“All thoughts, all passions, all delights, Whatever stirs this mortal frame, All are but ministers of Love, And feed his sacred flame.” Thus wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1799 poem “Love.” And what better time to celebrate love in all its shapes, forms and torments than in the days leading up to St. Valentine’s Day? Find your fanciest pens and papers ladies and gentleman, because it’s time for our second annual Valentine’s Day haiku-writing contest.
For you poetry noobs, a haiku is a Japanese verse form that employs sentences in the 5-7-5-syllable pattern. Last year, we received a number of heartfelt entries from our readers. (And quite a few deliciously cheeky ones. Amitava, I’m looking at your “Size does not matter, you say. This small haiku in place of my — uhmmm — love” piece.) Come on, you can do it, mutineers. Give it a shot. Your Valentine will thank you.
Deadline: Submit all Valentine’s Day haikus in the comments below by 1PM on Friday, February 10. Please include an email address in your comments so that we can notify the winner.
2012 Theme: Love, ishq, pyar, mohabbatein, kadhal, prema, premam, et. al.
Winner: Winner will be announced in the comments on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.
Judge: Amitava Kumar – writer, journalist and professor of English at Vassar college.
Prize: Winner gets a copy of The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time, along with a personalized, handmade Valentine containing their haiku – mailed to the person of their choice (mom, dad, sis, BFF, bf, gf, yourself, etc.) by Valentine’s Day.
With the 9th Circuit decision coming out exactly a week before Valentine’s Day:
Proposition 8 State lacks rational basis For gay marriage ban.
[Note: “Simran” means meditation, remembrance, or recital]
Love is sleepless Changing diapers… all night long… Still with love: Simran
Pyar means Pink Socks Pink sweaters, all pink everything: Simran
Ishq, a baby’s smile A purr, a coo, the curl of tiny fingers: Simran
The tips of my hand/To your sweet temple, lover/ In Urdu “Adab”
1) Spiced apple cider, Your love warms me not just fall, But through all seasons.
2) Marriage is the bridge Across which we join our lives, Better build with stone.
A series of haikus for my loved ones.
Because while snow falls, I can put cold feet on yours, Thus you must love me.
Mom got your plant; sees Each flower’s unfurling and Posts it on Facebook.
Money. Safety. Strength. This oaken promise: that you Never go without.
When you cry, she cries. Then says he wasn’t good enough For a star like you.
Pups of one litter Chew each other up but Bare teeth at one threat.
I can’t fix the past But her withered pink garden Hurts me too. Sorry.
LOVE the “when you cry…” one 🙂
I hated this Day/Till we baked heart shaped cookies/For you, anything.
Not a winner, but true story. I have never celebrated Valentine’s Day with this much enthusiasm – a two year old is the perfect reason 🙂
My roti-subzee, your spaghetti bolognese, happily married.
ooh, YUM.
LOL…this one is hilarious!
My chamak challo, Like mango in my lassi, You will complete me
= )
so looking at things and just not saying the what leaves the sounds of us
the crunch of gravel a snort of moonlight intook to stop the thoughts and
Her Love Makes Roti I will make the spicy Dal Everyone will eat
1) Namaste, my love In you I see the divine I cherish your soul
2) Samosas and wine Two of my favorite things I’d drop them for you
Flowers, card, sweets, and dinner. Bank-breaking evening. Best be getting some.
HAHAHA. My mother must have talked to you when she was giving me dating advice about never letting the guy pay for anything 😉
Hey, thanks for the card And the chocolate-covered fruits, But it’s still over.
like
Under your shade I rested my head; your heart glowed in front of me.
don’t know what i saw in you, or you in me, we look ahead in joy
did I come to you,or did you come to me love,how does it matter?
Attentive, loyal listener. I call you love. You call me stalker.
Movies alone on Valentine’s. They always said I should love myself.
You keep me warm. I keep you safe. I give my love, your love is my life.
TSA full body scan would reveal…. my heart beats only for you.
MuslimVDayCard
Mai duniya mein akela hoon!
Wow! This is a good list. Thanks for sharing it.
My Korean boy Cooks me better desi food Than I would myself.
Flowers, gifts, love, and appreciation. Show her, but not just today.
Playfully, you ask, / “Why this kolaveri, di?” / Little do you know…
Hush, my love. You speak / Of marriage and frivolities/ I only want sex.
Thank you all for your entries! The contest is now officially closed. We’ll notify the winner today and ship out their Valentine. Have a great Valentine’s Day!
Ishq flop yaar No orginal pyaar Kapi kadhal all
Valentines sucks ass, I will not repeat again, it really does.
Congratulations to our haiku winner, Amardeep! His poem “Love is sleepless Changing diapers… all night long… Still with love: Simran” won the hearts of our judges. Congrats again to Amardeep and to his wife on their brand new baby girl. And thank you all for your submissions.
This is a very well written post… Cheers Shefali..www.findghar.com