The envelope please...

We gathered a world-renowned panel of haiku and halloween experts to judge the first possibly-annual halloween haiku contest and after much deliberation, laughing, ooo-ing and ahhhh-ing, and head scratching, the top secret panel of judges have reached their decisions. There were many wonderful submissions (and even some really awful ones) representing the best (and worst?) of the library's clients and friends. We hope you enjoy this landmark literary journey as you prepare to celebrate Halloween.

Winner

Children be wary
Wisps of clouds surround the moon
Evil lurks unseen

- Kristen George







Seen here in a special invitation-only award ceremony, winner Kristen George witnesses the unveiling of the Haiku monument and receives a stunning slew of prizes including a dazzling array of Halloween related goodies and a new convertible.

Finalists

I love Halloween.
Candy is bad for your teeth.
Just eat fruit that day.

-John Griepentrog

___________

Cinnamon worries
Will the students write haikus?
We must wait and see

- Morgan Horan

___________

Candy corn and gum.
Caramel Apples and Milk Duds.
Your dentist thanks you!

- Justin Vance

___________

Hot dogs, cold cats, yum
Fried boogers, boiled rats, yum yum!
And me with no spoon.

- Jennifer M. Reeves

Quarter Finalists

Abundant candy
Rotting teeth and corpses scare
Halloween is here

-Philip Howard

___________

What is Halloween?
Candy, pumpkins, creepy frights?
We may never know.

-Cleyera Martin
___________

Happy Halloween
People dress up in costumes
Hooray for candy!

-Jenny Maurer

___________

Costumes and candy
Black cats and Jack-o-Lanterns
Halloween is fun!!!

-Katie Thompson

Staff Picks

distant laughter heard
spindly branches claw the moon
children gather sweets

-James Michael Floyd

___________

My puppy Festus
Trickster Dachshund, and a treat
True Halloweener

- James Michael Floyd

___________

A Halloween Haiku Cycle

I.

Trick-or-treaters rove.
Those greedy, selfish urchins…
I give them nothing!


II.

I keep the lights off.
They come in droves, hands out-stretched…
Leave me, leave me be!

III.

My jack-o-lantern!
Those scamps kicked it off my porch…
That’s the final straw!

IV.

I’ll burn my house down.
The flames will drive them away…
No trick or treat now!

-Jamie Duerksen

Honorary Mention

Best Unnecessary Rhyming:

Dressing up is fun
So is eating candy, yum!
This haiku is dumb.

-Meredith Pyle
___________

Best Autumnal Haiku:

Leaves falling from trees
Carved pumpkins everywhere
Let’s bob for apples!

-KT Gunn
___________

Poet Laureate:

Words translate our thoughts.
Thought too is a translation.
Thus, let us love change.

-Paul Ryan Godfrey

___________

Best Clip Art:

Halloween is here.
Ghouls and Ghosts will come back tonight.
Don’t let Bed Bugs bite.

-Justin Vance

___________

Best Last Line:

Dooby the pumpkin,
Loved the worm Booee Gooee,
‘til death do they part.

-Jennifer M. Reeves

___________

Accidentally Vicious:

I’m not kniving
I like to smile a whole lot
You are depressing

-Karen Abrahamson

___________

Best use of the word blouse:

Stephen is a louse
He wears a lavender blouse
He scares the children.

-Karen Abrahamson

___________

The Haikan’t:

One, two, three, four, five
One, two, three, four, five, six, sev’n
One, two, three, four, five

-Cody Lang


The “Eww” Award:
Oh, my -- --- ---
You are so sweet and spicy
Please knock on my door

-Anon.

___________

Best Archaic Holiday Reference:

On All Hallow’s Eve
I dressed up like Stephen B.
And all the kids grieved

-Kyle Babb