Poet Profile

Pepa Odjakova

I was born in a beautiful Bulgarian city - Plovdiv. Currently I live in a small village nearby. I graduated Slavic Philology and Psychology. I have always loved reading and this allows me to satisfy one of my most important necessities in life – to be free. My serious interest in haiku started in 2012. On one hand I know it is very important to learn from the masters of haiku and to read a lot of theory as well, but on the other hand I think what are equally important are the author’s personal perception and that special ‘A-ha’ moment when everything just happens.

Awards and Other Honors: Third Place, Indian Kukai #13 (September 2015); Third Place, First Bulgarian Kukai (June 2015); Third Place, 8th National Contest for Haiku by the Haiku Club Sofia (2015); Distinction for overall performance by the Bulgarian Haiku Union (December 2013).

sea shore
the footprints
don’t return

rain shower
only the snail in no rush
to go home

rain
mushroom pickers hindered
in the forest

New Year's feast 
a fortune cookie 
for the dog

penniless
sharing the room
with a spider

Pioneer camp 
on my nightstand 
a jar of fireflies

Credits: "sea shore" - Haiku and Senryu Journal Ershik/Ёршик, Special English Issue No. 2 (May 2015); "rain" - Haiku and Senryu Journal Ershik/Ёршик, 10th edition (July 2015); "penniless" - Third Place, Indian Kukai #13 (September 2015); "rain shower" - Third Place, 8th National Contest for Haiku by the Haiku Club Sofia (2015); "New Year's feast" - Distinction for overall performance by the Bulgarian Haiku Union (December 2013); "Pioneer camp" - Third Place, First Bulgarian Kukai (June 2015).