the birds in winter
arrive like a thunderstorm
refreshing and threatening
Filoli is known for its flowers, and winter has been thought of as a slower and quieter time. Yet the staff recognized what a special time winter is at Filoli. The bare branches, the grey skies, the just-about-to-blossom magnolias. Beauty in a winter garden is spare, resonating. Haiku with its similarly spare form and focus on nature seemed like a perfect way for Filoli to showcase the beauty of winter. Since 2020, a total of over 2,000 haiku poems have been written about Filoli’s winter garden. Here are this year’s winners and finalists.
— Hilary King, Filoli Public Programs Coordinator
In the white petals,
crinkled cups holding yellow
centers, a bee dines.
— LiAnn Yim (First Place)
Child of winter—
I hold between my hands
your pink camellia face
— Monica Korde (Second Place)
The soft hum of wings
darting among the flowers
seeking winter blooms
— Lydia Becker (Best Under 18)
Have you ever walked into
the foliate womb of a mother redwood
wanting to be unborn again
— Preetika Anand (Under 18 Finalist)
The sky wept softly
over hedges rust, poppies white
such grace in fallow times
— Heather Bourbeau (Finalist)
Fragrant air
narcissus pushing through
the rich earth
— Garry Gay (Finalist)
The trees blow and breeze
baby blue eyes push through dirt
pink camellias bloom
— Kennedy Marek (Under 18 Finalist)
Hedges watch over
buds birthed by barren branches
winter’s young emerge
— Julie Rogers (Finalist)
The shape
of sky
under a blooming magnolia
— Sharon Walter (Under 18 Finalist)
Down the garden path
wild turkey’s feathers shimmer
in the winter sun
— Alliana Lili Yang (Under 18 Finalist)
