Haiku Call and Issa

I received the following this morning from Sketchbook editor, John Daleiden:

Dear haiku poet,

Announcing __frog(s) August 2008 Kukai at Sketchbook

For the August 2008 Kukai submit one to three HAIKU using the kigo green frog(s) /rain frog(s), tree frog(s) / toad. The exact word(s) must be used in the haiku. No more than a total of three haiku may be submitted. Haiku submitted to the kukai should not be workshopped, appear on-line in forums, or in print.

Haiku

Author, Country

To: kukaieditor@poetrywriting.org
Subject:Aug08 frogs Kukai

Submissions: Friday, August 01, 2008 – Wednesday, July 20, 2008 Midnight.

Voting: Thursday August 21, 2008 – Wednesday, July 27, 2008, Midnight.

The results will be published in the Sunday, August 31, 2008 Sketchbook

Recent letters to the Sketchbook editors and discussions on various forums indicate that some assumptions about a kukai must be spelled out. From now on (April 1, 2008), Haiku entered in the Sketchbook kukai must be previously unpublished; they must not be workshopped; they must not appear on any list, forum, group, blog, or in print. In short, if the haiku has appeared on the internet or in print we consider it to have been published. The voting in a kukai is anonymous and publication anywhere voids anonyminity. Any haiku found to be previously published will be disqualified.

John Daleiden, Kukai editor

The dates appear a bit squirrelly: I believe both July mentions should be August. When sending haiku, you may want to inquire about this. The Sketchbook site may be found here and on the sidebar to the right under "Poetry and Magazine Links." Since this one is about frogs, here's a classic from the master, for inspiration:



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locked in a staring contest
me...
and a frog.

Issa
translated by David Lanoue

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Normally, I don't list contests on this blog unless they do not charge a reading fee as in this case. A matter of principle, plain and simple. I understand it from a publisher's point of view, believe me. I don't look down on those who do charge a fee; I just don't provide the space.


best,
Don