countdown to Christmas

Christmas countdown -
unsent letters to Santa
in my childhood drawer
--Arvinder Kaur, Chandigarh, India

What is the allure of this haiku? what makes it a first place winner from among twenty two others? I think the surprise of Line 3; Line one seems to be happening, very much so in present, the countdown at Christmas time is quite infectious, its there in our faces and our ears, the media makes sure we get caught up. The bargains, the discounts, the prompts the constant bombardment, to lists and gifts and giving.
Line One is our phrase, with a cutter added, so we pause. We pause, in the present scheme of the countdown.
Then, only to be dished the surprise of yesteryears , cleverly hidden in the her fragment; the era of childhood and not of womanhood as we first assumed.
A little seventeen syallable wonder which endeared the other players to her placement

Well done Arvinder

-gillena cox
Caribbean Kigo Kukai - founder/coordinator





Haiku prompt "countdown to Christmas" revisit the results for this kukai

back to school the - new term

first day of school...
a monarch butterfly
spreads its wings
-- Shloka Shankar India

Many students view school as confining and restricted, any sensible teacher carries to the classroom the cognizance of rebellion and disruption, they must be ready to handle such issues. The first day back is the point of starting all over again, hopefully renewed and refreshed.
Although this may seem to be the norm. It may not necessarily be the standard.
For Shokla the distraction on the first day back is the Monarch butterfly. Freedom and the ability to soar over oceans and the span of many skies. This beautiful gift of education is caught in the symbol of the lovely bright colourful butterfly
Shokla's haiku is presented in the short/long/short form of three lines. Using her cutter to end Line One and distinguish fragment and phrase.

Well done Sholka
--gillena cox
Caribbean Kigo Kukai - founder/coordinator



Haiku prompt "back to school the - new term" revisit the results for this kukai

reflection

eraser –
my mother's mistakes
no longer mine
--Shloka Shankar, India

Shloka writes in a contemplative mood here, she is drawn to a simple writing tool which transports her in meditative phase to dwell on past, present and future generations; actions, residues, errors and solutions.This haiku intimates action while remaining in a dormant state. Her eraser filled with innate power is never set to work in the poem, not withstanding, its potential remains to fulfil the requirement of the prompt, for our fifty third kukai. This she accomplishes, mijikai style, with eleven syllables, presented in the three line form.

Well done Shloka

--gillena cox
Caribbean Kigo Kukai - founder/coordinator


Haiku prompt "reflection" revisit the results for this kukai

early darkness

early darkness-
on the wings of the egret
a hint of sunlight
--Arvinder Kaur,Chandigarh,India


The year progresses as the flight of the egrets suggests, however our memories will be carried along as traces of our lives spent, like that nuance touching lightly, highlighting, the wings of the bird flying home to roost. An inevitable change of season is taking place, and the wisdom, inherent in the nature of the egret, motivates them to right action maintaining a harmonious balance.

There is a nice muted image painted here, reminding us of those grey areas of life, where there is emergence,without a complete cut-off point. Its about gradation, dynamism and awareness, all bundled into this haiku scenario.

A nice alliterative 'e' processes our visual reading adding another dimension in reception of the printed form of the haiku. When voiced, the sounds roll of our tongue with delight; all sixteen syllables of this moment so well contained.

Well Done Arvinder

--gillena cox
Caribbean Kigo Kukai - founder/coordinator



The Kigo for Kukai #47 was 'early darkness'

film

action film--
my baby's kick
in the sonogram
--Arvinder Kaur,Chandigarh,India

What about this haiku makes it so special, that it emerges the kukai winner? Everyone goes soft when a baby enters the scene? I doubt it. It has to be much more than that. its the set up, I think. It has to be.

Line1 takes us to a place of expectations; in this place, there is darkness, yet everyone is concentrating on a source of light, there is the prescribed consensus of quiet, yet everyone's knows, this rule will be broken, there's food, specifically popcorn and sodas. So here's the pitch, Arvinder takes us there via the Line one's phrase, but nothing of the sort happens, by the time we understand, that we have been conned, the juxtaposition hones in and we are caught in the life drama of a new life happening.

Aha! now it is that we ourselves want to peer into that machine and share in the wonder of a scene so real, yet unreal to us as the haiku audience. Its reality becomes fixed only when we accept Arvinder's fragment surprise, and allow our selves to resonate in the sensation of the cinemascope, that is presented to us in this capsuled moment. The click of a camera will freeze the moment, the aesthetic of haiku take us there again and again, without losing the dynamics of this precious scene.
Arvinder's haiku appears like a sedoka, with the second and third lines being of the same length, and the go sichi go (5-7-5) meter is not adhered to. For those of us who like counting syllables, the haiku stays within the 17 syllable, using a count of 12.

Well Done Arvinder


--gillena cox
Caribbean Kigo Kukai - founder/coordinator



The theme for Kukai #46 was film