第9回秋田国際俳句コンテスト結果（英語部門・一般）
The Results of 9th Akita International Haiku Contest (English Section—Open)
The Akita International Haiku Network is happy to announce the results of the 9th Akita International Haiku Contest.
第9 回秋田国際俳句コンテスト【英語部門・一般】の結果を発表します。
The Akita International Haiku Network received 241 haiku for the English—Open category. Poets sent their submissions from throughout Japan, and 45 other countries: Algeria, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, England, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Scotland, Serbia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, the United States, and Vietnam.
今年は【英語部門・一般】において、日本全国および、45 か国：アルジェリア、 オーストラリア、ベラルーシ、ベルギー、ブルガリア、カナダ、クロアチア、イングランド、フィンランド、フランス、グルジア、ドイツ、ガーナ、ギリシャ、香港、インド、インドネシア、イラン、アイルランド、イタリア、リトアニア、ルクセンブルク、マケドニア、マレーシア、メキシコ、モンテネグロ、ネパール、オランダ、ニュージーランド、ナイジェリア、北アイルランド、パキスタン、フィリピン、ポーランド、ルーマニア、ロシア、南アフリカ、スコットランド、セルビア、スイス、トルコから合計で241 句の応募を受け付けました。
Theme: Time; Temporality
お題 :「時間、時間性」
Judges: Ben Grafström, Hidenoru Hiruta, and David McMurray
選者：ベン グラフストロム、蛭田秀法、デビッド マクマレイ
英語部門・一般
English—Open
特選
Winning Haiku
blue nemophila
I still miss the little things
about my sister
Debbie Strange (Winnipeg, Canada)
特選
Winning Haiku
the arduous length
of our long pandemic days. . .
an inchworm’s journey
Marilyn Ashbaugh (Edwardsburg, Michigan, USA)
入選 (HONORABLE MENTION)
braiding her long hair
mother talks about summer
nineteen sixty-nine
Christof Blumentrath (Borken, Germany)
*****
antique bookstore
every touched object scatters
the scent of time
Cezar-Florin Ciobîcă (Botosani, Romania)
*****
ancient prison wall
all those names carved over names
carved over names
Joanne van Helvoort (The Netherlands)
*****
clock above the entrance
single woman stirring
tea without sugar
Alex Malley (Minsk, Belarus)
*****
after storm…
replacing the hands
of a scarecrow
Ayeyemi Taofeek (Abeokuta, Nigeria)
*****
blazing through the sky
fireworks’ glitters lasted
as dew in morning
Ng Chien Ying (Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia)
*****
Letter by letter
my granddaughter recognizes her name
on grandmother’s grave.
Guy Vanden Broeck (Avelgem, Belgium)
*****
cherry trees in bloom—
still above the fireplace
last year’s ink painting
Drobot Ana (Bucharest, Romania)
*****
the eyes of the Mona Lisa—
the eternal flash of the dead stars
Goran Radichevich (Risan, Montenegro)
*****
dad’s wrinkles—
the beauty of
a ploughed field
Aljoša Vuković (Šibenik, Croatia)
*****
Akita International Haiku Network 
My thanks to the Judges for choosing this haiku. It was written in memory of my late sister and her beautiful eyes, and I’m honoured beyond measure that this haiku resonated with you. This has been the most lovely of Christmas gifts to receive! Congratulations to the winners, and I wish you all a happy, healthy, and creative new year.
shine on,
Debbie
Thank you Judges for selecting my inchworm haiku. During this pandemic, with lockdowns and cancellations, it becomes easier to despair. Who will become ill? Will I keep my job? When will it end? During one worrisome afternoon, after an orchard walk, an inchworm hitch-hiked on my shoulder. How confidently the inchworm continued on her journey, moving forward inch by inch, correcting if needed, but always making progress. This inch worm taught me many lessons. Peace and wellness, Marilyn Ashbaugh