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Haiku Writers, sharpen your pencils because Wednesday, May 16 is the closing date for this year's Katikati Pathway haiku competition.

The biennial contest is, once again, turning into the Haiku Olympics, with entries coming from the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, Israel, and Croatia.

But do not let the international status of the contest deter you, there are few entries to date (they will jam pack my mail box in the last few days) so the contest is still wide open.

I find it gratifying that our three small islands in the farthest corner of the world are becoming recognised for their literary events. Kiwi writers are a force to be reckoned with.

There are two sections to the contest, the junior and the adult. Details can be downloaded from the NZ Poetry Society website:

www.poetrysociety.org.nz/haikunews/haikuhappenings

For adults the cost is $2 per haiku or $5 for three haiku. For juniors (under-18) the cost is $1 for two haiku.

The poems may be written on one page, or on separate pages, but please send two copies of each page. One with your name and address on it, and the other without your name and address as the haiku are blind judged.

Send them in to P O Box 183, Katikati 3166. Cheques are preferred, cash being at your own risk.

Haiku are normally about nature, three lines long and up to 17 syllables in total. Far fewer syllables may be used by paring words back to the essential image, as in this haiku of mine recently judged runner-up in the Vladmir Devide Haiku Award (Japan):

from shadow

to shadow

a ferret

I still get goose bumps when I read it.

The winners of the contest will be announced on the night of Saturday 16 June, at the Haiku Festival Aotearoa 2012.

The festival is a national event, held approximately every two to three years somewhere in New Zealand.

The even on the 16 and 17 June is at the Tauranga RSA, 1237 Cameron Road, Greerton.

Internationally recognised Haiku poet Jim Kacian from the USA is the keynote speaker. There are four workshops, over the two days, on haiku, renku, tanka and haibun, and a bus trip to the Katikati Pathway. Haiku written here will be shared on return to the RSA.

For anyone interested in attending the festival, the details and registration form are posted on the NZ Poetry Society website (see above). Registration is open until Friday, 1 June. If you require further information on either event, phone Margaret on 549-1124.

There are cash prizes, sponsored by Kings Seeds, for the winners.