Thursday, November 30, 2006

Haiku Challenge!

I've teased, tortured and made you wait long enough! So without further adu, welcome to the first ever Running Haiku Challenge!

A Haiku is an ancient form of Japanese poetry consisting of three lines of verse. The first and third line contain 5 syllables. The second line 7 syllables.

Here are a few of my mediocre examples:

My feet ride on air
fast and free down city streets
I am a runner

The heart rate quickens
Cool air dries the hard effort
running against wind

My shoe laces tied
I will run a marathon
Crazy I must be

To enter the Running Haiku Challenge simply email me your haiku to morefew {at} gmail dot com.

Your Haiku may be dramatic, inspiring, humorous, funny or just plain silly. It only needs to be an original work in haiku form and somehow running related.

A highly qualified team of expert panelists* has been assembled and will review all of the submissions. The field of entrants will be narrowed down to:
  • Honorable Mention
  • 2nd Place Runner Up
  • 1st Place Runner Up
  • Running Haiku Grand Champion
All winners will have their haiku published on this blog later in December. Beyond the glory, international super-fame and eternal bragging rights The Running Haiku Grand Champion will receive a very special gift (actual award to be announced later).

Don't delay - email your Haiku to morefew {at} gmail dot com today!

*Er, Ah, Salena and me. And no, we're not really haiku experts. Sorry.


"In accordance with our principles of free enterprise and healthy competition, I'm going to ask you two to fight to the death for it."
-Monty Python

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Boy I haven't made a haiku since 8th grade English class.

I'm going to have to put my thinking cap on; especially for a subject as foreign to me as running.

I'll get back to you with something soon.

Beanie said...

mmm, gauntlet has been thrown down...

JustRun said...

Hmmm, I wonder if I can come up with one next weekend. You'd think 26.2 miles would be long enough to think of something but we'll see.
Here is one I've heard before, though this is not my entry:

Feet hit the pavement
Reflecting on life's wonders
Alone with my thoughts

Phil said...

Great idea, but I'll have to sit this one out. I can barely write a coherent English sentence, let alone compose highly stylized prose.

Ginger Breadman said...

How funny, I'm doing a haiku on the front of our Christmas cards fo this year (but it's not a running one). I like justrun's, but i'll have to get out my pencil and do some writing - i'm highly inspired. will you publish more than just the winners, so we can read them all?

Unknown said...

Mark - Nice entries. I am highly entertained by your creative haiku entries!

Yvonne - That's the competative spirit! I am looking forward to your entries.

JustRun - Good luck on the marathon. I hope inspiration strikes!

Phil - No worries. Thanks for stopping by.

Ginger - Haiku syncronicity! Yes, multiple submissions are welcome and I will publish more than just the winners.