Haiku Contest 2025

Paul James
Ant evolution
produced hella ardent foe
I succumb to you

Marshall Elliott
Leaves of poison oak
Spread across the tall hillside
so I won’t go there

Walking in summer
You put one foot in front of the next
and then you are there

The birds of spring
sing about the coming warmth
that makes us happy

Barbara Hill
Ever-changing hues
Of Bay and Bridge and weather --
Paul Cezanne would weep.

Maureen Wetter
The sun going down
Light glistening on the Bay
Another day done.

Climbing to the top
Escaping the world below
Exhilaration

Allen Reaves
Even as I climb,
this hill walks along with me,
smiling from the top

Wind-writing on a
grassy hillside uses gold
calligraphic ink

Coyote, you watch
me as if you stand guard on
buried Native bones

Marie Bantz
To put down your roots:
Get inside the great outdoors,
Look up in awe, breathe

Richard L. Matta
orange poppies
she says leave distractions
in the car

edge of the path
a fence lizard fragranced
by elderberry

Sarah Story
Herbal hypnotics
French Broom boasts flamboyantly
Apothecary

Extreme heat and drought
Prickly pears teach tolerance
Stoic resilience

Ribwort Plantains sway
Imua, peaceful protest
Olapa hill dance

Ellen Doran
Facing strong, harsh winds
Seeking to find my own path
A clearing appears

Forest fires blazing
Scorched tree limbs are falling
Breaking my heart

Tina Sun
My Favorite Paths
On the El Cerrito's Hill
All to the sweet home

Jump back, a rabbit
Startled by my steps, also
A stalking raccoon

SCA Schulman
In the sadness of winter
Driving to the recycling center
I glimpse the green Hillside

November 6, 2024
My exhaustion weighs me down
I walk and breathe the cold fresh air

Early cold morning
I see my breath as I walk
Dreaming of springtime

Lori Staley
Gnarled root yanks my foot
I startle and look around ...
Sunset color bay

Barbara Speed
Walk at your own pace
Living well is not a race
Face yourself and smile

I see beauty here
Where there is nothing to fear
Walking free and clear

El Cerrito Hills
they give my legs such a thrill!
Do not take a spill!

Sydny Fujita
The lizard is gone
But soon - translucent wings spring
Forth where once it dreamed

With borrowed sunlight
budding trees and I scribe our
lives upon the earth

Kristel Rietesel-Low
Soap plant leaves waver,
Birds flit unseen in brambles,
The moon a thrown stone.

One cloud, soft oval
In blue like wild hyacinth
Nodding in shadows

Heidi Li
Shame is a storm that,
Only the dragon that reins it over,
And let it go wins

Suzanne Sattergren
Dense green blades glisten
Gentle slope cushions legs rest
Warm earth, look, cool sky

Gnarled branches climb
Leaf vein with hairy armpits
A Coastal Live Oak!

How long have you been
Your bark cracked, branches gnarled
Beckoning embrace.

Patricia Kazmierowski
The leaves are slippery
As gentle rains have ended
Watch where you are going

Walking on the trail
The sun is warm soft today
Spring is almost here

Up in the treetop
The black bird rests his big wings
He says caw caw caw

Nicole Maderas
After the rain clears
I scan the sky for rainbows
Sensing you are near

Hawks circle above
A miracle to witness
Enjoying the view

Spring blooms, life begins
Passage of time is constant
The air is perfumed

Kristianna Bertelsen
Winter's gauntlet reseeds
with gems — white ones first, and blue,
green fountains, and a fox

Over El Cerrito
Hills above the little hill
Wide view to the sun

Motorcycles, once
Now a ribbon of curves,
spectators hidden

Keon Harris
The clouds turn gray
Lightning, thunder, rain
The sun returns once again

The ball is hiked
It is game time
Victory shall be mine

The wind howls with anger
the moon an unpleasant shape
the rain begins to fall

Thomas Kearney
Two crows shared the same treetop…
Nope--
it didn’t last.

The sun,
the pine tree:
both admiring the same shadow.

The robins are not carefree
for all they fly and sing--
but oh! to have wings!

Violet Z. (age 10)
Blossoms sprouting up
Look under you and you see
Flowers coming up

Nature around you
Flowers,weeds,leafs,grass,dirt,trees
Everything is peace

All trees bring spirits
All trees are different from others
Trees bring us together

Darwin F. B. (age 10)
The turkey vulture
Circles and circles and soars
Looking for some food

Fuzzy mama deer
Grazing on wildflowers
Trots silent away

Zoe A. (age 10)
Nature rules over
me as I watch the trees blow
in the lovely breeze

The leaves bright green along
with the trees, flowers bright as
the sun, it's peaceful

Spring in the hillside
with beautiful colors as
bright as a parrot

Connor A. (age 8)
The way the trees sway
in the calm wind, the colors
of the flowers are fresh

Maya C. (age 10)
To rise from the ground
Then bloom, and show the wide world
the beauty of spring

Mira J. (age 12)
The deer trot away
gracefully, their hooves making
no sound on the trail

A turtle sleeps in
the rays of sunlight,
enjoying the warmth.

Alejandra L.-V. (age 11)
The harsh wind
makes the leaves sound like rain
I remain unbothered

Tired after the climb
I search for my home down there
I can't seem to find it

Clover W. (age 9)
Beautiful clovers
swaying in the misty wind
"clover is my name"

Benno S. (age 5¾)
The smell of the trees
makes me feel peaceful today
Oh my sweet Cali

Alexander W. (age 12)
Good views at the top
Eucalyptus trees around
A nice, peaceful place.

Zachary W (age 12)
Birds chirping nearby
Leaves rustling in the wind
No better place to be

Darren L. (age 12)
Spring arrives in green
Spring arrives with my amaze
Spring arrives to here

I watch as the green shoots
emerge into colored tops
in the field of blooms

Happy is a source
that runs only when triggered
by the spread of peace

Genevieve Y.
Sprinting up the hill
Heavy breathing fills my ears
Smiles and laughter

this place is a gift
breathe in and breathe out
appreciate it

the whole family
and our little dog too
all love the fresh views

Lucas B. (age 16)
As I bike sweating,
hard, up steep and sweeping slopes,
the top is in reach

The tweets, chirps of birds
all their melodies aloud
fill the crisp spring air

two siblings in front,
parents stroll behind carefree,
an afternoon hike

Skylar O.
sunlight filtering
through the multicolored leaves
peace on Earth found here

birds and insects fly
circling around our heads
where are they going?

Bryant L. (age 13)
The puddles splashing
Children playing all around
In the pouring rain

Sunlight Pouring in
Animals all around us
The calming nature

Andrew L. (age 16)
water’s reflection
mirror into a new world
myself, i smile at.

you are the fresh spring
the flowers bloom in your hair
us, forever entwined.

Isaac G. (age 16)
The deathly silence
A sharp hawk of an eagle
Piercing the silence

The small rushing stream
Providing refuge and life
From the Summer sun

Clara C. (age 14)
crunch under our feet
we're at the top of the world
it's just you and me

to be ten once more
ladybugs, fairy houses
child of nature

two fifty years here
seen it all, the thick and thin
the old oak loves deeply

Haiku Contest 2025

Winning entries 2025

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