On Sunday, May 4, almost 100 poets and poetry lovers gathered together at Mukai Farm & Garden to hear haiku and celebrate awards given to 15 poets, chosen from 160 entries to the Mukai’s beloved annual Haiku Festival.

Vashon Poet Laureate Margaret Roncone helped to preside at the event.

The haiku contest winners hail from Vashon, Romania, Germany, Nepal, Poland and Switzerland.

Vashon youth Aiden Hermmans, Peter Tsai, and Qorxi Goertzel swept the age 5-13 category of the contest, and islander Carter Harmon was included in awards for youth age 14-18. Other prizewinning local poets included Robert Keeler, in the Nature category; Matthew Fontaine, in the Reflections category; and Jeannie Berwick and Ma Ra, in the History category.

On May 4, Mukai Farm & Garden also celebrated Children’s Day — a Japanese holiday to celebrate children’s happiness, well-being and growth. The event included a craft corner with traditional Japanese crafts, snacks and a special dance performance of “Sakura Mich Dojoji,” performed by Ami Dobbins and choreographed by Sakaya Logsdon.

Throughout May, all entries to the contest are on view, hanging on strawberry baskets placed throughout the blooming garden located at 18017 Ave SW.

Founded by Issei pioneer B.D. Mukai in 1926 as a strawberry farm, Mukai Farm & Garden today is on the National Register of Historic places with a heritage home, rare Japanese Garden designed by a woman and the Fruit Barreling Plant. Open and free to the public, Mukai Farm & Garden celebrates Vashon Island’s Japanese American and agrarian heritage.

For more information, visit mukaifarmandgarden.org.

Prizewinning haikus by island youth

Jungle — Aiden Hermmans

Green, leafy, wet, cool / It is an ecosystem / Canopy of life

Untitled — Peter Tsai

Colorful koi fish / Leaves under a floating log / Deer skip in the road

Panda — Qorxi Goertzel

In bamboo forests / black and white furry creatures / fuzz balls in China

Untitled — Carter Harmon

I stare at the pond / The water ripples and moves / I know my truth now

2025 Mukai Haiku Festival Awardwinners

Youth 5-13

1st Prize: Aiden Hermmans (Vashon); 2nd Prize: Peter Tsai (Vashon); Third Prize: Qorxi Goertzel (Vashon)

Youth 14-18

1st Prize: Antonia Chersan (Romania); 2nd Prize: Amailia Cojocariu (Romania); Third Prize: Carter Harmon (Vashon)

Nature

1st Prize: Richard L. Matta (San Diego, California), Robert Keeler (Vashon) and Benjamin Blasi (Switzerland)

Reflections

1st Prize: Margaret Chula (Portland, Oregon); 2nd Prize: Shiva Bhusal (Nepal/USA); 3rd Prize: Matthew Fontaine (Vashon)

History

1st Prize: Jeannie Berwick (Vashon); 2nd Prize: Ma Ra (Vashon); Third Prize: Sebastian Chrobak (Poland)

Social Justice

1st Prize: Ibrahim Nureni (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); 2nd Prize: John S. Green (Bellingham, Washington); Third Prize: Horst Ludwig (Germany)

Almost 100 poetry lovers showed up to celebrate at Mukai Farm & Garden’s Haiku Festival. (Courtesy photo)