolate manger
baby Jesus

45

      motionless —
they renew water
to the sunflowers

46

      neither taste nor smell . . .
the road to recovery
feeling quite senseless

47

      new leaves
the life resumes
in the woods

48

      no more questions
learning to take
each day as it comes

49

      No sounds except
classical piano &
calls of birds

50

      oak roots —
grandpa returns
to his home hamlet

51

      one day
at a time
birdsong

52

      one-eared rescue kitty purring us to sleep

53

      out of the woods . . .
from the hospital window
forest bathing

54

      pandemic
sending sympathy cards
by email

55

      Past frames fade away
All nature’s healers aubade
Forgiveness has wings

56

      post-op
she smiles more
each day

57

      precious coral
the color slowly returns
to her cheeks

58

      prognosis —
I stretch her lifeline
with my marker

59

      rain covers the tears
I’m leaving the hospital
repaired

60

      raking leaves
a deep breath after
pneumonia

61

      recovery —
over a corn stubble plain
clouds carry light

62

      Recovery
Victory . . .
Both a “V” shaped curve

63

      return of swallows
can the journeying heart
remain unscathed?

64

      scratched tom cat
sleeping all day long —
ready for the next night

65

      sheltered minds recuperate —
meteor showers

66

      silent retreat —
picking up the pieces
behind closed doors

67

      slow traffic . . .
a beaming chef
works his magic

68

      Snoring dog
At my side
Fills the memory of you

69

      spring shower . . .
on a fallen bough
a few sprouts

70

      starry night questions connecting the dots

71

      stemmed —
cherry blossom
at the hospice

72

      sun warms
the standing
some sit

73

      temple bell love an echo too

74

      the heart’s resolve
to mend . . .
guardian moon

75

      the last thread
holding me together
strong as spiders’ silk

76

      the premature baby
recovers
pandemic

77

      the storm is over
pink lotus reblooms
with sunrise

78

      the sun
through our tears:
a rainbow

79

      the way to myself
still there
the Milky Way

80

      trauma of cancer
no birth again — first lip move
after complete cure

81

      virus year
the psychiatric nurse
on stress leave

82

      waking up
in a hospital bed
where am I?

83

      watercolour painting the rainbow within me

84

      waxing moon . . .
grandfather’s eyes
start seeing again

85

      When I made peace with myself . . .
And realized my worth . . .
I felt I recovered

86

      wife left
not a loss he said
she took the pug

87

      wind stampeding
bansara rice stalks on bended knees
aftermath paternoster

88

      winning catch
his gleam while dusting
the bruises

89

      winter rays
the rotten pumpkin
on the top stair spent

90

      working on myself
step by step
to serenity

91

      Xmas carol
mom wakes up
from coma

92

      X-ray
warmth goes from fingertips
right into the heart

93

      you arrive
in the shape
of a moth

Kukai Results

On the first day of the following month, results of the tally of the kukai will be announced. The top vote-getters as voted by readers will be posted, along with the number of points each poem tallied, and each poem’s authorship will be revealed at this time. Winners will be invited to select from a list of prizes provided by The Haiku Foundation. The theme for the new month will be announced at the same time, and the process repeated. Poems remain the copyrighted property of their authors, but The Haiku Foundation reserves the right to publish, display and archive all submitted poems for this and other purposes at its discretion.

Congratulations to all our participants!

 

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