Carpe Diem's Kukai ...

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

There were several CDHK-family members who asked me to create a special page for our Kukai. Well .... I think this is what I can do. I will explain how Kukai works and on this page I will also publish the submitted haiku here and of course the winner and runner-up haiku of every Kukai.

A Kukai is a haiku-contest in which participants can submit all new never published earlier haiku (a maximum of three)  inspired on a given theme. After the closing time the participants, who submitted haiku, are be given an anonymous list of the haiku submissions. The participants than have the opportunity to be the juror by giving points to three of the submitted haiku, 3 points for the best, 2 points for the second best and 1 point for the third best haiku. Of course they may not give points to their own submitted haiku.
After the judging, I (your host) will gather the points and will announce the winner here at our Haiku Kai. Of course it is possible that we have a tied score, if that's occurring than I will ask another haiku poet to give points too.

The winner of the Kukai is given the opportunity to make an e-book of his/her haiku with a maximum of 30 pages and he/she will be the featured haiku poet in the month after the kukai. Our runner-up gets an episode of Carpe Diem Tokubetsudesu.

We have had thirteen kukai already, the first was "Wisteria", the second was "Summertime", the third was "juxtaposition",the fourth "Peace of Mind", the fifth "winter", the sixth "time", the seventh was "new life", the eighth was "prayers", and the nineth was the special kukai in tribute for Jane. The tenth kukai was "autumn", the eleventh kukai was "cherry blossom" , the 12th kukai was "sunflower". and the 13th was "Departure".

And today (February 3rd 2018) the judging will start for our first "Troiku kukai". This "Troiku kukai" was based on the following haiku by Claire Vogel Camargo:

no spring sprouts
in the herb garden
his heart attack 
©Claire Vogel Camargo

The Troiku kukai had 22 contestants who have written a total of 22 Troiku inspired on the mentioned haiku by Claire.




Fresh Herbs



NOW OPEN FOR JUDGING!!!

Hereafter you will find the anonymous list of troiku which were submitted for our 1st Troiku kukai based on the above given haiku by Claire.

There are a few rules which I will give here:

1. You may not give points to your own submitted troiku;

2. You have to give six (6) points following the sequence:

3 points for the best troiku, 2 points for the second best troiku and 1 point for the third best troiku

3. If you have done the judging than please email your points (together of course with the number of the troiku to which you have given points) to our email address:

carpediemhaikukai@gmail.com

Please write "judging Troiku Kukai" in the subject line.

4. You have approximately two weeks to send me your judging, so please take care that you have judged the troiku before February 24th 2018 10.00 PM (CET). If possible try it within one week, but that's not necessary ...

Herb Garden

 

The "base"- haiku by Claire Vogel Camargo I will only give with the first Troiku, I hope you all do understand that.

TROIKU KUKAI (1ST EDITION): 
no spring sprouts
in the herb garden
his heart attack

©Claire Vogel Camargo

1.   no spring sprouts
only a timeless watch
left under pouring rain

in the herb garden
where the bare earth lies covered
with last year's leaves

his heart attack
and the horizon's rolling thunder
—the caws of rising crows

2.   no spring sprouts
rain and ice, just rain and ice
so much loneliness

in the herb garden
raking and hoeing
planting seeds of hope

his heart attack
a withered flower
blown in the wind

3.   no spring sprouts ...
an old man clinged
to his stick

 in the herb garden ...
the imprisoned butterfly
in its cocoon

his heart attack ...
in reanimation room
he holds me the hand

4.   no spring sprouts
a rainbow dissolves
between bare branches

in the herb garden
the song of the nightingale
decreases lightly

his heart attack
in the silence
the old clock stopped

5.   No spring sprouts
winter’s  last edge of
chill hanging on

in the herb garden
all with  a  pestle
and paste

his heart attack
wife rings up first
insurance agent

6.   no spring sprouts
the earth grieves
a lost friend

in the herb garden
she sees his hat
hanging from a branch

his heart attack
tears dampen barren earth
a lone seed breaks ground

7.   no spring sprouts
we bury grandad
in the cold earth

in the herb garden
a tangle of parsley and mint
sibling rivalry

his heart attack
summer thunderstorm
rolling over the ocean

8.   no spring sprouts
the snow falls again
and again

in the herb garden
the old Rosemary
still strong

his heart attack
the lost wedding ring wrapped
around a carrot

9.   no spring sprouts
nor desire to tend garden
in this time of loss

in the herb garden
nothing more than weed-choked life
echoing my grief

his heart attack
takes my mind to dark places
mourning clouds my sight

10. no spring sprouts -
hoping to feel
a beating of wings

in the herb garden -
a pinecone fall
with the wind

his heart attack -
in the lane only the color
of fake roses

 

Indoor Herb Garden

 

11. no spring sprouts
thanks to the squirrels
foraging

in the herb garden
invasion of lena's broom
tiny red petals

his heart attack
on the most perfect of days
he knew it was time

12. no spring sprouts
no  buds or colorful blooms
winter garden sleeps

in the herb garden
oregano, sage and thyme
surviving the snow

his heart attack
nature’s timely reminder
garden needs tending

13. no spring sprouts
chives or parsley
white butterflies

in the herb garden
she buried her face
in fresh rosemary

his heart attack
a reminder to smell
the roses each day

14. no spring sprouts
all those nukes—
winter moon

in the garden
the caterpillar
glows green

his heart attack
in the newspaper
Kimchi

15. no spring sprouts
we search in vain
this drought continues

in the herb garden
no fresh scent of greens greet us
rain has not fallen

his heart attack
how distressed he must have been
in the dead brown garden

16. no spring sprouts
on drought-parched soil
houseplants only

in the herb garden
bugs lay eggs in tender sprouts
salt and pepper zest

his heart attack
will the baby
arrive in time    

17. no spring sprouts
winter's belated
icy kiss

in the herb garden
a ladybug
seeking dill

his heart attack
knowing he died
so he could live

18. no spring sprouts
ole hedgehog returns to
warmth of his burrow

in the herb garden
a pinch of Spanish Thyme
and song of blackbirds

his heart attack
will all the years of toiling
come to naught

19. no spring sprouts
beneath the leaves
a lost glove

in the herb garden
he hates to pull even
the wild chive

his heart attack
the forget-me-nots
still bloom

20. no spring sprouts
bamboos shoot forth
sun warms skin

in the herb garden
sweet morning dew smiles
bees sing along

his heart attack
cumulus clouds gather
tears rain sadness

21. no spring sprouts
winter still lingering
under the snow layer

in the herb garden
scattered by the wind
only dry leaves

his heart attack
on that cold rainy day
ah the desert garden

22. no spring sprouts
men in dark suits
at the farm auction

in the herb garden
thyme creeps up her feet
Holy Mother

his heart attack
as the snow melts
grey pavement grows

 

Good Luck!

Chèvrefeuille, your host.

 

Chèvrefeuille, your host