The results of the IAFOR Vladimir Devidé Haiku Award 2017 were announced by Professor Myles Chilton of Nihon University, Japan, at The Asian Conference on Literature 2017 in Kobe, Japan, on March 31, 2017. This year the award, now in its seventh year, received more than 800 submissions from 64 countries. We would like to extend our thanks to all entrants for the fantastic range and quality of haiku submitted.

The Grand Prize Winner, 12 Runners Up and 18 Commended entries selected by His Excellency Dr Drago Štambuk, as well as the selection of 5 entries on the theme of “History, Story, Narrative” from Guest Judge Susan Burch, follow here.

Grand Prize Winner

among the debris
the cell phone screen
lights up
Manos Kounougakis, Greece

Runners Up

sitting together
we look at each other’s eyes
and don’t see ourselves
Smiljka Bilankov, Croatia

together again
side by side
deep under the soil
Catriona Bridget Shine, Norway

sinking into
the moonlit field
Bashō’s shadow
Jacob Salzer, USA

seismic shift
my mother
forgets my name
Patricia Pella, USA

after whirlwind
falling leaves
bury fallen leaves
Justice Joseph Prah, Ghana

returning after cremation
the dog brings me
your slipper
Christiane Ranieri, France

end of third shift
baker brings hot bread and buns
to his children
Stjepan Rozic, Croatia

hospital garden –
a bald little girl
playing princess
Minh-Triêt Pham, France

your kiss
on my blessed rod –
the sacred elixir of lust
Ojo Taiye, Nigeria

tiny pebbles
the softness
of her talk
Pravat Kumar Padhy, India

moonlit night
the sound of nurturing
from a foxhole
Mohammad Azim Khan, Pakistan

window by the sea…
as the rain ceased an island
almost within my reach
Dubravka Borić, Croatia

Commended

our baby
between us
a new distance
Suraja Roychowdhury, USA

dead of winter
my puppy climbs up
to kiss my tears
Christine L. Villa, USA

The morning fog,
knocking not on the door
woke me up
Amir Hassanvandi, Iran

D.C. riots
I hitch a ride home
with a racist
Alexis Rotella, USA

On the blue sky
a flock of birds printed
black letter V.
Ruzica Vasilic Marusic, Croatia

her weekly phone call
another deceased friend
my aging mother
Frieda Gheysens, Belgium

night moon
in my breast pocket
haiku diary
Gennady Novoseltcev, Russia

an old manuscript
a strand of my wife’s hair
still black
Bruce Ross, USA

looking at Fuji
volcano tattoo burning
on my shoulder
Aljoša Vuković, Croatia

my daughter’s journal
that last entry
stained with tears
Tracy Davidson, UK

First of January
still in the car
last year’s fly
Kirill Giraudon, France

sparse snowflakes
the loneliness
of galaxies
Nicholas Klacsanzky, Ukraine

yellow sunrise –
the first egg cracked
after miscarriage
Ingrid Jendrzejewski, UK

stillness of fresh snow
over the scar
of chopped trees
Janak Sapkota, Nepal

Sudden snowstorm –
we find a sheltered doorway
to kiss in
Andy McLellan, UK

in the room for two
strangers ending their stories –
the hospice beds
Djurdja Vukelic Rozic, Croatia

Christmas in town
Madman embracing a willow
So much love to give…
Brigitte Delandsheere, Belgium

Red coat hanging
pockets still plump
with grandma’s hands
Mary Gilonne, France

Guest Judge Selection: “History, Story, Narrative”

 

1st Choice

stars…
still amazed
I found her
John Hawk, USA

2nd Choice

Belfast campus blast
I sift through the remains
of my neutrality
Marion Clarke, UK

3rd Choice

pointing at Sputnik
my father’s hand
squeezes mine
Beth Skala, Canada

4th Choice

in Katrina’s wake
the enduring sweetness
of magnolias
Patricia Daharsh, USA

5th Choice

my very soft prayer-name
learning to float
down the river
Maria Duran, Lisbon