[Space Cup] Announcing the Chiyo Ohashi Award!!!

I am Chiyo Ohashi, in charge of music for the Space Cup.

Yesterday, Space Cup Everyone's Haiku Grand Prize was announced.
Congratulations!!!!!

The Everyone's Haiku Tournament Space Cup began accepting submissions on March 25th.
There were 458 submissions in total.

I had a promise from before the tournament to select a 'Chiyo Ohashi Award,' so I read them—I read every single one thoroughly.

I decided to judge purely based on the haiku themselves, so I hid the authors' names and randomized the order for the selection process.

After much deliberation, I have selected two haiku for the 'Chiyo Ohashi Award.'

By the way, I am a complete amateur when it comes to haiku.
I am relying solely on my intuition.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to select an award.

Now, here are the two Chiyo Ohashi Award winners.

Dodging a spring fly, I stumble into zero gravity

A haiku by Ohayou Yonechan-san.

It is a haiku where the scene unfolds in slow motion.

Yes, just like that scene where Neo dodges bullets in The Matrix.
As I read the words, I can see the figure leaning back to dodge the fly.

The fact that it is a spring fly makes it even better.

Also, the repetition of the 'yo' sound in 'yokete yorokerya' creates an accent and a unique rhythm.

It is humorous, modern, has a great groove, and is cool!!!

I can even hear music playing along with it.

I only learned who the author was after I had selected it, but it was a wonderful haiku that only Ohayou Yonechan-san could have written, and it struck me right in the brain!

Turning back, I realize how many steps I have climbed

A haiku by Tamagomaru-san.

The scene that comes to mind from this haiku.

Looking back on long stairs, the stairs of a shrine or temple.
At the same time, it is looking back on one's life so far.

This haiku has no seasonal word, and it does not contain any elements that directly evoke a season.

Therefore, it might actually be a senryu.

However, I felt spring intensely.

Having been born and raised in Japan, I have experienced repeated meetings and partings during the cherry blossom season since I was a child.

That is why looking back on life might be a spring thing.

If this were in a different country or region, it might be a poem about late summer or autumn...

There are various possibilities for interpretation, and the range is very wide.

Depending on the individual experiences of the person facing this poem and the differences in the paths they have walked, the impression received changes completely... It is such a wonderful poem.

After choosing it, I learned it was a poem by Tamagomaru-san, and I read their article, which touched me deeply.

That concludes the Chiyo Ohashi Award.

The wonderful world of haiku☆
Thank you very much!!!!

☆I plan to publish my personal recommended poems and songs at a later date☆