Part III of Blood and Ice haiku series.
an old flame returns
bloodlust rages within
blood and ice reign
Haiku of the Week
Tag: Halloween lovers
Monthly Haiku Corner – November
Welcome November! If hobbitses can have second breakfast, why can’t we have second Halloween? It’s no secret that I’m no longer a fan of Thanksgiving, but November is fine month to do all the things on your Fall and Halloween bucket list, that you were too busy to do during October. For me, I hold a Lord of the Rings marathon one weekend, and simply enjoy Halloween, which I always seem to miss cuz I’m too busy working.
The theme this month is Halloween Encore.
lit jack o lanterns
black cauldrons full of candy
Halloween encore
Haiku of the week
Monday Macabre is all about the scares during the October, but this year, we’re tapping into the psychological fear of dystopian Halloween horror.
Humans wear the scariest masks. Their desperate power grabs will not only destroy our beloved holiday, but civilized society along with it.
scary masks of death
nuclear Halloween
trick or treat no more
4th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022
4th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge
We’re just 13 days away from Halloween night and now the real fun starts! Share your most original or scariest Dystopian or Halloween Memories Haiku for a chance to win some spooktacular prizes.
The contest starts on October 18th and ends at midnight, the witching hour, on October 31st. Winners will be announced on November 1st here and on social media.
To join in on the fun, follow me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and @Halloweenkristy on Twitter
Three ways to share your haiku:
- Post your haiku here in the comment section of this specific blog post. (After review, I will make your haiku visible to the public.)
- Post your haiku on Twitter, using the hashtag #HalloweenHaikuChallenge and tag me @Halloweenkristy to ensure that I see your post.
- Post your haiku on Instagram, using the hashtag #HalloweenHaikuChallenge and tag me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku to ensure that I see your post.
Judging Criteria:
- Originality. You must be the sole author of the haiku you post. No exceptions.
- Theme. The theme of your haiku must either be 1) Dystopian Halloween or 2) Halloween Memories.
- Scares. The scarier the better! It is Halloween after all.
- Format/Style. All haiku, senryu, and zappai are eligible and should fall within the usual standard 17 syllables (i.e., 5-7-5). Sorry, Tanka or any other style of poetry is not acceptable for purposes of this contest. We’re not hating, just a matter of space and time.
- Only one entry per participant.
Prizes*:
1st Place Winner:
Halloween Prize Pack, retail value over $50
Disney Oogie Boogie Bash Pin from 2022
Disney Halloween Die Cut Magnet
The Conjuring Horror Blu-Ray/DVD Combo
Evil Dead Sticker
Halloween buttons/stickers
Halloween card
2nd Place Winners:
Two runner-up poems will be chosen to win a Halloween card and one Halloween magnet.
3rd Place Winner:
One third-place winner will be chosen to win a Halloween card and some Halloween stickers.
*Open to US residents only. Prizes subject to change.
Disclaimer:
All works are copyright of their respective owners. By participating in this contest, you agree that Halloween Kristy can use your haiku to further promote this contest and http://www.halloweenhorrorhaiku.com on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.) Unauthorized use, modification, reproduction, or distribution of copyright poems submitted to Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022 without express written permission from the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
For further details on contest rules, please visit: https://halloweenhorrorhaiku.com/contest-rules-eligibility-and-some-disclaimer-stuff/
Halloween Kristy reserves the right to remove and discredit any haiku and/or images posted here or on social media containing plagiarized or copyrighted material, pornography, vulgarity, bigoted, racist, or sexist views.
Haiku of the Week
Monday Macabre is all about the scares during October, but this year, we’re tapping into the psychological fear of dystopian Halloween horror.
Imagine living in a dark world where you absolutely cannot go out on Halloween night. A world filled with violence, run by evil dictators and religious autocrats who shut down society and ban Halloween traditions because they’re trying stamp out all pagan beliefs. This new frightening world is a lot closer than you think.
neon pumpkins
devils night curfew in effect
Halloween lockdown
Haiku of the Week
It’s been 90 years since the fall. Food is scarce and crops are bad. A short life is still life. How long does it take for the soil to return fruitful harvest after a nuclear holocaust? What lengths should a farm go to to protect what’s theirs?
poisoned stalks of corn
90 years after the fall
the scarecrow
Monday Macabre is all about the scares during October, but this year, we’re tapping into the psychological fear of dystopian Halloween horror. My haiku is inspired by this ghoulish robot scarecrow.
Artist: Oleksandra Shchaslyva
To view more of her stunning art, please go here: https://www.artstation.com/schastlivaya
Throwback Thursdays – Bobbing for Apples
Will apple bobbing be a Halloween tradition that survives the apocalypse?
Past:
Apple bobbing dates back to antiquity and is commonly associated with the Celtic festival Samhain, where apples were a sign of abundance, fertility, and good harvest. The game goes like this, several apples are placed into a tub filled with water, then, children or adults, with hands bound behind their backs, try to catch apples with their teeth. There were several variations of the game, including one called Snap Apple where the apple hangs from a string tied to the ceiling. Eventually, apple bobbing became a fun courting act between young ladies and potential suitors, particularly in regions of the United Kingdom. A young lady would drop her apple, representing the man she most desired, into a barrel and attempt to bite the apple by dunking her head into or near the water. Catching the apple in one try meant the romance was destined to succeed, while more than three tries meant the relationship was doomed. Hard to believe that’s how many a marriage started before the 1900s, but there you have it. Young women even put their apples under their pillows the night before for extra luck.
Present:
Health and safety concerns pretty much keep bobbing for apples a thing in the past. The fear of catching Covid, Influenza, or some other illness from contaminated water is high and parents of small children especially fear drowning, not to mention the high possibility of eye injuries from accidental scratches or infections. This game is more dangerous nowadays than it ever was in the past. Most instances of apple bobbing events happen during private parties or fall festivals and more often than not, involve schoolchildren. No young lads want to mess up their coiffeurs and any ladies looking for a soulmate will find that match.com is a far easier and safer way to attract a good man.
Future:
Whether due to the radioactive contamination from the fallout of a nuclear war or worldwide freshwater shortages due to climate change, it’s hard to imagine the earth will be fertile enough in the future to grow orchards full of apple trees needed for apple bobbing. Soil and water would both be irradiated in the event of a nuclear explosion, so, growing any crops at all will be a challenge. Given the high chance of scarcity of food during the apocalypse, I don’t anticipate apple bobbing to be a Halloween tradition that survives. Still, only one apple is truly needed to play, so, all hope is not completely lost. Let me know your thoughts in the comments or hit me up on social media.
Happy Halloween!
31 Days of Halloween 2022
Happy October! After starting late this Halloween season, I’m now ready to post the schedule of this year’s 31 Days of Halloween Celebration. The theme this October is dystopian Halloween. With the doomsday clock ticking down, due to savages like Russian dictator Vladamir Putin and gun-crazed trump-loving jesus-freaks, it’s probably way past time to think about how humankind plans to survive the apocalypse, in particular, how we’ll preserve our traditions and holidays, like Halloween.
Part of the month, we’ll have some fun with the dystopian Halloween-horror theme, but I have decided to mix in some good old-fashion Halloween traditional themes as well, cuz, I just love talking about those Halloween memories.
Have a safe and happy Halloween season!
31 Days of Halloween Schedule
Monday Macabre
Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we’ll explore a dystopian Halloween.
Tuesday Terror
Every Tuesday, I’ll share my favorite scary movies that I believe make great Halloween season viewing.
Wicked Art Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, I’ll share some spooktacular Halloween art with an apocalyptic twist. I might even post some my own original Halloween pencil stencil art.
Throwback Thursdays
Preservation of Halloween traditions is important for several reasons. Every Thursday, let’s explore the origins of some Halloween traditions and muse over whether these traditions might survive the apocalypse.
Friday Fright Nightcaps
Ghosts aren’t the only ones who like to get sheet-faced on Halloween. Check back every Friday for Halloween season-inspired cocktails.
Sinister Saturdays
In the past few years, Sinister Saturdays have always been dedicated to food and Halloween recipes. The problem was, besides my being the worst cook in America, people are simply reluctant to let you share their recipes online, even if you give them complete credit and link back to their website. So, in the true spirit of Sinister Saturdays, we’re just going to let the demons loose that day and see what they come up with.
Poe Sundays
This year’s tribute to the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, will feature my thoughts on the best Poe adaptations on film.
4th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge
Share your most original or scariest visual Halloween Haiku photos during October for a chance to win some prizes.
More details about the haiku contest will be announced on October 18th.
Join in the fun, and follow me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and @Halloweenkristy on Twitter
Happy October 2022!
I’m writing today from June Lake, CA. It’s a beautiful, cozy little town tucked inside an old glacier in the Eastern Sierras. Very scenic. You can actually see the stars at night and that took my breath away. Living in Los Angeles, I barely see any stars. It’s really sad. Anyways, up here in June Lake, Autumn is in full swing and you can actually see some trees changing colors. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how beautiful and amazing our planet is, and how amazing we live in an unexplored universe we know nothing about.
Then, I think about Putin and his war machine committing genocide and thrusting the whole planet closer to doomsday. Nuclear annihilation feels closer than it’s ever been. I don’t even remember this kind of complacency in the 80s.
There is no Halloween in our future. No trick or treating. No fun costumes. No parties full of people. No pumpkins, nor the ability to grow them. Last month, I stressed the importance of perserving Halloween traditions, and shared with you how I feel preserving traditions eventually becomes the only way to keep our memories alive.
Whatever traditions survive is what is going to move the survivors forward. I hope you join me this October to make Halloween traditions stand out and make people feel stronger and more connected to each other, people, our friends, family, loved ones, our world, this wonderful planet which grows big plump juicy pumpkins, and the universe, who remembers everything and is the only hope humankind has of surviving. Cast off those old traditions that strangle us, like racism, sexism, bigotry, and believe in science, medicine, research and development, space exploration…When I look at the stars, I see that God everyone’s always talking about, but not in any Bible, not in your TV set, not in the guns, and not in the tanks. Creation triumphs over destruction, so create a life you want to live and make good memories.
This month’s theme is dystopian Halloween. Maybe if we imagine the world struggling to save Halloween, we’ll actually strive better to do it for real.
Wishing you all a safe, joyous, haunted October!
Haiku of the Week
The theme this month is Halloween memories or Hallomemories.
pumpkin farm visit
carnivals and candy
Hallomemories
Halloween Horror Haiku 