1st EDITION OF SANTOKA INTERNATIONAL HAIKU CONTEST
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.
HAIKU – PEACE
1st PLACE
EDUARD TARA, ROMANIA
mlado lišće –
dovoljno mesta
za sve
young leaves –
enough place for everyone
春のえだ
あふれくるあお
みなにあり
2nd PLACE
TARO AIZU, JAPAN
gde god da umrem
u gradu, planini il’ moru
oni su moj dom
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
3rd PLACE
KATH ABELA WILSON, USA
meša tlo
mnogih zemalja
Pacifik
stirring the soil
of different lands
Pacific
太平洋
ことなる土を
かき混ぜる
HIGHLY COMMENDED
PASQUALE ASPREA, ITALY
divlje cveće –
ničija je
ova Zemlja
Wild flowers –
it is not of anybody
this Earth
野の花や
こみんなのものだ
この大地
HIGHLY COMMENDED
ERNESTO P. SANTIAGO, GREECE
shvatam geometriju –
na krilima leptira
odsustvo rata
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
HIGHLY COMMENDED
ANGELO ANCHETA, PHILIPPINES
vedro nebo
kakofonija nestaje
kakofonija nestaje
clear sky
the cacophony dissipates
in mutual silence
晴天
騒音が散る
沈黙の中
We would like to thank all the authors of this year’s Santoka Contest for their participation in the hope that they will join us again next year and help us promote authentic Japanese art forms, haiku and haiga.
Translation into Serbian by – Aleksandar Vasić
Translation into Japanese by – Margareta Samoran
Prepress – Marija G. Gray