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THF Monthly Kukai Voting Ballot — April 2022

This month’s theme:
rain

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 chirping
among the pine branches . . .
spitting rain

2

      acid rain
how your words
corrode my self-worth

3

after a morning rain
under the pavilion
feet in the grass

4

      after so long
the first refugees’ shower
spring rain

5

      after the rainbow
our young daughter’s wet footprints
evaporating

6

      After the rains
a haunting silence
nothing left to say

7

afternoon rain —
silk umbrellas
wave in unison

8

      Ah, spring rain . . .
who will I lean to
for love?

9

      All day rain
Joins the river
Joins the sea

10

      annual holiday
oh the joy
of camping in the rain

11

      April rain’s
Pitter-patter,
Wets tin roof.

12

      April shower
at the edge of my dream
the blow of the wind

13

      April showers
Sobs of a
Discontent child

14

arid fields in spring —
plants watered by rain
in black bomb holes

15

      autumn rain
raindrops on my glasses
permission for my tears

16

      autumn rain . . .
the last trip
of yellow leaves

17

      awakening of the bear
and the rain spilled red
in the spring

18

      big dipper
he stopped for a while
on yesterday’s puddle

19

blind tastes
the sound of rain
drops

20

      breaking drought
the river
finds its voice

21

car wash
a quick trip
through the rainbow

22

      caught in a downpour
the cat doesn’t wait
to be petted

23

ceaseless rain . . .
the new willow leaves
touch the sky

24

      child’s belief
umbrella unfurls
rainbow

25

      closing the umbrella
at last the spring rain
gets through to me

26

cloudy again
weeds in the rusted
watering can

27

      cold spring rain
offering her seat
to the old lady

28

coming
ready or not
rain

29

      corrugated torrent
off the verandah roof
frogs sound happy

30

      crowded park
a sudden shower
fast-forwards the plot

31

crystal rain
the hidden tears
of a statue

32

      dark cloud
little colorful umbrellas
jump in the rain

33

      Day after day
Frogs sing to a rain drop beat
Ephemeral pond

34

      deaf man dancing in the rain

35

      declining to go rain washes away my guilt

36

      diagnosis
forecasters name
the coming storm

37

downpour
how easy for words
to drop

38

      downpour
umbrellas in the street
mushrooming

39

      drawing
on the steamy train window
felt like a stowaway

40

      Drenched jilted lover,
hides
rain soaked tears.

41

      drip drop —
into my brain
the emptiness

42

      dripping
from leaf to leaf
raindrops

43

dripping gutter
the things I wish
I hadn’t said

44

      droplets chase me
indoors
flowers rejoice,
remain

45

      drought child
rain or no rain
the moss rose

46

      dry spell
a peacock’s call
rents the sky

47

      dry stones when wet footprints fade

48

      dust devils
chasing tumbleweeds
tall tales of rain

49

      empty room . . . rain against the window

50

      Eyes meet
how much did you get
old competitors

51

fine, soft rain
a few fern fronds open their fists
unfurling of spring

52

      fire rain
in the crumbling hospital
a newborn’s cry

53

first date —
in the mood for love
under the rain umbrella

54

first hyacinths
three blue spikes
rain for a frozen heart

55

first light rain —
the pitter-patter
of children’s feet

56

      first March rain
even the dog
has a new coat

57

[Poem withdrawn.]

58

      first rain —
the pond filled with
muse of Basho’s frogs

59

Flooding —
water takes shortcuts
drop by drop

60

freezing rain
our confessions
in free fall

61

      frogsong
in a midnight rain
easter bunny

62

      front of car
disappears in rain
Gulf Coast

63

      funeral day . . .
our new life reveals itself
drip by drip

64

      funeral day
the quiet fall of rain
all night

65

      funeral procession
the birds disappear
into the rain

66

      Gathering in grey clouds
Descending through damp skies
Racing down the window

67

gazing outside . . .
the wind sweeps the rain
across my face

68

gentle patter
we’re talking about summer
the plumber and I

69

heat lightning —
taunting us
with hope of rain

70

heavy raining —
cherry blossoms uncover
the empty bullets

71

      her new typewriter
clacking out a love letter
the sound of spring rain

72

her small hands
cupped to collect raindrops
for her potted daisy

73

      her tears
mingle with the mist
spring showers

74

      him in silence
she in silence
. . . meanwhile the rain

75

home at dawn
rain-soaked and laughing
teenagers

76

      homesick
she misses
the many different kinds of rain

77

      how softly chimes
the summer rain . . .
ghungroo bells

(ghungroo – small metallic bells strung together as an anklet worn usually by Indian classical dancers)

78

I soak
my sorrows
in rains

79

      in the birdbath
droplets of rain
stippled waters

80

in the rain
all cats
are wet

81

      inhaling the petrichor after the drought

82

      Is it rain or shine?
don’t want to be wet or hot
flowers wanting both

83

      It rained
When my Dad died.
My heart wept

84

It’s pouring feelings
They will come no matter what
Happy thoughts, sad thoughts

85

      it’s summer
morning showers beat
the paper boats

86

junkyard
each drop
a different sound

87

kids splish-splash
the sidewalk’s rain puddles —
laughing all the time

88

      life saving rain
children cup their hands
beneath rubble

89

light droplets of rain
first sweet kiss on the greedy
mouth of the parched earth

90

light rain . . .
water profile
on cornflowers

91

lockdown
only the raindrops
fill the swings

92

      meditation
inhaling and exhaling
in the rhythm of the rain

93

      monsoon
she learns to
write in italics

94

      morning sounds
the rooster crying
a little bit of rain

95

my last sound
the rain of her teardrops
Mariupol

96

      non-stop throughout
frog’s croak
only silence

97

      not enough
now too much
rain

98

      not every flower
lives to be a fruit —
mango showers

99

      Old weepy willow
Whips slant in sloshing wind, sway
like this backslash rain

100

      On the way
just me and the rainbow.
It rains again.

101

only a drizzle on the bombed-out village

102

open umbrellas —
my dear wife
and her rain dance

103

      outside the movies
multiple hues of gum dropped
raining teenage angst

104

overnight rain —
stomping on her reflection
yellow boots

105

      pastel rain
a bed of tulips
in watercolor

106

      pink rain . . .
peach tree petals wrap up
the snail

107

      placing her teacup
beneath a hole in the roof
to gather raindrops

108

      pleasure of forgetting . . .
the rain forms a curtain
in front of our house

109

plundering spring rain robs the banks of winter

110

rain after —
scents
in bloom

111

      rain clattering
eyes closed
a distant lullaby

112

      rain clouds . . .
always a bride’s maid
never a bride

113

      Rain draws a dark blind
down the windowpane. I don’t
know a thing that’s true.

114

rain drops
from caress to caress
forgiveness

115

      rain
   flickers
flames
   funeral
candles

116

      rain —
footprints
of the sky

117

rain gauge
mid night percussion
in my downpipes

118

      rain ignores
public opinion
needed or not

119

rain
in the lost-and-found
puddles

120

      rain is for lovers
earth mother in balance now
planet peace arrives

121

rain on a tin roof
birdsong nothing but
opening beaks

122

      rain puddle —
the star in the sky is brighter
than its reflection

123

      rain
puddles
boots!

124

rain, rain
went away
tears remain

125

      rain shadow —
i brush the ashfall
off the windshield

126

      rain shower
a spreading speck
of father’s dust

127

      rain shower
I remove my glasses
to see

128

rain . . .
washing off the smell
of gunpowder

129

      rain-drenched
she repeats again
it´s all her fault

130

raindrops
falling on pink blossoms —
sound of silence

131

raindrops speckle
the sidewalk
a big clunk of mail

132

rainy afternoon
my grandson and I practice
the laughing Buddha

133

rainy day . . .
sipping tea
In earthen cuppa

134

      rainy day
the bright colors
of finger paint cats

135

      rainy day
the oppressive weight
of her words

136

rainy farmer’s market —
I carry home lettuce
and a slug

137

      rainy moment —
a seagull steals her sandwich
with bang bang sauce

138

      r…e.f…r….e..s….h..i……n……..g r……a..i….n

139

rippled puddles
the rising scent notes
of monsoon

140

rising Dnieper
she sits on the bank
and waits

141

saving the frog from
the love of the child —
warm summer rain

142

sharing the rain
with an unknown —
I’ve given her name of rose

143

      shimmered puddles
a line of school buses
drop off rainbows

144

slowly & slowly
deleting her name —
rain in my memory

145

so little rides
on the rusted wheelbarrow
wetted by rain

146

      so many rain songs
life awash in memory
its scents and sounds

147

sound of rain . . .
his urn forgotten
in a hotel room

148

      sound of rain
I hear
myself living

149

      spring burn off
in the horses’ eyes
rain

150

      spring night rain
she combs her long hair
. . . again . . . and again

151

      spring rains
a puddle of petals
under the magnolia

152

      spring rains —
the memory of her death
washes from my dreams

153

      spring shower . . .
every leaf washed
greener

154

spring shower . . .
the blackbird
can’t help it!

155

      spring shower
willow branches
shifting in the stream

156

      spring showers
cleaned my window
crystal clear vision . . .

157

      spring storm
a hole in the wall
has its own cat

158

      still raining
a pink rose painted
by the wind

159

still raining
her eye lids
after storm

160

      storm clouds pass —
suns
trembling at the tips
of pine
needles

161

      sudden shower
the drenched man wipes
his motorcycle’s dials

162

Sudden thunderstorm
Watching the lightning flash
Before bedtime

163

summer downpour
the hummingbird
fans monarda dry

164

      summer rain the petrichor of our marriage vows

165

      summer rain —
trying to wash off
my sins

166

      sun shower baby’s first steps

167

      teary moon
all the raindrops
I can gather

168

the march of troops
the sound of the rain drowns out
the sound of their heels

169

The moon cries twilight
Tears drizzling magic glitter
On midnight meadows.

170

      the roses
so grateful
for last month’s rain

171

      The sky doesn’t care
that I planned to fix that leak:
rain pounds the roof

172

      the spring rain so hard
moon crescent garbled
in my garden pond

173

      the steady notes
of a baby crib bells
spring rain

174

the umbrella
of a flowering cherry
— spring rain

175

      through rain-streaked window
my flower garden
becomes Giverny

176

      thunder rain
replay of gunshots
in war news

177

      toadstools
in the pot plants —
I am a child again

178

      truant rains
— the w e i g h t
of unopened umbrellas

179

      umbrella in my purse
the weight
of pessimism

180

      waiting every time it rains in the darkest silence

181

      waiting out
a daylong drizzle
gray cocoon

182

      walking barefoot . . .
the sidewalk steams
with August rain

183

      war clouds —
the morning news
damp with grief

184

      warm rains
our last night fight
drops its weight

185

      watercolor rain
even the summer blues
grow softer

186

      way to hospital
the rain is hiding
her tears

187

      weeping cherry tree
full of open pink blossoms
old washed away nest

188

widespread rain
ambient drone
denotes the day

189

      winter rain no one to come home to

190

writing in the rain
processing my thoughts
in ink blots

191

      your laugh lines
small ripples
raindrops on the lake

192

      your touch
how spring rain seeps
through the soil

 

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!

 

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Haiku # 57 is very much similar to my haiku

    sound of rain-
    I fold her last love letter
    into a paper boat

    This haiku won 2nd place in Shiki Kukai contest.
    Organisers please note.
    The idea has been stolen.
    – Kashinath Karmakar

Comments are closed.

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