By Florin C. Ciobica

pouring rain –

the sound of a drum

lost in the park


Florin C. Ciobica

By Chen-ou Liu

a raven

silhouetted against the moon

I slip

into the black hole

of your nightmare

Chen-ou Liu

By Pris Campbell

folded notes

and bobby socks

epitaphs

glimpsed in moon shadows

at the old stone graveyard

Pris Campbell

By Susan Burch

just divorced

I float further

out to sea…

trying to find

my legs again

Susan Burch

By David Ngo

two koi fish

leisurely

swim on the road

unaware

of the danger ahead

David Ngo

By Mona Bedi

coffee ring

what little remains

of your last visit

Mona Bedi

Touchstone Individual Poem Short List 2021

Two Cold Moon Journal contributors are among The Haiku Foundation's short list for the 2021 Touchstone Award.

Congratulations to Pat Davis and Helen Ogden!

Their poems:

ancient syllables
the forest alive
in birdsong
     — Pat Davis, Cold Moon, October 7, 2021
 

ancient wisdom —
naming negative space
in the night sky
     — Helen Ogden, Cold Moon, October 22, 2021 

This marks the second round of the award procedure. 

Final results will be announced on Haiku Poetry Day, April 17, 2022.

By Réka Nyitrai

early spring

a shark cloud loses

its fin

Réka Nyitrai

By Kristen Lindquist

morning fog

the loud clear song

of the fox sparrow

Kristen Lindquist

By Keith Evetts

what it takes city bird

Keith Evetts

By John J. Dunphy

southbound

the haiku I scrawled

on a boxcar

John J. Dunphy

By Barrie Levine

luggage stickers

where we went

when we were going

Barrie Levine

By Ray Spitzenberger

rock

paper

scissors

joy

happiness

pleasure

joy beats pleasure

Ray Spitzenberger

By Keith Evetts

midnight only half there

Keith Evetts

By Barrie Levine

frantic u-turn across the living room and back what just happened

Barrie Levine

By Joseph P. Wechselberger

morning sun

the fold in your pillow

casts a shadow

Joseph P. Wechselberger

By Devoshruti Mandal

i in the moonlight sequestered self

Devoshruti Mandal

By Mircea Moldovan

flowerless magnolias postcard from Kyiv

Mircea Moldovan

By Nisha Raviprasad

grief

her presence

even in this stillness


Nisha Raviprasad

By Joe Sebastian

spring twilight…

a gull stalls on 

a wall of wind


Joe Sebastian

By Deborah A. Bennett

cuckoo in spring –  

the universe makes a sound

from a willow tree

Deborah A. Bennett

By Priti Khullar

pilgrimage

I climb the mountains 

within

Priti Khullar

By Pat Davis

war-torn field

a sheep dog wanders

back and forth

Pat Davis

By Maya Daneva

war-wounded 

the girl puts a bandage 

on her doll’s head

Maya Daneva

By Alvin B. Cruz

quiet dinner

the crystal clear sound

of the salt shaker

Alvin B. Cruz

By Nani Mariani

Academy Awards

a slap

shocked the world


Nani Mariani

By Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă

spring restoration –

green covers

cracks in the statue

Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă

By Maria Teresa Sisti

full moon of worms –

the echo of a farewell

forgotten

Maria Teresa Sisti

By Zoran Doderović

snowflakes

on outstretched palms –

my childhood

Zoran Doderović

By Susan Bonk Plumridge

crossing cultures

an acceptance that people

are people

Susan Bonk Plumridge

By Tim Muphy

open book 

the child speaks 

its first words

Tim Muphy

By Katherine E Winnick

poet

cast your line

says the fisherman

Katherine E Winnick

By Anna Maria Domburg-Sancristoforo

alone at home

a touch of lipstick

to feel alive

Anna Maria Domburg-Sancristoforo

By Douglas J. Lanzo

blue and yellow

encircle the night

London Eye

Douglas J. Lanzo

By Maria Teresa Piras

March sky —

the Kiev moon

so pale

Maria Teresa Piras