The Judgment.

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This judging is trickier.  More options, fewer constraints, no tricks, and I have a soft spot... or more.  Do wine and women count?  Uhrm, how about song?  Yeah, yeah, I've become cloistered by health and a bit by faith, but it doesn't mean... never mind.  Anyway, these are among my many and splendid soft spots.  Wild, "ugly", furry, and finned.  I've had some call to know some rather regular on to radical little and big fellow beasts.  But more, I have sympathy with the love others share with the creatures they have met.  I can't pick on that basis.  And more, haiku rules, when limited, eliminates technical judging for the most part.  This time it comes down to those unknown factors that rule a man's heart and mind.  Genetic?  How one was raised?  Or created whole cloth once one cuts the apron strings and escapes school?  I think that latter, for me, almost certainly.

I have narrowed the list to my favorite per person.  This task itself was no easy task.  Like any difficult job though, you just do your best.  I was looking for posts that evinced some mental imagery or feeling that was unique among the others.  Tomorrow it might well be different, but for right now I am rock solid on it.  I think.  All fun and games until you are judging haiku!


serendipity  (I almost did your peregrine falcon poem, just so you know Doom isn't asleep)

Seven springs they’ve come.
Lord and lady from far lands.
Demanding henscratch.

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Michael W.

My heart runs ahead
On four feet, chasing the clouds.
Sleeping in the sun.
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foam

Slumbered, unaware ...
Startled! "What?" .. Sideways glare finds
Clawed cat perched on hip ...

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becca


child's giggles erupt
Love springs unconditional
best friends forever
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fishy

Horrid Chihuahua
Became Mom's favorite child
Winter solstice blues
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Fleurdeleo

Uninvited guest.
Gluetrap, blunt force or poison?
I turn a blind eye.
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BlazngScarlet

Deep, soulful brown eyes
Pierced my wintry March heart
Forever you're home

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Karl

Warm water returns
Friends come to visit, seek food
Provide or become
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Rafael

Huntress preys no more
Eight lives down; just one to go
licks her WOUND instead

I was going to do honorable mention.  But you all got it, so... like... why?  Seriously.  I'm doing this half asleep, if I slept on it so it was there, I did the first honorable mention doodad, copied it, and started pasting it.  I got halfway down the list and just had to laugh as I realized the problem as I was about to paste the doodad on the next haiku poem too.

So, who gets the nod?  Congratulations becca.
 
becca

child's giggles erupt
Love springs unconditional
best friends forever

My lawyer suggests I add that; this contest is nonrefundable; that I am not, and not required to be, fair according to anyone's written, considered, unspoken, or other notions of what that means save my own; and that all decisions rendered by this panel of one and a half (been called Tiny and Slim just because people are a bit dim or think they are funny mind you) are final.  Bribery does work, if you wish to keep that in mind.  Of course, none of you have my address, and if you found it and contacted me the creep factor might make the bribe attempt prohibitively expensive, but that's just a side note to a side note.

Now go out and have some fun!