Read Our 2024 Humanist Haiku Contest Winners
Photo by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash TheHumanist.com is pleased to announce the winners of the fifth annual Haiku Contest, this year held to honor National Poetry Month in April.
The contest requested entries of haikus about humanism and humanist values. Submissions were required to be in the form of a haiku, a seemingly simple form of poetry in three lines: five syllables on line one, seven syllables on line two, and five syllables on line three.
We received over one hundred entries, and our judges chose ten of their favorites. A huge thank you to all of the poets who submitted their haikus. And another big thank you to our panel of judges: Peter Bjork, Lily Bolourian, Nicole Carr, David Reinbold, Meredith Thompson, Becca Ray, and Isabella Russian.
The below haikus appear in alphabetical order by author name.
Afforded one life,
together working for good
across time we thrive.
—Todd Battistelli
Science is to ask:
What are the pieces of this
bitter fruit meant for?
— Seráh Blain
You must know this truth:
Your laughter fulfills the dreams
your ancestors had.
— Samuel Fishman
Agency of mind
Recognizing potential
In each pair of eyes
— Jamey D. Franklin
It’s far easier
to do no harm, speak no hate
than spit in the wind
— Angela G
Science inquiry
elucidates evidence;
voids divination.
— Annalysa Grayson
Before there were gods
There was you and me and us
And love’s still enough
— Samiri Hernández Hiraldo
Life is all around
True fulfilment needs no god
Live yours in freedom
— Christopher Kelly
Hands clasped in friendship,
Bound by empathy and love—
Human hearts unite.
— Rashid Mughal
Cosmic voyagers,
Bound by love, reason, and awe,
In starlight, we pause.
— Jocelyn Williamson