The groundhog may have seen his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter in Pennsylvania, but here in Western Oregon, we’re charging headlong into spring. Which is weird, because it’s early and we never had a proper winter this year. Not a single snowflake, barely a hint of frost. For perspective, I searched through my notebook from last year for my annual “first crocus” haiku. Last year’s haiku was written on February 25. My “first daffodil” haiku was written on March 5. This year, both haiku were written on February 6. While it’s lovely to have such sunny days when the trees are still leafless, I’m worried about the snowpack in the mountains. Drier conditions do not bode well for fire season in the Pacific NW, nor anywhere, for that matter.
But for now, I’m trying to enjoy the mild winter, especially when compared to the bitter cold and excessive snow that much of the U.S. has seen this year. And it’s Kingfisher submissions month, so I’m happy about that. After a good start, submissions have slowed, which often happens after the first few days, and always worries me, even after 12 issues. I remind myself that it’s about the quality, not quantity of submissions, and I’ve received some fine ones thus far. But I am a glutton for haiku, especially during submission periods, so I’m always eager to read more.
You can find the complete submission guidelines here: https://kingfisherjournal.com/submissions/ Please read and follow them. The deadline is February 28. I accept poems as I go, rather than waiting until the end to read and respond to all submissions, so you can expect to hear from me within about two weeks of sending your submission. Whether you’ve submitted to the journal before, or this is your first time, I look forward to being dazzled by your subtle brilliance!