Haiku Now! Contest 2010
The Haiku Foundation, as part of its mission to expand opportunities for writers of English-language haiku, has created the HaikuNow! international contests for 2010. The first contest, for poets of any age or experience, opens in early January and runs through the end of March. Prizes will be awarded for English-language haiku in three categories: traditional, contemporary and innovative. Descriptions and examples of such poems may be found in the How to Submit section below. Results will be announced during April, National Poetry Month in the U.S., on this web site.
Prizes
First-prize winners in each category will receive $100. Honorable mentions will receive $25. All winning poems will be featured on The Haiku Foundation web site and permanently archived.
Judges
We will have three pre-selectors and two final judges: Billy Collins and Jim Kacian.
Billy Collins is the final judge for haiku in the Traditional category. He served as U. S. Poet Laureate from 2001-2003 and has been called “The most popular poet in America,” (New York Times). His book of haiku, She Was Just Seventeen, was published by Modern Haiku Press in 2006. He is Distinguished Professor of English at Lehman College (CUNY). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Collins for additional information.
Jim Kacian is the final judge for haiku in the Contemporary and Innovative categories. He is the founder of The Haiku Foundation and the author of 15 books of haiku. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Kacian for additional information.
Deadlines
Contest opens: January 6, 2010.
Deadline for submission: In hand by March 31, 2010.
Contest results: Winners will be announced during National Poetry Month, April 2010, on The Haiku Foundation web site www.thehaikufoundation.org.
Who can enter: Anyone (other than Officers, Associates and Board Members of The Haiku Foundation, and their immediate families) may enter.
Fees: None. Free for all contestants.
How to Submit
All haiku must be in English and must meet the criteria for the appropriate category, as described below. All poems must be the original, unpublished work of the submitter.
Each person can submit no more than ONE UNPUBLISHED haiku per category: one traditional haiku, one contemporary haiku, and/or one innovative haiku—a maximum of three haiku per person.
Publication is defined as an appearance in a printed book, magazine, or journal (sold or given away), or in any online journal that presents edited periodic content. The appearance of poems in online discussion lists or personal Web sites is not considered publication.
All entries must be submitted using the online forms available from the following links:
- Traditional Category, judged by Billy Collins
- Contemporary Category, judged by Jim Kacian
- Innovative Category, judged by Jim Kacian
Good luck to you all!
