White Bear Cup Haiku [Keika Award] Special Award
I have already announced the Jury's Award, but as I mentioned in the article, I had selected 20 haiku for the final round.
The 8 haiku other than the 12 selected were also difficult to choose between, so I have taken the liberty of introducing them here as the Keika Special Award.
[New Year's Day Piano Heroic Polonaise] Tsubaki-san
I was deeply moved by all three of Tsubaki-san's haiku, but this one resonated powerfully in my heart.
The phrase "New Year's Day" immediately evokes the beginning of the year and a serene start, and the broken rhythm leads straight into Chopin's "Heroic Polonaise"!
It is said that this piece is an expression of Chopin's patriotism, celebrating the glory of Poland, but I felt it was very fitting for the beginning of the year.
I can see someone playing the piano energetically at the start of the year, and I also imagined the scene of someone listening by their side.
Apparently, Chopin didn't name the "Heroic Polonaise" himself, but it is a perfect title, isn't it? ♬
[Veins showing through, palm, six-petaled flowers] deko-san
The word "veins" has a great impact, and by combining it with the seasonal word "six-petaled flowers" (snow), I was enchanted by the vivid image of veins showing through a hand as white as snow. I felt the freezing cold, as if I could even see the white breath in the snow, and thought it was a beautiful haiku.
[Cheeks flushed, holding hands warmly, winter stars] Yuuyu-san
Are they lovers? In the cold air, their cheeks are flushed as if shy, I can feel the body heat in their joined hands, and the stars shining in the night sky seem to be watching over the two of them.
The perspective shifts from cheeks to hands to the sky, and I could imagine a heartwarming scene on a winter night.
[Snowy night, I definitely heard the sound of bells] Shiota Daiki-san
On Christmas night, you "definitely" heard the sound of Santa Claus's sleigh bells going jingle-jangle as he left, didn't you?
Santa Claus doesn't appear anywhere, but these words stir the imagination. This alone brings back the Santa Claus I pictured in my mind as a child.
And I remember "definitely" hearing them too ^ ^
[Poppen sounds echoing, Kinen-zaka Slope] Haru-to-tomo-ni-san
A poppen is a flask-shaped glass toy. I have never tried one, but I understand that when you blow into it, the glass bottom dents with a "pop!" and when you release your mouth, it returns to its original shape with a "pen!"
It is said that they were blown at New Year's with the intention of warding off bad luck.
I felt a great sense of charm, as if I could hear the sound of the poppen echoing on the stone-paved slopes of Nagasaki, like a famous painting from the Meiji era.
[Basking in the sun, on my silent grandfather's lap] Mero-san
Mero-san had two other haiku selected, and while all of them were hard to leave out, this was my favorite. It conveys how much the child loves being on their grandfather's warm lap, even without saying a word.
I can also see the grandfather's smile as he looks at his grandchild.
The winter air is cold, but the sight of the two of them basking in the sun on the veranda made me feel warm and gentle.
[Shari-shari, musical notes visible in the sleet]
chiyo-san
The onomatopoeia 'shari-shari' combined with the seasonal word 'yuki-mizore' (snowy sleet) made it sound so delicious ^ ^
The expression that musical notes can be seen in the freezing snow really conveyed how much you are enjoying the snow.
Collaborating with the sound of stepping on snow, the image of fluttering snow falling like musical notes and the feeling of hearing music made me feel happy and enchanted.
You mentioned you were torn between 'mizore-yuki' and 'yuki-mizore', but 'yuki-mizore' is truly wonderful both when read aloud and in its written form ❣️
[Five-line diary before sleep and winter violets]
Yokogao-san
The detail about the five-line diary you keep as a habit is wonderful.
The seasonal word 'winter violet,' blooming prettily near the cold ground, makes the diary entries feel poetic as well.
It also brought to mind a diary that might have a pressed winter violet tucked inside.
Congratulations to everyone who received a special award ❣️
A gift of flowers 💐
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