2020 Haiku Invitational Winners

Presented by Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd.
Judges: Gary Hotham, Agnes Eva Savich, and Beth Skala

Overall commentary for 2020 Haiku Invitational:

For the 2020 VCBF Haiku Invitational 747 poets submitted 1,364 haiku. With so many from which to choose, the task of selecting the top haiku required a great deal of thought and consultation among the judges. The theme was simply “Cherry Blossoms,” reflecting the purpose of the festival. It was no surprise, however, that a secondary theme was on the minds of many poets. We received a large number of haiku capturing the feelings of isolation, the restrictions, and the fears around the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout those poems, we searched for ones which also had a universal message beyond the current situation. Other themes which emerged from the submissions included family members, children, pets, and love, which goes to show just how personally writers connect with the phenomenon of cherry blossoms. Juxtaposing a feeling of sadness was the poignant choice of many, while light humor provided a welcome relief, and sometimes just pure nature painted a lovely scene. We would encourage all poets who entered the competition this year to continue to write haiku, share your work, and hone your craft. While we cannot respond to each of you individually, we want you to know how much we enjoyed reading your submissions.


Best Vancouver Haiku
cherry blossoms fall—
the gentle quake
of baby kicks

Genevieve Wynand
Coquitlam, British Columbia

Best British Columbia Haiku

cherry blossom
after cherry blossom
dawn's slow light

Ulrike E. Narwani
North Saanich, British Columbia

Best Canada Haiku
blossom wind
my sick wife holds my hand
tighter

Chen-ou Liu
Ajax, Ontario

Best United States Haiku
mixing concrete
a few petals
don't hurt

Jeffrey Ferrara
Worcester, Massachusetts

Best International Haiku
petals in the wind
my girlfriend is never
where I expect her

Marcellin Dallaire-Beaumont
Brussels, Belgium

Best Youth Haiku
cherry petals
renewing the scarecrow's
shabby coat

Andreea Buzuc, age 12
Botosani, Romania

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Music: bensounds.com