Poet Profile

Vandana Parashar

Vandana Parashar is a microbiologist, an educator and a haiku enthusiast. Her haiku, senryu and tanka have been published in many national and international journals of repute.

Awards and Other Honors:

She has a Grand Prix in 8th Setouchi Matsuyama Photo Haiku Contest, 2018 to her and prizes and honourable mentions in some other contests like Skylark Nest contest, 2016; Johny Baranski Memorial Haiku Contest, 2018; Fujisan Tanka Grand Prix Contest, 2018; Marlene Mountain Haiku Contest, 2018; Fourth International Haiku Contest ”Cherry Blossom”, 2019; First VSANA Haiku Contest, 2020 and Revista Haiku Contest, 2020; Haiku Hike Literary Haiku Contest, 2021; 4th Santoka International Haiku Contest,2021; 10th Setouchi Matsuyama Photo Haiku Contest, 2021; 2nd International Haiku Competition, 2021; Katikati Haiku Contest, 2021; Porad Haiku Contest, 2021; 4th Basho-an International English Haiku Competition, 2022; 2nd Soka Matsubara International Haiku Competition, 2022; and Golden Haiku Contest 2022. Her haiku was shortlisted for the prestigious Touchstone Award for Individual Haiku, 2020.

Books Published:

Her debut e-chapbook I Am - Title IX press ( now known as Moth Orchid Press), 2019; chapbook “Alone, I Am Not - Velvet Dusk Publishing, 2022.

mirror maze . . .
I stand alone 
in the crowd of me

shelled peas
I discover who I am
outside of us

waterfall
not falling for you
not falling for me

one-way street 
the fragrance of jasmine 
everywhere

phantom pregnancy 
the weight of snow
on a bare bough

string of jasmine 
the day unfolds 
petal by petal

Credits:

"mirror maze" - A Hundred Gourds issue 4:4, September 2015; "waterfall" - Honourable Mention, Sharpening The Green Pencil, 2022; "phantom pregnancy" - Honourable Mention, Porad Haiku Contest, 2021; "shelled peas" - First Prize, Golden Haiku Competition, 2022; "one-way street" - Cattails, January 2016; "string of jasmine" - A Hundred Gourds issue 5:2, March, 2016.