Haiku Contest
Commemorate Shinran Shonin's 750th Memorial Observance with Poetry
Calling for Haiku and Tanka
New! - You can now download the Poems submitted for the contest. Click these links to view the Adult and Dharma School poems as well as poems from other participants.
As part of the 750th Shinran Shonin Memorial Observance, the young and young at heart of the BCA Sangha are encouraged to share Haiku and Tanka poetry. Like Shin Buddhism, haiku and tanka offer an accessible gateway of expression and celebration for most anyone to enjoy. And like Jodo Shinshu, haiku and tanka encourage us to pause and appreciate the world and the people around us. Therefore, the poems are to be based on the theme “Peace and Tranquility.”
Haiku is a short form of poetry that originated in Japan. For over 300 years, haiku have been enjoyed and written by large numbers of Japanese of all ages and from all walks of life. And the same can be said for haiku in this country, where poets of all skill levels have tried their hand, and pen, at English language haiku, for approximately the last 100 years.
In its most traditional form, haiku are three lines, the length of lines predetermined by syllable counts of 5-7-5. The brevity of the form forces us to slow down and to take note, to focus our attention on a single moment, a particular encounter, out of the myriad we experience day to day.
Haiku comes directly out of our lives and will usually refer to the natural world, creating an image that conveys emotion in the form of surprise, delight or joy; grief, pain or sadness.
The following is an example of a haiku:
watching the sunset
sitting on the grassy cliff
after father’s death -- -Ainslie Colness, age 12
Tanka are related to haiku, an extended form that might be said to be more lyrical. Also based upon syllable count the traditional form is five lines, counting, 5-7-5-7-7. Tanka are in the first person. Most often, lines 1, 2 and 3 can stand independent of 3, 4 and 5. But the third line often acts as a hinge that creates not only a cohesive poem, one with meaning well beyond its juxtaposed parts. This is what draws us in to tanka.
the brief cloud of snow
as an axe strikes this oak
a staggering blow
after his diagnoses
I can’t hear the doctor’s voice -- -Denis M Garrison
A collection of poems will be selected to appear in the Wheel of Dharma and 2011 BCA Calendar.
Poem eligibility includes:
Completed poems must be submitted by
November 1, 2009. DEADLINE DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO DECEMBER 1, 2009Include name, temple address and or email, and phone number.
Email poems to: Jakono@aol.com
Or mail poems to: BCA Shinran Shonin 750th Memorial
2140 Durant Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
Poetry through the words of Haiku and Tanka reveal expressions of deep appreciation and gratitude towards our rich Jodo Shinshu tradition. Sharing your compositions will complement the program. Gassho.