Haiku Festival

  • Haiku Fest Judges

  • We gratefully acknowledge the following judges who gave their time, talent and treasures to support Haiku Festival 2008:

    Carolyn Aguila
    poet, author of
    Flirting with Rhyme

    Marilyn Allen
    poet and healthcare administrator

    Katriél
    author of Night Fall, VP
    Chicago Writers’ Collective

    Renée K. Moore
    poet, educator
    Cave Canem Alumna

    Sidney Simmons
    writer, photographer and master chef

    Valerie Martt Wallace, poet,
    founder:
    DeepDishPoemAMonth.com
    Administrative Manager:
    University of Chicago
    Philosophy Dept.
    -since 2004

    Michael Covenant Watson
    poet, host of Wordslingers WLUW, 88.7 FM

--Caroline Montag, 1st Prize winner

  • Haiku Fest 2008 Winners

  • Haiku Fest awarded certificates to all participating student poets. Thanks to over 900 poets, parents and teachers for making Haiku Fest successful. For more information on the event, click here.
  • We proudly announce the following commendations:
    • First Prize: $100
    • "Fog"
      The fog surrounds me
      When suddenly lightning strikes
      Clearing up the world
    • Caroline Montag, Age 12, Grade 7
      University of Chicago Lab School
    • Second Prize: $50
    • “Fireworks”
      Loud soaring banging
      Smokey lights with excitement
      Old night but New Year
    • Annalyn Mendoza, Age 13, Grade 8
      St. Benedict Elementary, Chicago
    • Third Prize: $25
    • "Broken vase"
      Kaboom crash and bang
      There's yelling screaming barking
      Apologizing.
    • Zach Kogut, Age 11, Grade 6
      St. Viator, Chicago
    • Founders Award: $20
    • "Untitled"
      As the sun goes down
      Darkness covers winter's sky
      Until dawn breaks loose
    • Ramon Ruiz, Age 12, Grade 7
      St. Agnes of Bohemia, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "Untitled"
      Passive Bystander
      Disengaged Don't care at all
      A crime far worse? No
    • Mary Greta Behnke, Age 14, Grade 8
      University of Chicago Lab School
    • Honorable Mention:
    • “Untitled”
      What a way to go
      Crushed in a garbage compact
      Poor old Jimmy-boy
    • Dylan Lambert-Gilliam, Age 14, Grade 8
      University of Chicago Lab School
    • Honorable Mention:
    • ”Untitled”
      the bird that does fly
      yes it flies above the storm
      oh look the eagle!
    • Cara Harris, Age 12, Grade 7
      Keller Magnet School, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • “Changing Night to Morning"
      A sliver of light
      Journeying through the night time
      Speaks of the morning
    • Nisha Riley, Age 11, Grade 5
      High Point School, Orland Park, IL
    • Honorable Mention:
    • “Whispers”
      Small whispers of spring
      trees glowing around a lake
      the cool breeze distant
    • Kathryn Skrundz, Age 14, Grade 8
      St. Benedict Elementary, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "Love"
      What is love about
      Am I in love with someone
      first love is crazy
    • Ciara Taylor, Age 12, Grade 6
      William Ryder, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • “Midnight Surprise”
      At night feeling her
      I sense her touch it feels great
      Turns out she's a man
    • Benny Wah, Age 13, Grade 8
      University of Chicago Lab School
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "Rebirth"
      Winter is no more!
      New life fresh hope joy and love
      Now the earth is green
    • Nathan Gillespie, Age 10, Grade 4
      St. Matthias Transfiguration, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "The Mind"
      The mind is a gift
      Imagination is too
      Only when believed
    • Adam Gray, Age 14, Grade 8
      University of Chicago Lab School
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "Fighting in the War"
      Killing the soldiers
      Sensing I am in danger
      Boom! Boom! Boom! I'm dead
    • Demetrius Jones, Age 14, Grade 8
      Arnold Mireles Academy, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "Winter Earrings"
      Icicles hanging
      The earrings that winter wears
      Sparkling in the sun
    • Fallon K., Age 9, Grade 4
      St. Mary of the Woods, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "Unconditional"
      Sweet as the bird's song
      As strong as the lion's roar
      Beats the mother's heart
    • Maurice Nichols, Age 14, Grade 8
      Arnold Mireles Academy, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "The Horse"
      Hooves fly over ground.
      Nostrils flare to drink the wind.
      This is the bold horse.
    • Courtney Payne, Age 10, Grade 5
      Payne Learning Academy, Crete, IL
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "The Tango"
      Flares and then fire
      The quick movements side to side
      The rose hits the ground
    • Andrea Santiago, Age 13, Grade 7
      St. Benedict Elementary, Chicago
    • Honorable Mention:
    • "Untitled"
      A blank empty page
      The scratching of a pencil
      Sound of loneliness
    • Catherine Yunis, Age 13, Grade 8
      University of Chicago Lab School

  • Haiku Fest Deadline: Saturday, 26 February 2011 @ MIDNIGHT

  • Haiku Festival Awards will be issued on:
    Saturday, 30 April 2011
    10:00 AM
    Harold Washington Library
    400 South State Street
    Chicago, Illinois
  • Special Guest: TBA

  • FREE Admission


  • Contact Information

  • eMail:  Info@HaikuFest.com
  • Mail:    Haiku Fest
                   Post Office Box 450
                   Chicago, IL 60690
  • Phone:  312-458-9898