This was going to be a Facebook contest only, but I had to bring the blog into the fun. I don’t want it to become the resentful older brother.
In response to the fantastic success of the elucidate the band name contest that just occured (on my Facebook page), I thought I would set up another one. Having just finished discussing haiku in a non-western lit class I was teaching, I thought that this was just the thing.
So, your assignment, should you choose to accept, is to write two haiku, one each for the upcoming autumn and winter seasons, preferably focused on these seasons in St. Louis, but that is not an absolute stipulation. Please send your haiku to neil.e.das@gmail.com by a week from today, August 15th. And the winner will be announced on Monday, August 20th. Judging will be done by me and at least one other esteemed judge in a impartial manner. All haiku will be posted here. And the winner, you ask, what does the winner get? Oh, just you wait.
First, though, even though this site indicates otherwise, the haiku for this contest must consist of three lines with 5-7-5 syllables respectively. Each haiku should have a kigo or seasonal word in it. And preferably there should be a cutting word, or pause after the second line, which sets up the ending. Here is the Wikipedia article on haiku.
Enough with the rules…what are the prizes? Well, the deserving winner will get to pick 3 out of the 4 items listed and pictured below.
*A rare complete copy of the second Ghetto Monk anthology consisting of essays, poems, reviews written by local authors and edited by Jeremy Huggins. This copy also includes the CD of original music that came with the publication. High quality all around.
*A cool, Asian looking red box (actally made in Poland) suitable for, well, storing loose change, though only a little, or jewelry or what not. And the cicada shells currently inside it can totally be optional.
*Pristine paperbacks of the first nine books in the A Series of Unfortunate Events book series by Lemony Snicket.
*A regular sized Toblerone.
OK, remember you only get your choice of 3 out of 4 prizes, so dream wisely, get writing, and tell your friends. And, yes, the prizes will be shipped (if necessary) anwhere in these united states.