Poet Profile

Keith A. Simmonds

Keith Simmonds received his Ph.D. at the Université Paul Valéry, Montpellier, France. He taught French literature and language in Trinidad & Tobago and has written French manuals for students of French in the Caribbean. Though retired, he continues to teach French privately. Since 2004, he has been involved in creative work, especially haiku, senryu, tanka, haibun. He writes mainly in French and English, and occasionally in Spanish and Italian.

Awards and Other Honors: Grand Prize in the 7th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum English Haiku Contest (2015); Distinguished Work Prize, 6th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum English Haiku Contest (2014); Distinguished Work Prize, 4th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum English Haiku Contest (2012); work included in A Vast Sky, An Anthology of Contemporary World Haiku [edited by Bruce Ross, Koko Kato, Dietmar Tauchner and Patricia Prime] (2015); Selected haiku - Best of the Issue, Haiku Reality 11:18 (spring 2014); Selected Poet - International Matsuo Basho Award (2014); work included in The Light Singing – International Bilingual Anthology [edited by Olimpia Iacob & Jim Kacian] (2014); Ambrosia - Journal of Fine Haiku 2 (winter 2009); Shamrock, IHS Nos 12, 13, 23, 26 (2009-2013); Chrysanthemum 13 [International Magazine] (spring 2013); Runner-up to Grand Prize Winner in Basho Haiku Festival Tournament (2013); Special Award in Diogen pro culture magazine [Spring Waters] (2013); Third Prize Senryu in Diogen pro culture (2013); Honorable Mention in Diogen pro culture (2012); Selected senryu, Diogen pro culture (2014); Honorable Mention – Klostar Ivanic International Haiku Contest (2010); Winner Chapbook & Subscription, Second Annual Basho Haiku Challenge (2009); Selected Haiga in Haiku this haiga [Painting by Mary Rodning] (June 2007); Second Place, World Haiku Review (August 2010); Third Place, World Haiku Review (August 2009); Merit Award, World Haiku Review (August 2010); Winner’s Circle Award, Columbia River Reader Haiku Contest (2010); Second Prize CRR 4th Annual Haiku Contest (2012); Best Haiku from afar, CRR (2014); Best Foreign haiku, CRR (2015); Honourable Mention, Hexapod Haiku Challenge (2010); Mainichi Daily News Haiku #681 (March 2006) and Mainichi Daily News Haiku #709 (July 2008); Best of 2009 Second Prize, Mainichi Daily News Haiku (July 2009); Second Prize, Best of 2010, 2011,2013, 2014, Mainichi Daily News Haiku; Best of 2012, Mainichi Daily News; Mainichi Daily News Haiku (13th April 2015); Second Prize, Annual Mainichi Haiku Contest (2012); Honourable Mention, Annual Mainichi Haiku Contest (2013); Honourable Mention, Annual Mainichi Haiku Contest (2014); Prize Winner, Genkissu! Spirits up! (2009); Commendment, 12th Apokalipsa Haiku Contest (September 2010); Prize Winner, 20th Ito-En Oi Ocha New English Haiku Contest (2009); Merit Awards, 21st, 22nd,and 23rd Ito-En Oi Ocha New English Haiku Contest (2010, 2011, 2012); Bamboo Hut Tanka l.1 (September 2013); Wonder Haiku Worlds [haiku, tanka, haiga, photo haiku, short verse] (2007-2015); work included in Spasms of Light - Wonder Haiku Worlds - Anthology (2011); Commendation, Sharpening the Green Pencil (2014); Wild Plum – A Haiku Journal (2015); Premier Prix, 23ème Concours de haïku au Sénégal (2009); Anthologie de Tanka in la Lettre du Haïku 57 (2012); La Revue du Haïku [Association pour la promotion du Haïku] (2009-2015, Nos.8-14, 17, 18, 21-23, 26-29, 37-40, 42-44, 46-48,50,52,53,59); Premier Prix, Senryû, Société Roumaine de Haïku (avril 2013); Antología de la 7 Conferencia de la Associación Mundial de Haiku (2013); Honourable Mention, Cascina Macondo, 9th International Haiku Contest in Italian (2011); Fourth Prize, Cascina Macondo, 10th International Haiku Contest in Italian (2012); Honourable Mention, Cascina Macondo, 11th International Haiku Contest in Italian (2013); Anthology, Capoliveri International Haiku Contest [Italian] (2010); Anthology, Capoliveri International Haiku Contest [Italian] (2011).

in a conch shell
a sailor’s widow brings home
the sound of the waves

a sudden downpour:
umbrellas mushrooming
upon the boulevard

a candle flickers
in a solitary hut…
a scented rose

tsunami…
a city hangs
upside down

children at the beach
pouring pails of sunshine
back into the sea

a waft of perfume
hovers over the village…
weeping plum blossoms

Credits: "in a conch shell"- Grand Prize, 7th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum English Haiku Contest, Japan (2015); "a candle flickers" – Best of 2013, Mainichi Daily News Haiku in English (Jan 16, 2013); "children at the beach"- Distinguished Work Prize, 4th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum English Haiku Contest, Japan (2012); "a sudden downpour" – Merit Award, 22nd Ito-En Oi Ocha New English Haiku Contest (2011); "tsunami" - A Vast Sky, An Anthology of Contemporary World Haiku [edited by Bruce Ross, Koko Kato, Dietmar Tauchner and Patricia Prime] (2015); "a waft of perfume"- Best Haiku from afar, CRR Haiku Contest (2014).