2009 HSA Einbond Renku Awards

2009 HSA Bernard Lionel Einbond Renku Collection Awards

The Haiku Society of America sponsors this annual award for renku of 36, 20, or 12 stanzas. (Renku is a form of renga). See also the contest rules and the judges' commentary for the Einbond award. For more information about the goals of this contest, download a copy of the HSA Renku Contest Committee Report (pdf) published in Frogpond XIII:2 (May 1990).

Commentary by year: 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Winners by Year: 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

2009

2009 Judges: Jerry Ball, Califiornia and Patricia Machmiller, California
Judges' Commentary for 2009

Grand Prize Award:

“Circles of Strangers,” a summer kasen renku
by Christopher Herold, Washington & Carol O’Dell, Washington

Honorable Mention:

“Streaks of Dawn,” a winter kasen renku
by Allan Burns, Colorado, Christopher Herold, Washington,
& Ron Moss, Tasmania

Second Honorable Mention:

“Gunnysack,” a summer nijuin renku
by John Stevenson, NY, Hilary Tann, NY,
Paul MacNeil, Florida, & Yu Chang, NY

2009 Bernard Lionel Einbond Award for Renku

Grand Prize Award:

"Circles of Strangers"

CIRCLES OF STRANGERS
a summer kasen renku
by
Christopher Herold, Washington
& Carol O’Dell, Washington

campground fires small circles of strangers under a vault of stars	CH
I watch a ladybug walk along the table	CO
she inspects the leaves of all the plants in the arboretum	CH
matched pink pearl earrings behind a thick glass window	CO
moonshine splits the inky darkness of Half Moon Bay	CH
another long, sleepless night, he takes a pen and starts to write	CO
how relaxing the scent of chamomile tea from a clay mug	CO
“grandma’s deaf so we don’t have to be quiet”	CH
the rhythmic thump of our silken headboard against the wall	CO
through her hand into my hand each quick kick from her belly	CH
as I slice bananas into the trifle the Jell-O wobbles	CO
airport security finds plastic explosive in his shoes	CH
rabbit tracks hidden by shadows cast by the moon	CO
snow-blind and frostbitten the team descends to base camp	CH
Papillon puffs on the cigar offered by a leper	CH
they watch ragged clouds billow across the sky	CO
without wind the cherry blossoms fall straight down	CH
children and their ribbons dance around the Maypole	CO
on TV a parade of tanks, etc. files past the Kremlin	CH
paths, lanes, streets, roads, avenues boulevards, turnpikes, highways . . .	CO
an official from the public works committee lobbying for funds	CH
two months before retirement she applies for a passport	CO
in a vivid dream I see a flock of egrets land on a palm tree	CH
Ann & Sue have been friends since childhood, so close they’re like white on rice	CO
another evangelist rants about the evils of same-sex marriage	CH
nothing fills us with more joy than our baby’s smile	CO
this afternoon my teen introduced me to her Goth boyfriend	CH
at the assisted living home just one man willing to dance	CO
the bright autumn moon in every drop that drips through the IV tube	CH
a puddle of dew on the seat of a deck chair	CO
she mended the tear in the scarecrow’s pants with a leather patch	CO
it seems the mediator had a bit too much to drink	CH
what more do you want in your Dagwood sandwich? Maybe some bologna?	CO
the vegan convention will meet on April Fool’s Day	CH
tourists arriving from all around the world to see the tulips	CO
we change our voices with helium balloons	CH

2009 Bernard Lionel Einbond Award for Renku

Honorable Mention:

"Streaks of Dawn"

STREAKS OF DAWN
a winter kasen renku
by
Allan Burns, Colorado, Christopher Herold, Washington,
& Ron Moss, Tasmania

streaks of dawn Christmas tree needles between floorboards	AB
far out on the snowy plain the train rails come to a point	CH
approaching shore a lantern swings back and forth in the captain’s hands	RM
eyes on the birdbath, the cat thwacks the carpet with its tail	AB
I devour an entire meatless pizza by moonlight	CH
a boy and his dad in the scarecrow’s shadow	RM
an autumn breeze through the mail slot startles the widow	AB
the scent of sagebrush fills a narrow gorge	CH
after the date she puts roses out with the trash	RM
he recalls the hem of her floral dress	AB
old friends in stitches as they learn details about our wedding snafu	CH
a glitter of broken glass where the rivers meet	RM
clouds part and a night-heron flies across the moon	AB
ribbons flutter from the fan as it swivels side to side	CH
the flash of heavy artillery lights up a bunker	RM
a cobweb rises slowly toward the sooty ceiling	AB
on tiptoes the boy shakes plum blossoms into their picnic lunch	RM
friends yelling EARTHQUAKE on April Fools’ Day	CH
as you wait a butterfly’s reflection rippled by carp	AB
in the zendo meditating on Chuang Tse’s dream	RM
a young concubine tries to get the eunuchs to flirt with her	CH
after the YouTube song they dance to the bedroom	AB
on the cabin wall two pairs of old skates feathered with frost	RM
as the woodpile grows the ax blade loses its gleam	CH
shouldering a keg a burly Scotsman takes the high road	AB
with each broad stroke the cobalt blue sea appears	RM
his coma persists despite another dose of thrombolytic drugs	CH
she slaps down her last Uno card with relish	AB
from the firelight sparks spiral toward a blood moon	RM
my dew-drenched sleeping bag dries out beside Crater Lake	CH
through the fog the smell of simmering beans and fresh-brewed coffee	RM
the guest bewildered by a hieroglyphic	AB
this fossil from the Eocene epoch is a missing link	CH
grandma’s up late polishing her gold coins	RM
on the bus from D.C. cherry blossoms in the rearview mirror	AB
remember how we loved to chase soap bubbles across the lawn?	CH

2009 Bernard Lionel Einbond Award for Renku

Second Honorable Mention:

"Gunnysack"

GUNNYSACK
a summer nijuin renku
by
John Stevenson, NY, Hilary Tann, NY,
Paul MacNeil, Florida, & Yu Chang, NY

a gunnysack by the kitchen door autumn dusk	JS
moonlight from the lake caught up in the pines	HT
wild cheering for the World Series home team	PM
four fortune cookies left untouched	YC
the recording engineer accepts her last take with reservations	HT
limo, show, and hotel shower	JS
a long blonde hair exactly like my wife’s	YC
lion tails denote tribal authority	PM
the sign that says “thin ice” is half-submerged	JS
surprise gift of an overcoat	YC
a thundersheet accompanies the deus ex machina	HT
cloud shadows graze the mountainside	JS
Will the wine and chocolates be enough?	PM
they eloped on Independence Day	HT
after the fireworks we walk back with the moon	YC
a crow’s hop changes to strut	PM
finest grade of sandpaper in Geppetto’s shop	JS
distant relatives gather for her confirmation	HT
apple blossoms are coming into view beyond the fallow fields	PM
choosing a high spot to fly a kite	YC