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The Hibiscus School of Western Traditional Haiku announced the addition of our new page in the November, 2001 Hibiscus Petals column of World Haiku Review. Treetops, edited by Ferris Gilli, features selected haiku written by members of the Hibiscus School. On some occasions, a guest editor will be invited to choose haiku for Treetops. Only haiku from poets who are subscribed to WHCschools are eligible for consideration. Selections are made on merit. The number of haiku published are limited and may be dictated by the quality of submissions.

Several of the selections below placed in the WHCschools Hibiscus Petals Thanksgiving Kukai. Click the words "Kukai Winner" to see that winner in the kukai!

traces of my perfume drift from your suitcase folded pajamas Debra Woolard Bender Orlando, Florida, US	windy afternoon a tortoise disappears into the rock garden Maria Steyn Johannesburg, South Africa
Kukai Winner:
starlings - plumes of soot over the rooftops Carol Raisfeld Long Island, New York, US
four shopping days left... the glitter of Christmas on cotton snow Debra Woolard Bender Orlando, Florida, US	year's end the cat yawns and walks away Debra Woolard Bender Orlando, Florida, US
	Kukai Winner:
New Year's day steam lifts the lid of the rice cooker Carolyn Hall San Francisco, California, US	a cord of kindling the first kitten    licked dry Jeanne Marie Booth Dillard, Georgia, US
autumn field daylight runs before the storm Lynne Steel Hillsboro Beach, Florida, US	winter woods fallen branches no one heard Carolyn Hall San Francisco, California, US
darkness spreads   across the lawn cicada songs Mary Lee McClure Greensboro, North Carolina, US	starry night a bull's clear call echoed Anna Tambour Nowra, New South Wales, Australia
trawler's wake a curled sand shark sinks Anna Tambour Nowra, New South Wales, Australia	doggie grave -- someone's anguish deep down in a pumpkin flower an'ya Prinville, Oregon, US
news of his death-- every black branch rimmed with fresh snow Billie Wilson Juneau, Alaska, US
late sun on a scuffed bloodgum root the red beads glow Anna Tambour Nowra, New South Wales, Australia	mountain retreat the honeysuckle bounces with each drop of rain Maria Steyn Johannesburg, South Africa
	Kukai Winner:
homecoming . . . a once-small tree hides the door Maria Steyn Johannesburg, South Africa	Thanksgiving Day parade someone else's child     on my shoulders Lynne Steel Hillsboro Beach, Florida, US
their foster child a rainbow spans opposite shores Victor P. Gendrano Carson City, California, US
boundary waters - ending in the moon the leap of a rainbow trout an'ya Prinville, Oregon, US	hilltop clearing we argue over property lines Carolyn Hall San Francisco, California, US
first day- my two cats still squabble Dove Denver, Colorado, US
equinox the rolodex falls open to the number I need Carolyn Hall San Francisco, California, US	another leaf falls- the aspen's crooked trunk almost sitting on the ground Dove Denver, Colorado, US
shriveled berries on the wild cherry tree ~ factory shadows chibi Rome, Georgia, US	windchill ~ at the top of many stairs i notice my pulse chibi Rome, Georgia, US
lightning a blue jay mistakes the window kirsty karkow Waldoboro, Maine, US	Groundhog Day the shadow of a crucifix Stephen L. Amor Freemont, Ohio, US
Indian summer -- and still mother calls for her bed warmer an'ya Oregon, US	lagniappe-- last year's hyacinth in bloom again Mary Lee McClure Greensboro, North Carolina, US
manicured lawn two old ladies in slippers Angèle Lux Gatineau, Quebec, CA
A basketful of torn Christmas wrappings - overcast sky Florence Vilen Stockholm, SW	twilight gloom the low sound of the owl missing Joyce Maxner Pennsylvania, US
late fall afternoon a WWII veteran lingers in MacArthur park Victor P. Gendrano Carson City, CA, US
	Kukai Winner:
first rain mother and daughter toss rocks in a puddle semi (Terrie Relf) San Diego, California, US	spring flood a fencepost joins the beaver dam DeVar Dahl Magrath, CA
Kukai Winner:
blue dusk how snow collects the color  of the sky Marjorie A Buettner Minneapolis ,Minnesota, US	flickering fire... her fingers make the gold harp sing kirsty karkow Waldoboro, Maine, US
colorless sky-- dark water beneath the ice Laurene Post Rockledge, Florida, US
approaching sunrise the thump of his cane above Angèle Lux  Gatineau, Quebec, CA	winter the solitary hart moves out of darkness Laurene Post Rockledge, Florida, US
a stranger at the neighbor's door - autumn rain Penelope Davis Greenwell Lexington, Kentucky, US	bitter cold-- we don't chase the lone crow from the sparrow's food Billie Wilson Juneau, Alaska, US

 

Guidelines for submitting to TREETOPS:

Submit original, unpublished haiku (haiku that have not previously appeared in print journals or in on-line journals by editorial selection). Poems that have appeared on Internet mailing lists such as haikuforum, WHCschools, WHCbeginners, and the Shiki lists, but have not otherwise been published, are eligible.     

Poets may send up to ten haiku in each submission.

When submitting, put "TREETOPS SUBMISSION" in the subject block of your email.

Follow criteria for haiku according to the Hibiscus School.  Essential elements of haiku:

Focus
Conciseness (clarity, brevity)
Effective juxtaposition
Resonance
Immediacy
Natural syntax
Common language
Balance of humanity and nature
Sense of mood
Sense of season; kigo
Concrete imagery

Freshness of content is desirable. Poems should avoid stale, hackneyed presentations of overused subjects. NOTE: This does NOT mean that familiar subjects and topics are unwelcome. It simply means that whatever the topic, the haiku should present a fresh, different view of a subject or event, and/or offer new insight to the reader.

DEADLINE for TREETOPS SUBMISSIONS for July 2002 Issue:

May 30, 2002

SEND HAIKU SUBMISSIONS to Ferris Gilli hgilli@cfl.rr.com.

(Please do NOT send submissions to the school, or to any other WHC list.)

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 Next: WHCschools Hibiscus Petals:  Thanksgiving Kukai

 

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