Haiku is a natural for the Cherry Blossom Festival which celebrates Japanese culture.
The Hot Springs Sister City Program, in partnership with the Arkansas Haiku Society, has announced the First Annual Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Competition. Top entries will be invited to read their winning haikus at the Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival on April 3, 2022, and will be published and displayed at the event.
A haiku is a traditional Japanese poem made of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. Haiku often feature an image, or a pair of images, and capture the essence of a specific moment in time or a way of looking at the physical world and seeing something deeper. These short poems aim to leave the reader with a strong feeling or impression.
“The traditional Japanese poem, haiku, is a natural for the cherry blossom festival which celebrates Japanese culture. I look forward to reading the submissions and know that there will be many inspired by spring, sakura, and our beautiful natural state,” said Arkansas Haiku Society president, Howard Kilby. The event is open to Arkansas residents of all ages with two categories, adult and 18 years of age and below. Top entries will be selected by a published Haiku poet. First-place winners in each category will receive $100, second place $75, and third place will be awarded $25. Entries are limited to two haiku per person and should be submitted by March 11, via email at hshaiku2022@gmail.com. Poets should include their name, category as either adult or age if under 18, and contact information with each submission. By submitting, the poet authorizes festival organizers to publish haiku in association with the Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival.
