The objective of this competition is to develop closer ties across the European community of haiku creators (although haiku authors from other parts of the world are welcome to submit entries as well). Starting 2018 we are planning one competition yearly: EUROPEAN KUKAI (in 2013-2017 we organized 4 separate quarterly competitions in each year: EUROPEAN QUARTERLY KUKAI). The competition is led in cooperation with the Publishing House KONTEKST from Poznań.

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Results of the EUROPEAN QUARTERLY KUKAI #20 - Winter 2017 Edition

The next edition of the EQK has finished. Congratulations for the winners: Anna Cates, Lavana Kray, Rick Clark and Ana Drobot. Thanks to all participants from all twenty quarterly editions who have submitted a total of over four thousand haiku. Thank you for five years of competition and fun. We wish you all the best in the new year and invite you to the first annual edition of European Kukai in 2018.

Robert Kania and Krzysztof Kokot
the EQK team

20th edition: 237 participants from 47 countries:
Australia (6), Austria (2), Bangladesh (3), Belarus (1), Belgium (2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1), Brazil (4), Bulgaria (12), Canada (4), Colombia (1), Croatia (17), Cyprus (1), Denmark (2), France (8), Germany (20), Ghana (2), Hungary (1), Ireland (3), India (17), Iran (1), Israel (1), Italy (18), Lithuania (9), Macedonia (1), Malaysia (1), Mongolia (2), Montenegro (2), The Netherlands (3), New Zealand (1), Nigeria (5), Norway (8), Pakistan (1), Philippines (1), Poland (7), Portugal (1), Romania (15), Russia (8), Serbia (5), Singapore (1), Sri Lanka (1), Switzerland (2), Trinidad and Tobago (1), Turkey (1), Uganda (1), Ukraine (1), United Kingdom (13), USA (19)

note: (10-2-7) means 10x3 points, 2x2 points and 7x1 point = 41 points

FIRST PLACE:

001 Anna Cates, Wilmington, OH, USA
(10-2-7) = 41 points
(from: ROM, IND, GER, UK, GER, GER, RUS, USA, CRO, BRA - HUN, NZL - USA, CRO, IND, ROM, USA, UK, USA)

empty field—
in the black bird’s cry
the whole lonely day

SECOND PLACE (2 authors):

044 Lavana Kray, Iasi, Romania
(9-2-4) = 35 points
(from: LIT, CRO, ROM, BUL, LIT, LIT, RUS, ROM, BRA, - PORT, CRO - ROM, MGL, MON, USA)

end of war -
getting a snow angel 
with a single wing

² 

092 Rick Clark, Seattle, USA
(8-5-1) = 35 points
(from: ITA, UK, CAN, NOR, HUN, RUS, GER, NOR - BEL, NOR, ITA, IND, AUS - POL)

our loner neighbor—
his clematis creeping
onto our balcony

THIRD PLACE:

108 Ana Drobot. Bucharest, Romania
(7-4-5) = 34 points
(from: BUL, POL, POL, POL, UK, GER, RUS, - RUS, UK, USA, ROM - BUL, UK, LIT, ROM, LIT)

snowflakes - 
my first
ballet lesson

4th place - 31 points:

autumn rain
the old oak
gathers crows

131 Kurt Øystein Slåtten, Egersund, Norway
(4-6-7) = 31 pts

5th place - 29 points:

spinning the globe 
I decide to stay
where I am

055 Barbara A. Taylor, Mountain Top, NSW, Australia
(5-4-6) = 29 pts

6th place - 28 points:

snow geese
the warmth of her small hand
nestling in mine

106 Adrian Bouter, Gouda, The Netherlands
(6-3-4) = 28 pts

7th place - 22 points:

beach walk ...
one by one stars
touch my feet

104 Archana Kapoor Nagpal, Bangalore, India
(4-3-4) = 22 pts

8th place - 21 points:

leaves fall
on the swing the weight
of my thoughts

028 Angiola Inglese, Treviso, Italy
(2-5-5) = 21 pts

9th place - 20 points (2):

no longer
bound by a vow - 
winter light

063 Janina Weidholz, Wiesbaden, Germany
(3-5-1) = 20 pts

² 

falling leaves -
the last chance
to dance

208 Ana Balte, Vilnius, Lithuania
(4-3-2) = 20 pts

10th place - 18 points (2):

frozen stream
stepping across
a moon bridge

037 Marietta McGregor, Canberra, Australia
(1-4-7) = 18 pts

² 

december rain
on the window
paper snowflakes

083 Jurate Norvaisiene, Mazeikiai, Lithuania
(3-4-1) = 18 pts

17 points (3):

winter frost 
a fox steals the carrot 
from my snowman 

067 Tracy Davidson, Stratford-on-Avon, UK
(2-3-5) = 17 pts

² 

cicory field-
the old blue carpet
in my bedroom

135 Emil Marin, Pantelimon, Romania
(4-2-1) = 17 pts

² 

silent night
hanging a dreamcatcher
over his crib

230 Cezar Florescu, Botosani, Romania
(3-1-6) = 17 pts

16 points:

spring ride –
she loosens her tied up
hair

020 Angelica Seithe, Wettenberg, Germany
(2-3-4) = 16 pts

15 points:

still some snow --
a little spring
in her step

080 Ashish Narain, Delhi, India
(3-2-2) = 15 pts

14 points (3):

fall evening
bellow the tree fallen
a soldier and a leaf

005 Aljoša Vuković, Sibenik, Croatia
(2-3-2) = 14 pts

² 

winter solitude
I believe the blackbird
is talking to me

154 Silvia Kempen, Apen, Germany
(2-3-2) = 14 pts

² 

year's first dream
dad returning from
that war zone

231 Cristina Apetrei, Botosani, Romania
(3-2-1) = 14 pts

13 points (3):

street of the school
the silence of summer
behind the fence

042 Marie Derley, Ath, Belgium
(3-1-2) = 13 pts

² 

full cold moon
I bring in a glass of
pine-scented night

176 Anitha Varma, Kerala, India
(3-1-2) = 13 pts

² 

fidelity trace
a tombstone and a rose
hugged by the frost 

201 Štefanija Ludvig, Dubravica, Croatia
(3-1-2) = 13 pts

12 points (6):

in front of the mirror
touching her scar
reborn as an Amazon

008 Stefanie Bucifal, Konstanz, Germany
(3-1-1) = 12 pts

² 

in the attic
between shellac records
mother‘s  buzzing

026 Gerd Börner, Berlin, Germany
(2-3-0) = 12 pts

² 

first snowflakes -
she tells me about
global warming

093 Dan Iulian, Bucharest, Romania
(1-4-1) = 12 pts

² 

mosaic moon
trickling through folded hands
a silent prayer

111 Christof Blumenrath, Borken, Germany
(1-4-1) = 12 pts

² 

our time
so ephemeral
snowflakes

119 Eufemia Griffo, Settimo Milanese, Italy
(2-2-2) = 12 pts

² 

melting snow 
the stone angels slowly 
growing darker

139 Lyudmila Hristova, Sofia, Bulgaria
(2-2-2) = 12 pts

² 

11 points (4):

icing sugar – 
the wind is shaking 
snow from the pine

027 Maria Teresa Sisti, Gassano Fivizzano, Italy
(2-1-3) = 11 pts

² 

injection ready
skinny dog
licks the hand of the wet

114 Artur Lewandowski, Sieradz, Poland
(2-2-1) = 11 pts

² 

winter chill —
the dislocation 
of sparrow bones

124 Roberta Beary, Westport, Ireland
(2-2-1) = 11 pts

² 

the last tango 
chrysanthemum touching
the ground

186 Lilia Racheva, Russe, Bulgaria
(3-1-0) = 11 pts

10 points (5):

winter popcorn
snowflakes jump
in a wind funnel

013 Viktoriya Marinova, Pleven, Bulgaria
(2-2-0) = 10 pts

² 

its leash off
the infinite
field

054 Joseph Salvatore Aversano, Ankara, Turkey
(2-2-0) = 10 pts

² 

empty wine glass
full
of autumn solitude

099 Andrius Luneckas, Vilnius, Lithuania
(3-0-1) = 10 pts

² 

125
first light
her eyes swallow
the ocean

Andy McLellan, Canterbury. UK
(3-0-1) = 10 pts

² 

winter laziness
the update lasts
the whole morning

Sylvia Bacher, Bad Aussee, Austria
(0-3-4) = 10 pts

² 

9 points (9):

beggar’s shelter
a canopy
of snowflakes

011 Cynthia Rowe, Sydney, Australia
(2-0-3) = 9 pts

² 

sunlight streaming
through gunshot holes . . .
mosque massacre

022 Christine L. Villa, North Highlands, USA
(2-1-1) = 9 pts

² 

milking stool in the snow
november darkness
pouring down

032 Oddbjørn Aardalen, Vennesla, Norway
(2-1-1) = 9 pts

² 

thick snow -
a constellation of silence
on father's grave

129 Goran Gatalica, Zagreb, Croatia
(1-2-2) = 9 pts

² 

sunset in salina -
the twin silhouettes 
of a lone flamingo 

205 Maria Laura Valente, Cesena, Italy
(1-3-0) = 9 pts

² 

gathering moss…
small mercies of
the quiet life

207 Stella Pierides, Neusaess, Germany / London, UK
(3-0-0) = 9 pts

² 

snowflakes
the aimlessness of drifting
thoughts

215 Gautam Nadkarni, Mumbai, India
(1-2-2) = 9 pts

² 

spring rain
shallots sprouting
in the Tesco bag

224 Shrikaanth Krishnamurthy, Birmingham, UK
(1-3-0) = 9 pts

² 

old monastery
the time drows its own
fresco on the wall

229 Zoran Doderovic, Novi Sad, Serbia
(1-3-0) = 9 pts

8 points (13):

a playground pole
the world upside down
by child's eyes

006 Marta Chocilowska, Warsaw, Poland
(1-2-1) = 8 pts

² 

withered bark
even leaf shadows
can't glide smoothly

062 Ajaya Mahala, Pune, India
(1-2-1) = 8 pts

² 

hanging the new calendar
something is over
something starts

085 Wiesław Karliński, Namysłów, Poland
(0-2-4) = 8 pts

² 

a cold day
her short skirt
warms up the senses

098 Andrzej Dembonczyk, Silesia, Poland
(1-0-5) = 8 pts

² 

empty bed
an odd number of origami
under the pillow

101 Pepa Odjakova, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
(1-2-1) = 8 pts

² 

first frost ---
the couple on a bench
like bookends

122 Brendon Kent, Southampton, UK
(0-2-4) = 8 pts

² 

the rise and fall 
of tiny hands
cherry blossoms

126 Ramesh Anand, Bangalore, India
(1-2-1) = 8 pts

² 

a sharp winter wind
yet another reason
to rethink my life

138 Devin Harrison, Vancouver Island, Canada
(2-1-0) = 8 pts

² 

swirling gently
into nothingness
night snow

143 Jon Espen Vassbotn, Kristiansand, Norway
(0-3-2) = 8 pts

² 

Under the fingers
of a curious blind boy
my face is the world

182 Marcel Domonkos, Celldömölk, Hungary
(1-2-1) = 8 pts

² 

way of the cross
the heavy hand of my father
on my shoulder

187 Christiane Ranieri, Wittenheim, France
(2-1-0) = 8 pts

² 

a blind artist
stepping into snowfall
the fresh scent of white

197 John Hawkhead, Bradford/Avon, UK
(2-1-0) = 8 pts

² 

winter night --
the origami ducks
are safe

216 James Dobson, Prudhoe, UK
(1-1-3) = 8 pts

7 points (8):

break of dawn -
a fisherman brings home
his trail of sea

035 Margherita Petriccione, Scauri (LT), Italy
(1-1-2) = 7 pts

² 

winter is coming - 
over the ocean a seagull
looking for summer

039 Mariana Tănase, Brăila, Romania
(1-2-0) = 7 pts

² 

winter raindrops 
on the steps of the front porch . . .
my childhood home

060 Kanchan Chatterjee, Jamshedpur, India
(1-1-2) = 7 pts

² 

Boys choir concert
Stilly sighed mama -
Military marsh

132 Jonas Vaicekauskas, Siauliai, Lithuania
(1-2-0) = 7 pts

² 

urban alpinism-
a lady bird climbs up
in the ivy top

136 Vasile Moldovan, Bucharest, Romania
(2-0-1) = 7 pts

² 

first snowflakes -
the schoolboy dreams
in front of the window

137 Claude Alice Lagadec, Saumur, France
(1-1-2) = 7 pts

² 

baptism...
I hold in
my breath

140 Tia Haynes, Cuyahoga Falls, USA
(1-1-2) = 7 pts

² 

quiet night - 
if gods are born now
nobody notices.

153 David Rodrigues, Lisbon, Portugal
(2-0-1) = 7 pts

6 points (13):

photo shoot 
the gaze of deer
picture perfect

007 Simon Hanson, Tamborine, Australia
(2-0-0) = 6 pts

² 

more snow
meeting silence
on the swings 

010 Rachel Sutcliffe, Huddersfield, UK
(2-0-0) = 6 pts

² 

Fishing day-
a child's busy spoon
in Sardine curry 

018 Aziza Hena, Dhaka, Bangladesh
(0-2-2) = 6 pts

² 

morning walk...
alyssum lingers
in my hair

031 Nancy Brady, Huron, Ohio, USA
(1-1-1) = 6 pts

² 

Liberation – 
day of the living
dead

041 Susanne Reichard, New York, USA
(1-1-1) = 6 pts

² 

a little night music
from a tiny musician . . .
lily pad frog

049 Ingrid Baluch, Kampala, Uganda
(2-0-0) = 6 pts

² 

at the Vesper
both my heart and the bells
in rhythm of pray

056 Adina Enachescu, Râmnicu-Vâlcea, Romania
(0-3-0) = 6 pts

² 

dazzling
Christmas lights:
the moon and its reflections

079 Aye John McDonald, Edinburgh, UK-Scotland
(1-1-1) = 6 pts

² 

cut acacia-
at return two storks look for
their nest in vain

134 Constantin Stroe, Bucharest, Romania
(2-0-0) = 6 pts

² 

a ladybird
crossing a window pane
crossing the sky

141 Klaus-Dieter Wirth, Viersen, Germany
(1-1-1) = 6 pts

² 

A rainbow
hangs over the mountain...
quivering reeds

171 Keith A. Simmonds, Rodez, France
(0-3-0) = 6 pts

² 

in the nursery
among the hundreds of toys
shabby lamp

175 Evgenii Plekhanov, Kirov, Russia
(2-0-0) = 6 pts

² 

2 days to Christmas –
grandma teaches me
gingerbread secret

185 Steliana Cristina Voicu, Ploiesti, Romania
(2-0-0) = 6 pts

5 points (17):

When you rest your head
in the cloud with comfort,
memories settle.

016 Lawal Jimoh, Lagos, Nigeria
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

couch in a landfill
the local cats
feel like home

040 Nikolay Grankin, Krasnodar, Russia
(0-1-3) = 5 pts

² 

winter without snow
kitchen before christmas
in white flour

053 Dainius Dirgėla, Vilnius, Lithuania
(0-2-1) = 5 pts

² 

journey through the year -
the old philodendron
and its window-seat

059 Wolfgang Rödig, Mitterfels, Germany
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

sorry, my dear,
I've been kissed
by snowflake

077 Pavel S. Vorontsov, Novosibirsk, Russia
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

who will break the embrace first frost

081 Lee Nash, Cognac, France
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

waiting hall –
same trainstation
different stories

107 Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Galati, Romania
(1-0-2) = 5 pts

² 

winter market...
the musky fragrance
of honeydew melons

116 Samantha Sirimanne Hyde, Sydney, Australia
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

slow traffic
a kestrel hovers
above the fog

118 Marina Bellini, Bagnolo San Vito, Italy
(0-2-1) = 5 pts

² 

frozen horizon
silhouettes in the whirlwind
are looking for a slit

133 Minko Tanev, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

the sun rises
a rainbow
on his get-well card

142 Mark Gilbert, Nottingham, UK
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

in the fog
slowly disappeared
your face and your voice

151 Brigitte Ten Brink, Konstanz, Germany
(0-2-1) = 5 pts

² 

scenic and craggy
the smile
on Grandpa’s face

160 Gabriele Hartmann, Höchstenbach, Germany
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

Wintermorn' ...
a rock left standing
in the surf

168 Beate Conrad, Hildesheim, Germany
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

burning love - 
freezing like hell 
for a kiss 

198 Mihail Buraga, Bucharest, Romania
(1-0-2) = 5 pts

² 

face to face
with the rising sun -
morning walk

213 S. B. Vadivelrajan, Chennai, India
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

² 

winter morning
a little brighter than the moon
light night lamp

236 Valentina Nazarova, Tver, Russia
(1-1-0) = 5 pts

4 points (15):

winter flower
the tree wears snow layers 
against the cold

003 Pamela Kuadegbeku, Accra, Ghana
(1-0-1) = 4 pts

² 

the bird nest -
instead of mother
lands a grenade

023 Branka Cukrov-Belak, Sibenik, Croatia
(0-1-2) = 5 pts

² 

motor sledge
dashing with Santa Claus
reindeers graze

030 Vladimir Šuk, Oroslavje, Croatia
(0-2-0) = 4 pts

² 

nothing to declare
I feel customs officer’s eyes
on my new shirt

061 Marcellin Dallaire-Beaumont, Brussels, Belgium
(0-1-2) = 4 pts

² 

she practices kissing--
tonight
under the mistletoe

090 Mary Jo Balistreri, Waukesha, WI, USA
(0-2-0) = 4 pts

² 

November wind 
stripping the tree 
of all its color 

105 Bernard Gieske, Bowling Green, KY, USA
(0-1-2) = 4 pts

² 

winter blizzard
lost kitten poster
covered in snow

115 Christina Sng, Singapore
(0-1-2) = 4 pts

² 

snowy morning
a fox is staring
in an ice mirror

146 Ivanka Yankova, Asenovgrad, Bulgaria
(0-1-2) = 4 pts

² 

calm of wind -
resonates the puff
of falling snow 

149 Pasquale Asprea, Genova, Italy
(1-0-1) = 4 pts

² 

proof of work
the chair’s pattern
on my tights

159 Rosa Clement, Manaus, Brazil
(1-0-1) = 4 pts

² 

old album
jogging my memories-
childhood returns

164 Somayajulu Musunuri, Hyderabad, India
(1-0-1) = 4 pts

² 

meeting after years 
snowflakes are melting
on tongues

209 Małgorzata Formanowska, Wrocław, Poland
(0-2-0) = 4 pts

² 

prayer song-
this constant struggle to free
myself from me

221 Kashinath Karmakar, Durgapur, India
(0-2-0) = 4 pts

² 

advent
in the wood workshop light
until midnight

225 Christa Beau, Halle/Saale, Germany
(0-2-0) = 4 pts

² 

arcing her torso
to touch the sky
the sea

234 Alegria Imperial, Vancouver, Canada
(1-0-1) = 4 pts

3 points (25):

mackerel sky
changing fishing grounds
the loping crane

012 Mike Gallagher, Listowel, Ireland
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

first sun...
waking up to the chatter of communal cooking

024 Theophilus Femi Alawonde, Ogbomosho, Nigeria
(0-1-1)

² 

spark
almost hitting
the moon

025 o g aksnes, Toensberg, Norway
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

a handful of snow…
fragrant sky
from childhood

033 Goda V.Bendoraitiene, Klaipeda, Lithuania
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

thick layer of hail
a snowplow in the street
in the summer

050 Marija Pogorilić, Rovinj, Croatia
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

night hides in her eyes
beyond the fathomless blue
shooting stars blossom

051 Benjamin Bläsi, Wünnewil, Switzerland
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

A river mirror
So many years have gone by
The wrinkleless sky

065 Viviane Cristina Moura Leite, São Paulo, Brazil
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

sunset
cruise passengers are jogging
between deckchairs

066 Helga Schulz Blank, Esslingen, Germany
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

departing steps
die out in autumn mist...
solitude

068 Natalia Kuznetsova, Moscow, Russia
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

never alone -
the pigeons are landed
from the roof

069 Slobodan Pupovac, Zagreb, Croatia
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

old age home--
the gutters let free
endless rain

078 Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, Hyderabad, India
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

the crow in the sky
at last disappears
the pain of her divorce

084 Eléonore Nickolay, Vaires sur Marne, France
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

A myriad of roads.
Where they love me
there is my home.

117 Stoianka Boianova, Sofia, Bulgaria
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

sleeping soil -
I quietly repeat
persimmon haikus

121 Ezio Infantino, Verona, Italy
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

Her winter up North
Aurora borealis
Swallow schools, down South

123 Thor Henriksen, Oslo. Norway
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

worker on the railway -
my father remains
on the other side

130 Giovanna Restuccia, Modena, Italy
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

In the shadow
of a cathedral
a melted igloo

148 Richard Jodoin, Montréal, Canada
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

visiting grandpa
unknown photo 
and the flowers

157 Sinisa Subasic, Sibenik, Croatia
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

Winter shadows
the ants
go for sunshine

172 Amir Hasanvandi, Shoush, Iran
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

lovelorn paper
between poems the ellipsis
of farewell

181 Ernesto P. Santiago, Solano, Philippines
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

disorderly fly
retching Buddha nature
Calendula flower

189 Erin C. Castaldi, Mays Landing, USA
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

thick fog
the only visible
that's me

192 Sudebi Singha, Kolkata, India
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

² 

busy high street
the caress of snowflakes
stops the time

204 Iliyana Stoyanova, St Albans, UK
(0-1-1) = 3 pts

² 

oh, autumn-
nothing remains to want
from life 

214 Tuvshinzaya Nergui, Tsetserleg, Mongolia
(1-0-0) = 3 pts

2 points (18):

falling
with velvet dark peace
                           
the first snow

019 Svend A. Doggfall, Oslo, Norway
(0-0-2) = 2 pts

² 

Water level rises --
moored gondolas
as well  

021 Francesco Gonella, Padova, Italy
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

Cloud on a starry night -
Orion briefly
lost his belt.

046 Ivana Antić Stošić, Šibenik, Croatia
(0-1-0) = 3 pts

² 

Morning Angelus -
arrowheads of geese with shouts
on their journey south

073 Horst Ludwig, St. Peter, MN, USA
(0-1-0) = 3 pts

² 

eclipse flare
the man in the moon
casts a shadow

075 Tim Gardiner, Manningtree, UK
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

beneath the snow
frozen toes old woman
firewood drawn

076 Branka Vojinović Jegdić, Pogorica, Montenegro
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

Horse threshing corn
sweat from his shoulder moves
old mills.

086 Izeta Radetinac, Novi Pazar, Serbia
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

Multiversum -
my heart at the same time
here and there

089 Valeria Barouch, Geneva, Switzerland
(0-0-2) = 2 pts

² 

Ballistic Christmas
Filling up our time and space
Tetris and snow flakes

091 Andreas Hvammen, Larvik, Norway
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

sidewalk in the fog
I meet a blackboard with
white obituaries

095 Stjepan Rožić, Ivanic Grad, Croatia
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

washing and decorating -
the Indelible signs
of Winter

096 Severa Disingrini, Cremona, Italia
(0-1-0) = 2 pts
² 

after the storm -
dandelion fluff
floods sky

120 Florin Golban, Bucharest, Romania
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

hospice 
he waits to cross 
the great divide

150 Madhuri Pillai, Melbourne, Australia
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

hot chocolate brightens
another grey day

173 Joan McNerney, New York, USA
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

"Dear Santa Claus"-
a child's letter
under the tree

180 Doris Pascolo, Milano, Italy
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

² 

winter garden –
old pool is filling
by snowfall

206 Natalia Sedenkova, Samara, Russia
(0-0-2) = 2 pts

² 

a beggar's bowl -
no free food in
Freetown

211 Precious Oboh, Delta, Nigeria
(0-0-2) = 2 pts

² 

snowing ...
barely visible colors
of traffic lights

218 Nijolė Kerušauskienė, Kaunas, Lithuania
(0-1-0) = 2 pts

1 point (20):

coastline waves
my desires 
mark their limit

002 Justice Joseph Prah, Accra, Ghana
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

groaning far away
night flight over the prison
freedom fighters

034 Ashoka Weerakkody, Colombo, Sri Lanka
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

chaste young lovers -
videochat on Christmas  
Adam's suit wearing 

043 Gheorghe Postelnicu, Bucharest, Romania
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

rom"we" to "I"...
photos on the mantle piece
now glass-side down

064 Vandana Parashar, Chandimandir Cantt, India
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

The hush of fresh snow
expels all the buzzing thougts..
PCs to be resetted.

071 Rolf Hermes, Pulheim, Germany
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

Paradise alley —
some homeless people
at the back

087 Minh-Triêt Pham, Paris, France
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

Christmas housecleaning -
only a leaf
in my address book

103 Cristina-M. Moldoveanu, Bucharest, Romania
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

the snow falls
although my dog
barks all the time

162 Toni Pavleski, Prilep, Macedonia
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

boat with refugees
is raised by a wave -
God help us!

166 Maria Tirenescu, Cugir, Romania
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

winter heath
the sluggish movement
of the brook

177 Ramona Linke, Salzatal/Beesenstedt, Germany
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

end of the year…
all those new tombstones
all those tears

178 Ed Bremson, Raleigh, NC, USA
(0-0-1) = 1 pt
² 

early frost
it seems about to jingle
uspoken words

179 Andrey Larionov, Samara, Russia
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

rat poison
the eternal whining
from the neighbor

183 Sonja Raab, Opponitz, Austria
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

pending poll results
a tiny dot in the clouds
becomes a raven

184 Emmanuel Jessie Kalusian, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

in the crystal bowl
the reflection of the pine-
Merry Christmas!

188 Vanice Zimerman, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

hot herbal tea
New Year comes nearer
with each sip

194 Maya Kisyova, Sofia, Bulgaria
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

by the silver sea
I was waiting for you,
till the moon faded

199 Damir Janjalija, Kotor, Montenegro
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

The Blue Summer
returns in the sky
of our love.

203 Antoaneta Pavlova, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

flaming up
from flattened poppies
hiding our love

219 Jovanka Božić, Valjevo, Serbia
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

² 

good news –
after two days rain
stray dog cheerful

235 Dragan Ristic, Nis, Serbia
(0-0-1) = 1 pt

no points (46):

walking floor
walks
for you

004 Arne Haukdal, Stavanger, Norway

² 

a winter column
pole geese and kingfishers
went to africa

009 Rob Flipse, Kalenberg, Netherlands

² 

clouds moving
slowly across the sun
my year in review

015 Cyndi Lloyd, Riverton, UT, USA

² 

You are t i r e d. . .
charming a belated fly
in overflight

017 Djurdja Vukelić Rožić, Ivanić-Grad, Croatia

² 

today's numbers
crowding the snowy summit
on his business card

047 Sheila K. Barksdale, Gotherington, England

² 

wintry night
mouse in burrow clueless                    
another tunnel

048 Radhamani Sarma, Chennai, India

² 

stopped the sun
in the shadow of the window
bird in the miror

052 Rita Stokić Brgić, Manjadvorci, Croatia

² 

it´s a lonely day
and the sky is full of blues
with no rainy clouds

057 Fabián Padilla Hernández, Bogota, Colombia

² 

forecast -
a barn owl makes landfall
on an oil rig

(The last juvenile owls disperse as winter begins - some get lost and fly out to sea)

058 Sara Winteridge, Fordingbridge, England

² 

freedom of love-
only the heart knows
its limit 

070 Munia Khan, Dhaka, Bangladesh

² 

wings in the night sky
I´m vibing with
shouts of cranes

072 Birgit Schaldach-Helmlechner, Schluechtern, Germany

² 

wondering
one leaf on the dogwood
when you're leaving

074 Phyllis Lee, Sebring, Ohio, USA

² 

flooded soul
dreaming emotions are on the top
glorifying mind

088 Ivo Iv. Velinov, Sofia, Bulgaria

² 

Chilly midnight -
tears roll down 
when he kisses her.

094 Iffat Jahan Suchona, Dhaka, Bangladesh

² 

097
the old cat once more
stretches itself to full size
winds caress the grass

Pitt Büerken, Münster, Germany

² 

from the handrail
a blackbird eyes a lazy cat –
winter arriving soon

100 Mihovila Čeperić-Biljan, Rijeka, Croatia

² 

In the front of my house
a white mustache on the birch tree.
The Winter has come.

102 Zlata Bogović, Varaždin, Croatia

² 

old stump
birches surrounded
on all sides

109 Vitali Khomin, Mukachevo, Ukraine

² 

ripples in the air
soft and cold whispering
snowflakes

110 Jens-Christian Kjær, Brande, Denmark

² 

in front of the mirror
braided in a plait
his look

113 Zuzanna Truchlewska, Łaziska Górne, Poland

² 

Between the walls
the look of the swallow
into the blue

128 Hartmut Fillhardt, Martinsthal, Germany

² 

all my torn beads
on one thread again -
the Christmas tree

144 Alexey Andreev, Moscow, Russia

² 

frost on basement's walls
a mouse slips out of the trap -
damn what a relief

145 Artūras Šilanskas, Vilnius, Lithuania

² 

a star-spangled sky
doused in darkness
security light

147 David J. Kelly, Dublin, Ireland

² 

winter sky in the cavities --
one more stone scudding away
from the roman bridge

152 Vania Stefanova, Sliven, Bulgaria

² 

Frustrated assault –
In the grandma's big fridge
only ice and teas.

155 Franklin Magalhães, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

² 

late fall -
a whirlwind of flakes
from day one

156 Marie Jeanne Sakhnis-de Meis, Avignon, France

² 

evening 'diya'...
a speck of sun rays
on tree top

158 Kumarendra Mallick, Hyderabad, India

² 

Lights switch on
Best christmas tree ever !
Only my grandfather's smile is missing

161 Solène Lagadec, Rennes, France

² 

seclusion -
a crackle of warmth sings from
the cosy hearth

163 Gillena Cox; St James, Trinidad and Tobago

² 

decorating
the dormant lawn
fall colors

165 Purushotham Rao Ravela, Nolensville, USA

² 

in the backyard
of my field--
cats chasing rats

167 Nureni Ibrahim, Lagos, Nigeria

² 

starry signs
by the lake side
forget me not

169 Vibeke Laier, Randers, Denmark

² 

the salute fallen numb
crows settle down
in an empty alley

170 Vladimir Ashurko, Minsk, Belarus

² 

snowman ... 
red scarf 
with a darn

174 Mohammad Azim Khan, Peshawar, Pakistan 

² 

slime trails
on dad's grave
tear trails

191 Eleni Antoniou-Constantinou, Nicosia, Cyprus

² 

wing shadow
the black rabbit runs under
the woodpile

195 Margaret Beverland, Katikati, New Zealand

² 

after the rain
the sky peering from
the street streamlets

196 Midhat Hrnčić - Midho, Sanski Most, Bosnia and Herzegovina

² 

dawn
a red flash
across the frozen lake

202 Vladimir Ludvig, Dubravica, Croatia

² 

traffic island-
handreds of purple flowers
partly cloudy

212 Arik Benedek Chaviv, Gyvataym, Israel

² 

deadline-
inspiration under pressure
takes the wind

217 Franjo Ordanić, Oroslavje, Croatia

² 

cars halt crowding
willy nilly-
winter frost ahead

222 Aju Mukhopadhyay, Pondicherry, India

² 

egg cracking
from a single tree-
universal tone

223 Nadalsuren Purevdorj, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

² 

fracture of the right hand
by eight weeks
I am a child

226 Paulina Perczak, Poland, Kielce

² 

I'm going to rain
On the Christmas night
I'm waiting for a miracle.

228 Virginija Sakalauskiene, Raudondvaris (Kaunas), Lithuania

² 

snow falls gently
creating a blanket for Mother Nature
geese depart

233 Kristjaan Panneman, Lelystad, The Netherlands 

no results (authors who didn’t vote - 14):

Thanksgiving
all she left me
were crumbs

014 Ignatius Fay, Sudbury, Canada

² 

amazed -
snowflakes instead of flies
at the window

029 Miclăuş Silvestru, Sommariva del Bosco, Romania

² 

catching a mare's tail
scale an icy morning breeze...
clouds cut through the blue

036 Pat Geyer, East Brunswick, NJ, USA

² 

pond ice:
the goldfish swims swiftly
in circles

038 Raamesh Gowri Raghavan, Thane, India

² 

winter colors
reflecting the serenity
smile on the face

045 Tatjana Debeljački, Užice, Serbia

² 

Christmas shop window 
sleeping is the waif
under snow angels

082 Dimitar Tanev, Sofia, Bulgaria

² 

garden Buddha
becoming
mindless snowman

112 Ron Scully, Manchester, NH, USA

² 

not to close myself
but how much it hurts
candid moon . . .

127 Lucia Fontana, Milan, Italy

² 

winter dusk
darkness rises
from within

190 Sondra J. Byrnes, Santa Fee, USA

² 

winter's monotomy
a child paints 
clusters of clouds

193 Ng Chien Ying, Seremban, Malaysia

² 

red rover
the rush
of cherry blossoms

200 Susan Mallernee, Dover, USA

² 

Power failure
but the light
of the winter moon

220 Elke Bonacker, Duisburg, Germany

² 

the rumble of train
droning away from her
his memories 

227 Gexter Lacambra, Milan, Italy

² 

swinging me swing
the memories awaken -
I'm child again

232 Mirko Varga, Varazdin, Croatia

====