NCSU Insect Museum Annual Hexapod Haiku Challenge

hexapod haiku -
short poems that celebrate
most Arthropoda

The Motivation

Haiku is a fun medium, traditionally focusing on seasonal changes and nature (including insects and other terrestrial and freshwater arthropods!), and with a relatively standard format that makes judging (perhaps) less difficult. We will definitely accept minor departures from traditional haiku "rules" (i.e., the 5-7-5 onji composition). We'd also love to see more haiga (a haiku that is accompanied by an image) and senryu (short poem about human and/or, in this case, insect foibles) though they will be judged as haiku equivalents.

For you we offer three awards with (small) prizes: 1) best in show, 2) runner-up, 3) best entry from poet under the age of 13. We also have honorable mention categories that change every year depending on the submissions we get (most traditional, funniest, best IPM-themed poem, etc.)

Information We Need

Your haiku(!), your name, your contact info (include city, state, country), your age if <13 years old. We also need to know if you are not comfortable with your full name being linked to your poems if they get published on the Web or in NCSU materials (in alumni magazines, for example).

The Rules

Anyone is eligible to submit haiku except for our judges (you know who you are). We'll accept up to three (3) - or ten fifteen (10 15) if you're a Friend of the Museum - original entomological haiku per poet. Your haiku should be submitted by 11:59pm, March 20th (first day of spring!) either...

  1. as an email to ncsuinsects@gmail.com OR
  2. as tweets (be sure to start each tweet with @ncsuinsects #HexapodHaiku) OR
  3. as 3x5 cards (one per haiku; cards will not be returned) mailed to the following address:

    Hexapod Haiku
    NCSU Insect Museum
    Department of Entomology
    North Carolina State University
    Box 7613
    Raleigh, NC 27695

Haiga can be submitted as photographs, scans, or via other means as necessary.

How Poems Are Judged

Three judges, appointed by the director of the Insect Museum, evaluate entries based on literary and artistic merit, as well as accuracy (with respect to arthropod biology, that is). Winning entries will be announced on our Insect Museum blog; see the 2008 and 2009 winning entries for examples.

The Fine Print

You retain the copyrights to your poems. By submitting your haiku to us you grant NC State University, the NCSU Insect Museum, and the NCSU Department of Entomology permission to use, reproduce, or distribute the haiku in any manner, without payment of fee, in perpetuity.

A Final Word

The word Hexapoda refers to all insects and their six-legged arthropod relatives (springtails, diplurans, and proturans). We're calling this contest the Hexapod Haiku Challenge only for alliterative purposes. We would love to have haiku that feature any familiar arthropod associated with the field of entomology, including those arthropods without six legs (e.g., spiders, millipedes, centipedes, and scorpions).