Golden Haiku Poetry Competition

Every written script has a uniqueness that talks about the writer and talks to the reader. Haiku is one such poetry style where the piece reveals what the writer has seen, moreover creating an elaborate scene in just 3 lines.

The 13th century marks the beginning of Haiku, a Japanese style of poetry. It initially began as an introductory verse of renga. A much shorter form, diverged from renga in the 16th century and was perfected a century later by Matsuo Bashō, who penned this classic example:

 An old pond!

  A frog jumps in—

  the sound of water.

For more than a decade, the Golden Triangle BID has proudly presented the Golden Haiku poetry competition, an initiative designed to infuse downtown Washington, DC, with vibrant bursts of warmth, creativity, and inspiration during the late winter and early spring seasons. 

This annual community art project invites individuals from around the globe to submit original, contemporary haiku. In 2021, the competition expanded to include a youth category, encouraging students to engage with the art of haiku and discover the joy of publication. 

Furthering its commitment to young voices, a Regional/DC youth subcategory was introduced in 2024. Open to all ages worldwide, the competition continues to celebrate the power of poetry to transform public spaces.

Winning haiku are displayed in hundreds of tree boxes along some of Washington, D.C.’s most iconic streets from March through early May. These vibrant signs add color to the winter landscape, offering passersby a cheerful reminder that spring is near.

My conversation with a few Golden Haiku participants helped me delve deeper into the experience of participating and understanding Golden Haiku. 

Vandana Parashar

Q1: Which year did you participate?
A: I first participated in 2021, when my haiku was selected. Since then, I’ve taken part every year. In 2022, my haiku won the first prize. I wasn’t as fortunate in the next two years, but this year, once again, my haiku was selected for display.

Q2: How did you come to know about the Golden Haiku poetry competition?
A: I came across some haiku poets who had shared their selected poems from the 2020 competition on Instagram. Curious, I looked it up—and participated for the first time in 2021.

Q3: Golden Haiku is different from traditional haiku. What is your view on this?
A: Yes, I’ve noticed that. It’s somewhat expected, as the haiku community has long been divided over whether English-language haiku should follow the traditional Japanese 5-7-5 syllable structure.

While most contemporary haiku poets lean toward brevity and flexibility, some still prefer the traditional format. I believe the judges try to honor both schools of thought. In some cases, they may choose a poem for its emotional depth rather than strict adherence to form.
After all, poetry—like any form of art—is meant to stir emotions and help us notice the things we tend to overlook in our fast-paced lives.

Q4: Have you been practicing writing haiku, or was this your first attempt? If you practice, what's your usual routine?
A: I’ve been writing haiku since 2015. I don’t follow a specific routine—like most creative impulses, haiku inspiration can strike anytime, anywhere. I try to find haiku in everyday experiences, but I only write them down when something truly moves me.

For me, writing must come from a place of emotional resonance. You can write haiku about anything, but that doesn’t mean you should. A haiku should evoke genuine emotion in both the poet and the reader. Otherwise, it’s just a string of words—like raindrops lost in the ocean.

Q5: How many people were you competing with? Would love to know your feelings or experience while writing for the competition.
A: In 2021, there were over 2,800 poems submitted from 60 countries. In 2022, my poem was awarded first prize from among 2,900+ entries across 71 countries.

This year, my haiku was selected for display out of nearly 5,000 poems from 60 countries.
There’s a fundamental human desire to prove ourselves in the fields we care about. I’ve always been a dedicated and diligent student—perhaps my most recognizable Capricorn trait! I approach every competition with both nervousness and wholehearted commitment.

Poetry is highly subjective, and every judge has a different sensibility. Winning a competition often comes down to whether your voice resonates with theirs.

Q6: Do you only write haiku, or do you explore other forms of poetry too? Which one do you enjoy most, and why?
A: I write haiku, senryu, tanka, and occasionally haibun and tanka prose.

Haiku and senryu are my favorites—perhaps because I’m someone of few words. Though I’m perceptive and sensitive, I often find it hard to articulate my thoughts (yes, I still prefer pen and paper over a keyboard!).

These forms offer me a way to express myself without too many words. I do enjoy writing tanka as well—it provides more space for expression. But whenever something stirs me deeply, my instinct is always to turn to haiku or senryu.

Geethanjali Rajan

Q1: Which year did you participate?
A: I participated only in 2024.

Q2: How did you come to know about the Golden Haiku Poetry Competition?
A: Many haiku poets participate in it, and I believe I came across an announcement on social media.

Q3: Golden Haiku is different from traditional haiku. What is your view on this?
A: I see Golden Haiku simply as English-language haiku. I don’t consider it to be fundamentally different from traditional haiku—it’s just a natural adaptation of the form in another language.

Q4: Have you been practicing writing haiku, or was this your first attempt? If you practice, then what’s your usual routine?
A: I’ve been writing haiku for over 22 years. I write about ordinary life and the experiences I go through. There’s no set routine—I write from lived moments.

Q5: How many people were you competing with? Would love to know your feelings or experience while writing for the competition.
A: I honestly have no idea how many people I was competing with. I didn’t approach it as a competition—just as a space to share my haiku. I didn’t write anything specifically for the event; instead, I submitted a haiku I had already written, as it fit the theme.

Q6: Do you only write haiku, or do you explore other forms of poetry too? Which one do you enjoy most, and why?
A: I write free verse as well, and I also explore most Japanese forms of poetry—senryu, haibun, tanka, renga. I’m not partial to any one form. Each moment or idea tends to align best with a particular form. What free verse can express might not come through in haiku, and vice versa.

Aadithya Sreeraj, Age- 14 years

Q1: Which year did you participate?
A: I have been participating for the past two years—2024 and 2025—and my poems were selected for display in both years.

Q2: How did you come to know about the Golden Haiku Poetry Competition?
A: I learned about this competition through my mentor, Ms. Akila Gopalakrishnan.

Q3: Golden Haiku is different from traditional haiku. What is your view on this?
A: Unlike traditional haiku, Golden Haiku does not strictly follow the 5-7-5 syllable structure. Haiku, being a Japanese poetic form, originally followed this pattern when written in Japanese. As it evolved and began to be written in other languages, especially English, the structure became more flexible.

In English, it's possible to write impactful haiku with even fewer syllables. The freedom from a rigid syllable count allows the poet to capture a moment without being restricted by form. That said, I still try to ensure my haiku does not exceed 17 syllables overall.

Q4: Have you been practicing writing haiku, or was this your first attempt? If you practice, what’s your usual routine?
A: I’ve been writing haiku for over three years now. My first mentor, Ms. Shloka Shankar, introduced me to short forms of poetry like pantoum, cherita, and haiku. Later, Ms. Akila Gopalakrishnan helped refine my writing and guided me further. It was during her mentorship that I developed a deep interest in haiku and senryu.

I enjoy creative activities like sketching and origami, which give me space to think—and that’s what writing haiku does for me too. I don’t follow a fixed routine for writing haiku; inspiration often strikes unexpectedly—whether I’m traveling or just sitting in class.
For example, here’s a haiku of mine that was selected for display:

summer vacation—
my nostrils flare
from grandma's mango pickle

This poem was inspired by the spicy Indian pickle my grandmother makes when we visit her during the summer holidays.

Q5: How many people were you competing with? Would love to know your feelings or experience while writing for the competition.
A: My haiku was selected from nearly 5,000 submissions this year.
When I prepare for the competition, I experience a mix of emotions—excitement, nervousness, and above all, doubt. The hardest part for me is choosing which haiku to submit. I often find myself wondering: Should I go with this one or that one?

Q6: Do you only write haiku, or do you explore other forms of poetry too? Which one do you enjoy most, and why?
A: As I mentioned earlier, Ms. Shloka Shankar introduced me to various poetic forms like cherita, pantoum, and diamante. Among them, my favorite is the pantoum.
It’s very challenging—the repetition of lines makes it tricky to maintain flow and coherence. That’s what makes it enjoyable for me.

Part II to be released shortly.....

Article by: Patrichia Dcruze