Skip to content

Last Chance to Vote in the September 2021 THF Monthly Kukai

This month’s theme:
volunteer

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.

Note: Anonymity is an essential part of any kukai. If you know who wrote the poem then that entry is no longer anonymous. Please respect the Kukai and do not vote for that entry

The Ballot

1

a lone cloud
shares our togetherness . . .
mountain trail

2

a sea of tents
zephyr ripples water
after the typhoon

3

A swim in the sea
SMACK of Man O’War feeding
Wet suit protects

4

a thump of clods fall
against the the coffin
volunteer gravedigger

5

adult literacy class
he reads to his son
“take at bedtime”

6

after the accident
more volunteers wait
to donate blood

7

after the earthquake
a tsunami
of volunteers

8

again this year
in the same corner
wild rose

9

animal sanctuary —
slowly healing
the old cat and i

10

ashes
as last bucket
pass my neighbor’s hands

11

blood out of life
battling for free hand
yours ever ready

12

book sale volunteer
for our Catholic grade school —
the stories we omit

13

broken heart
serving broken home . . .

soup kitchen

14

cerulean skies
rescuers climb to the nest
three birds lost their way

15

covid volunteer . . .
crying on his
own shoulder

16

daisies
she approves
with her eyes

17

death charge
the engaged captain
volunteers

18

dementia care
we hang the pictures
from her calendar

19

dinner date —
the waiter babysits
my daughter

20

Don’t try to stop me
I’m going on this mission
Never to return

21

Earth Day . . .
school children planting trees
on the downhill

22

falling together
feels lighter

23

flood warning . . .
a beaver colony
building a dam

24

flowers without bees . . .
where are
granny’s tales?

25

for grandpa
she donates her braid to
a child with cancer

26

garnishing each plate
with eye contact and a smile —
homeless shelter

27

generation ship
volunteers’ one-way flight
seeking a new world

28

Groceries on the porch.
Each and every morning.
Invisible angel.

29

heart
aflame
firefighter

30

her name
no longer on the list
hospice calls

31

her passion
for finding furever homes
. . . stray animals

32

how shall we begin?
my library shares the clue . . .
love poetry first .

33

impatient queue
I still smile
as I offer Prasada

34

In between stories
A new friend does not yet know
My mate took his life

35

in plain blood
of dead young people
blue rain

36

is a worker bee
a volunteer?
I don’t think so

37

is lost
while exploring the forest
scouts become savior gods

38

Labor Day —
I freely offer
doing nothing

39

little lips part as
you crack a frown chrysalis —
laughter’s wings flutter

40

lone wolf volunteer
the glint of a blade
in an outstretched hand

41

meal delivery —
her praise soars
with the blackbirds

42

medical dilemma —
modern pain killer
as good as placebo

43

memorial plaque —
fallen volunteers
already in the new state

44

missed lunch
the dirty dishes
keep coming

45

my pen
volunteers to write
the truth

46

needle exchange
desperate reflections
my lost child

47

neighbours too
enjoy the gourd harvest

. . . a volunteer seed

48

Nibble on my skin
Maybe aliens exist
Nibble on my skin

49

not invited . . .
flower sent fragrance
to my room

50

old age home . . .
warming up hearts
a visitor’s carol

51

On the front line
for days over Fukushima
thick poisonous smoke

52

popping up
in the vegetable garden
red maple seedlings

53

post 9/11
every night volunteers
cry themselves to sleep

54

preparing meals
mother’s work never ends
silent volunteer

55

Putting a smile on
those children
with dull eyes

56

Red Cross shop —
keeper asks me to volunteer,
not just donate

57

refuge
her smile
speaks all languages

58

rising storm
the sudden surge
of volunteers

59

sanitary flights —
a butterfly passes
the barbed wire

60

spring thunder —
the girl twin
comes out first

61

springful

she knows all the
upshots of

the clinical trial

but still . . .

62

still forget-me-nots
the ward’s grandchild bends over
the volunteer’s grave

63

summer festival
a volunteer cricket
closing the season

64

Sunday walk —
dogs from the shelter run
after the butterflies

65

sunrise —
I am teaching a blind child
to count the petals

66

the buzz
in senior home
teaching WhatsApp video call

67

the buzz of the street —
I’m lending my eyes
to the blind woman

68

the prayer shawl
knitted by
anonymous hands

69

the rose bush blooms
in winter compost
carrot volunteers

70

The warmth on your face
Keeps me going forever
For a better world

71

This gift I have is
So precious and limited
I give you my time

72

to the tree trunk
the sunlight volunteers
its last drops

73

Toiling nine to five
Yet I’m still
Unemployed

74

tomatoes
more growing this year
than planted

75

uncultivated
bellflower
fitting right in

76

under the glare of the sun
we sweat, swelter,
harvest the fruits of July

77

vaccination centre —
I learn to smile
with my eyes

78

volunteer acts
of reciprocal kindness
forward pay

79

volunteer . . .
the only position for which
i’m now suited

80

volunteer tomato
trying to blend in
with the roses

81

volunteering —
empty eyes
hands grasping air

82

volunteering
hands open to welcome
and donate

83

volunteers
a neighbor’s wildflowers
leap the fence

84

volunteers’ hearts —
full of love
an animal shelter

85

wanting to vanish
the magician asks
for a willing volunteer

86

wintry winds . . .
the warmth of helping
at the dog shelter

87

woof woof me help
he licks plates clean and I
load the dishwasher

88

Working willingly
No expectations for self
Love in action

89

young volunteers
at the last bonfire
first loves

 

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!

 

Back To Top