The Society of Classical Poets (SCP) invites you to participate in our annual haiku competition. This is your chance to share your poetic voice, celebrate the beauty of brevity, and potentially win a $100 prize. Whether you’re a seasoned haikuist or just starting your journey with this evocative poetic form, we encourage you to submit your best work.
Contents
Competition Details: What You Need to Know
This competition is open to everyone worldwide, regardless of age or background. SCP membership is not required. Here’s a breakdown of the essential information:
Eligibility and Submission Guidelines
- Who: Anyone globally can participate. If the winner resides outside the U.S., they must have a PayPal account or a bank that accepts U.S. checks to receive the prize money.
- Originality: Submitted haiku must be your original work, written after July 2023. Use your first and last name when submitting.
- What: Submit up to three traditional haiku. Each poem should adhere to the 5-7-5 syllable structure across three lines.
- When: The deadline for submissions is September 15, 2024, at 6 PM EST (New York time). Winners will be announced on September 29, 2024.
- Where: Submit your haiku in the comments section below.
Crafting Your Haiku: Tips and Resources
We recommend following traditional haiku principles beyond the syllable count. For guidance on crafting compelling haiku, explore these resources:
- What Makes a Good Haiku? https://classicalpoets.org/2022/06/29/what-makes-a-good-haiku/
- Examples and Explanations: https://classicalpoets.org/2022/06/29/what-makes-a-good-haiku/
Remember, after posting your haiku, revisions or withdrawals are possible only by adding another comment. Please refine your work before submitting to avoid cluttering the comments section. Excessive revisions or using the comments as a scratchpad may lead to disqualification.
Entries not meeting the basic traditional haiku requirements may be deleted. Submitting more than three entries will disqualify all your submissions unless the extra entries are explicitly withdrawn in a later comment.
Meet the Judges
Your haiku will be judged by esteemed experts in Japanese literature and poetry:
- J. Thomas Rimer: Professor Emeritus of Japanese Literature, Theatre, and Art at the University of Pittsburgh and former chief of the Asian Division of the Library of Congress. https://www.deall.pitt.edu/people/j-thomas-rimer
- Margaret Coats: Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University, with extensive experience teaching literature, languages, and writing. https://classicalpoets.org/?s=Margaret+Coats
Prizes and Past Winners
The winning haiku will receive a $100 prize. Explore the winning entries from previous years for inspiration:
- 2023 Winners: https://classicalpoets.org/2023/09/29/the-23-best-haiku-of-2023/
- 2022 Winners: https://classicalpoets.org/2022/08/30/the-22-best-haiku-of-2022/
- 2021 Winners: https://classicalpoets.org/2021/09/05/the-21-best-haiku-of-2021/
- 2020 Winners: https://classicalpoets.org/2020/08/15/the-17-best-haiku-of-2020/#
Join the 2024 SCP Haiku Competition
We look forward to reading your haiku submissions! Share your poetic vision and contribute to the vibrant world of haiku. Good luck!
The Society of Classical Poets (SCP) does not endorse views expressed in individual poems or commentary. See our comments policy: https://classicalpoets.org/comments-policy/
If you enjoy this competition and the work of the SCP, please consider making a donation: https://classicalpoets.org/support-the-society-of-classical-poets/