Billie Wilson

The Haiku Foundation’s Haiku Bowl 2011, a game show modeled on the GE College Bowl television show of the 1950s, but featuring questions about haiku, was a smash hit at Haiku North America this past weekend in Seattle.

The show, moderated by THF President Jim Kacian and adjudicated by Charlie Trumbull, featured two panels of haiku poets, the Birds and the Frogs, testing their haiku knowledge before an engaged and enthusiastic audience. The contest, which ended in a tie, was a remarkable display of haiku erudition.

The Frogs, captained by Eve Luckring, featured David Lanoue, Fay Aoyagi and Michael Dylan Welch, while the Birds, led by Melissa Allen, included Richard Gilbert, Emiko Miyashita and Cor van den Heuvel. The amassed haiku knowledge of these two groups was staggering, as they answered more than 200 questions on varying aspects of haiku, its history, lore and practice, with hardly a misstep. The audience also displayed a high level of understanding of the many aspects of the genre, often anticipating answers, and certainly getting behind their teams with cheers, jeers and a great deal of encouragement.

“That was a hoot,” said Michael Dylan Welch, HNA board member, conference organizer, and committed Frog.  ”I haven’t laughed so hard in years,” added Cor van den Heuvel, ardent Bird.  ”The fix was in,” opined a member of the audience who wished to remain anonymous (though we understand Rupert Murdoch is looking into who it is and will report shortly).

Safe to say, it was an event no one will forget soon, and it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if it were to be reprised at the next HNA, scheduled for Los Angeles in 2013.