First edition of Santoka International Haiku Contest

“Peace”

The First Santoka International Haiku Contest had a total of 158 haiku submissions from 32 countries on 5 continents, which greatly exceeded our expectations in view of the pioneer mission of the festival.

We faced a very unpleasant task to select the haiku which left the strongest impression on the members of the team and to rank them in order to present awards to the best ones. Six haiku were selected, which with their power, beauty and simplicity make us think at least for a moment that we are closer to kindness, truth and freedom.

Translation into Serbian by Aleksandar Vasić.

Translation into Japanese by Margareta Samoran.

1st place

Eduard Tara, Romania

young leaves –

enough place

for everyone

春のえだ

あふれくるあお

みなにあり

mlado lišće –

dovoljno mesta

za sve

2nd place

Taro Aizu, Japan

Wherever I may die

in towns or mountains or seas

They are my hometowns

町  山  海

どこで死んでも

わが家かな

gde god da umrem

u gradu, planini il’ moru

oni su moj dom

3rd place

Kath Abela Wilson, United States of America

stirring the soil

of different lands

Pacific

太平洋

ことなる土を

かき混ぜる

meša tlo

mnogih zemalja

Pacifik

Highly Commended

Pasquale Asprea, Italy

Wild flowers –

it is not of anybody

this earth

野の花や

みんなのものだ

この大地

divlje cveće –

ničija je

ova Zemlja

Ernesto P. Santiago, Greece

Grasping geometry –

on a butterfly’s wings

the absence of war

幾何がわかる

蝶の羽に

戦争の欠如

shvatam geometriju –

na krilima leptira

odsustvo rata

Angelo Ancheta, Philippines

clear sky

the cacophony dissipates

in mutual silence

晴天

騒音が散る

沈黙の中

vedro nebo

kakofonija nestaje

u uzajamnoj ćutnji