Poet Profile

Krzysztof Kokot

Krzysztof Kokot is a retired pharmacist whose interests include stamp collecting, traveling and herbalism. His first haiku was written in 2009. He is co-organizer of the European Quarterly Kukai with Robert Kania. His haiku have appeared in Asahi Haikuist Network, The Mainichi, Haiku Pix, Notes From the Gean, Sketchbook Daily Haiga, A Hundred Gourds, Diogen, Whirligig, Akisame, Chrysanthemum, paper wasp, IRIS International Haiku Magazine, Cattails, Kuzu, The Living Haiku Anthology, Anthologie Katzen-Haiku, and 23 Samoborski haiku susreti. His work has also been selected for The Haiku Foundation's March 2014 Per Diem feature "Ralf Broker, Blue Riband".

Awards and Other Honors: Honorable Mention,13th Annual Mainichi Contest (Japan, 2009); Commended, The First Vladimir Devide Haiku Award (Osaka, Japan, 2011); Honorable Mention, 16th Annual Mainichi Haiku Contest (Japan, 2012); First Place, Setouchi Matsuyama Haiku Photo Contest (Japan, 2013); Grand Prize, The Third Vladimir Devide Haiku Award (Osaka, Japan, 2013); Commended, The Fourth Vladimir Devide (Osaka, Japan, 2014); Second Place, Diogen Winter Contest (2014).

Books Published: Haiku Time (Wydawnictwo Kontekst, Poznań 2012) [English and several other languages]. Other collections of poetry, without haiku: Daj mi talent (Wydawnictwo Kontekst, Poznań 2006); Bez recepty (AD Studio, Nowy Targ 2010); Dmuchawce (Wydawnictwo Kontekst, Poznań 2011).

sip of cold water—
on the edge of the glass
your perfume

president’s face—
on the yellowed envelope
one-cent stamp

meditation—
in complete immobility
spider on the wall

knock on the door
from this and other side
question marks

stock market crisis—
another cigarette
in trembling hands

a small chocolate shop—
brass handle shines
in the setting sun

Credits: "sip of cold water" – paper wasp 19:2 (Winter 2013, Chapel Hill, Queensland, Australia); "meditation" - The Mainichi (February 16, 2010); "meditation" - The Mainichi (February 16, 2010); "stock market crisis" - A Hundred Gourds 1:3 (2012); "president’s face" – Commended, The First Vladimir Devide Haiku Award (Osaka, Japan, 2012); "knock on the door" – Grand Prize, The 3rd Vladimir Devide Haiku Award (Osaka, Japan, 2013); "a small chocolate shop" - Chrysanthemum (April 2013).