Haiku Registry and Contest News

This just in from Billie Wilson:

I’ve been asked to remind poets who have published haiku in English in any edited publication (print or online) that they are invited to participate in The Haiku Foundation's Haiku Registry. This Registry will be not only a beautiful gallery highlighting the work of haiku poets from around the world, but also a good research tool for anyone interested in English-language haiku. Volunteers are also needed to provide in-depth information about deceased poets for the memorial section of the Registry.

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Carole Macrury sent this:

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is pleased to announce a new spring deadline for the 2010 Haiku Invitational.

While the cherry blossoms bloom from March through May, you are invited to write your haiku with fresh inspiration. The poems will be judged during the summer and winners announced in the fall 2010. Winning poems will then be featured during the 2011 festival. So start planning now to submit your cherry blossom haiku this coming spring.

An official invitation will be announced in February. Online submissions will begin March 1, 2010 and close May 31, 2010.

Please visit the festival web-site www.vcbf.ca to view past winning haiku with 2010 updates coming soon.

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And a couple of readers sent this about a new poetry competition:

First Annual James Kirkup Memorial
Poetry Competition

CLOSING DATE: 31ST DECEMBER 2009

Judges: Terry Kelly, Tom Kelly and Alistair Robinson.

1st prize: publication of pamphlet
24 other finalists will be published in a pamphlet anthology

Rules

• Entry is free.
• You may enter only once.
• You must be over 17 years of age.
• Your entry will be judged anonymously. Please DO NOT SHOW YOUR NAME on the same sheet as your entry. Enclose a separate sheet with your name, address, telephone number, email address and the title of your poem. Please mark your envelope 'James Kirkup Poetry Competition'.
• Your poem should be typed on one side of A4 paper (you may use any number of sheets).
• Poems may be in any style, of any length, on any subject.
• Your poem will not be returned to you. If you would like an acknowledgement of receipt please enclose an SAE marked 'Acknowledgement'.
• No alterations may be made to a poem once it has been submitted.
• Overseas entries are welcome.
• Poems must be in English (or English dialect).
• Poems must not have won or be under consideration in other poetry competitions.
• Poems must not be a translation of another author's work.
• Employees of Red Squirrel Press are not eligible to enter.
  

A celebratory event will be held at South Shields Central Library at 7.30 Friday 23rd April 2010 (on what would have been James Kirkup's 92nd birthday).

Send entries to:

James Kirkup Memorial Competition
Red Squirrel Press
PO Box 219
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 9AU
United Kingdom

We are unable to accept entries by e-mail.