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This April, DC Public Library celebrated National Poetry Month with the annual Haiku Contest! An annual tradition, residents ages 6 and up submit an original haiku to their neighborhood library about things that bring them joy, their love of D.C., the beauty of books, and moments that give them peace. Winners were selected by neighborhood libraries based on their categories and age groups. Click on each participating library below to see the winners!
Anacostia Library
Winner - Teens
A Moment of Peace, Anya-Rae H.
Anticipating
my next free adventure found
at my library
Winner - Adults
Pages Have Yellowed" by Nicole G.
Pages have yellowed
Over time, yet this story
is still new to me
Chevy Chase Library
Winner - Children
Maggie L.
I love my cats lots
They are so soft and fluffy
Super-duper cute!!!!
Winner - Teens
Park L.
The leaves are rustling
The flowers are flying
The tide is flowing
Winner - Adults
Josephine Kim
Turn another page.
Magic, love, mystery, fate -
Into a new world
Cleveland Park Library
Winner - Children
Vivienne J.
As I stroll to town,
I feel a tap on my nose
I look up to rain
Winner - Teens
Emma B.
Waves of Harmony -
Where Water meets the Sky
Peace and Strength join Hands.
Winner - Adults
Isa Conforti
The fern slowly wakes
uncurling out of slumber
reaching towards the sun
Francis A. Gregory Library
Winners - Children
Austyn G.
All books are my peace
They're beautiful and unique
And they make me - me
Nadia S.
A moment of Joy
Like a moment of silents
A moment of peace
Winner - Adult
Mumbo Sauce Sweet, John Johnson
Go-go beats Chuck Brown
Calls us to
Dance 51st State Dance
Georgetown Library
Winners - Children
Elsa J.
I saw a flower
so gorgeous thought it was a
halucination
Jayden V.
Waking up to the morn,
There is nothing better than
Hearing the birds chirp.
Joseph M.
Pouring drops of rain
It gives birth to the rainbow
Sad yet beautiful
Winners - Teens
Erin S.
The world speaks to me;
through the sparrow's lonely chirp--
oh, it is enough!
Ruchel L.
Goodbye, dandelions.
You'll plant wishes in new soil
to grow and forget.
Clara Z.
pen lands on paper
first, a single murky word
then a page spills out
Hanah M.
Sun rays upon me
warms my skin, my soul, the trees
finally I breathe
Winners - Adults
Shivani Bansal
Whispers on the shelf
Worlds unfold in silent ink
Time bends as we read
Patrick W.
Atop the old spire
a silent meeting of hues
to make a sunset
Tammy M.
Night time visitors
The food, the wine, the laughter
Remind us to live
Tyler McGrath
Writing brings stillness;
I find peace in the pauses
and clarity comes
Amiel Cruz
Fiancée loves it
When I make her sandwiches
Love is in the bread
Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Library
Winner - Children
Henry S.
Being by myself
It gets peaceful when I hike
Moments to refresh
Winner - Teens
Kristen M.
Expression with a large heart
sound in intensity and passion
nothing makes smiles more than art
Winner - Adults
Moli Gailan
Reading a book
brings me to a standstill.
Calms my mind down.
MLK Library
Winners - Children
For the Love of D.C., Morgan P.
The Metro rumbles
With the rhythm of my heart
More brightness awaits
Beauty of Books, Quinn C.
The Places you go
The rollercoaster you feel
Light up in your head
Winners - Teens
For the Love of DC & What Brings You Joy?, Crystal R.
Sirens chop the night,
Cherry blossoms graze the ground,
This terrifying town
Encased in blurred film
A smiling stranger, too young
We have the same eyes
Beauty of Books, Carina A.
Diverse perspectives
Knowledge, communication
The best company
Winner - Adults
For the Love of D.C., Cameryn Hunter
Sitting on benches
Carved with countless histories
That turn gold at night
Hold Pick-Up Notice, Eric Sussman
Popular Title,
Many months on hold endured,
Ready for pickup.
What Brings Me Joy? Fitness, Jacqueline Whitney
Morning strength returns
Each rep builds more than muscle
Joy in every move
A Moment of Peade, Ashley M. Stephenson
A quiet moment
Where everything softens now
And nothing is asked
Northeast Library
Winners - Children
Rebecca K.
Flowers bloom
In June the moon
Shines bright at night in summer
Corrina L.
The sun shining bright,
The birds flying out of sight,
Sky fluorescent blue
Rowan H.
Good books give me peace
Like a shark in a silver sea
Peacefully dreaming
Sejal P.
Dance like a bird in the moonlight
Sing like an owl never in sight.
Be the person you want.
Oscar M.
Center of the mall
The Washington Monument
Wish I could go up
Winners - Adults
Sal Aslam
A mind runs astray
Lost at sea; the pages flip
With a guiding breeze
Rosalie Ruetz
sister waterways
cupped hands holding us gently
teach resilience
Isabel Pollack
good for squirrels for
getting up so high even
though they cannot fly
Paige Prudhon
For you, my darling,
I would drive to Dulles.
What more need I say?
Ana Little-Sana
Petals on the ground
Pink, white, purple frame brick homes
Neighborhood in bloom
Palisades Library
Winners - Children
Spider Webs, Theodora M.
Silken strands of web
Shiny crystals made of dew
Pure things of beauty
Flying Bee, Elizabeth J.
Rest on a petal
Sunshine rays lay soft on me
Soaring through the sky
Blooming Flowers, Gabriel B.
Flowers bloom, life starts
When flowers bloom, life is made
A flower cycle
The Hiking Path, Abi G.
Birds calling from trees
One the muddy path I walk
Hiking through the woods
Beauty of Books, Soraya A.
The sweet smell of it
The beauty of turned pages
A story within
Love of D.C., Helen Z.
A gift of friendship
Beauty stored within branches
Cherry blossoms shine
Winner and Honorable Mention - Teens
Eleanor M.
In the light of day
Pink flowers come to life and
Come with the wind again
The United Home, Robert W.
The rapture of peace
Blue, Red, and White united
Under one nation
Winner and Honorable Mentions - Adults
Mary Jameson
A bird peers through me
Asking if they are safe here
Do I know their name?
Alice Kerns
Blood worms and two rods
Casting with my college son
No catch but pure joy
John Parlato
Speed camera flash
A Palisades memento
Arrives in your mail
Parklands-Turner Library
Winner - Children
Austin L.
My Hero Academia’s cool.
Fun to watch the battles rise,
Even cooler to play.
Winner - Teens
Dawntavia W.
Like the cursed fig tree
You no longer produce the good fruit
Not worthy of your years
Winner - Adult
Kendra J.
Three kids, different worlds.
Tiny hands and grown-up dreams.
One heart holding all.
Shaw/Watha T. Daniel Library
Winner - Child
Whit P.
Leaves falling on the
silent river and the calm
but vast canopy
silent river and the calm
but vast canopy
Winner - Adult
April Dietrich
When the leaves return
Every year I forget them
How green it can be
Every year I forget them
How green it can be
Southwest Library
Winners - Children
Zoe B.
A bird soaring high
A tiny ant crawling by
We are connected
Giselle S.
My favorite drink
sour and delicious
a summer time snack
Emilia F.
The unique stories
Diving into brand new tales
Exploring new worlds
Winners - Teens
Audrey R.
Boba saves the day
When home feels like a fish bowl
It lures me outside
Tara O.
Sensibility
We all need to reconnect.
Lets all have some peace.
Winners - Adults
Samantha Gallant
I believe in this
city’s deep breath, in its folks
—
we need no “guarding”.
Tori Collins
Petals drift like dreams,
The District loves in heartbeats,
Cherry blossoms breathe.
Susana Fuentes Escalante
Blue buzzing suits swarm
white houses, gray streets peopled
black, brown, orange sun.
Takoma Park Library
Youth Winner
Cassidy
Rice and Beans were fish.
I love my fish so so much.
We love each other.
Adult Winner
Becca Tanen
As the sun creeps up
through my son's bedroom window
he points and says, "rise."
Tenley-Friendship Library
Winners - Children
Cora G.
A moment for me
Limitless, beautiful, free
In flight without wings
Elle A.
The mountain is still
the sun shines above them all
It is beautiful
Lily R.
Books bring joy to me
When their stories engulf me.
Read books every day!
Sophie E.
Peace is like a pond
Every single water drop
Contributes to change
Teddy C.
Snow falling gently.
Who could guess these tiny flakes
Could make huge mountains
Winner - Teens
Breathe and Shoot, Nuria
Breathe in and breathe out
Step by step you knock your arrows
You hit, fly and breathe
Winner - Adults
The Beauty of Books, Jason Campbell
Beauty is not lost
Look closer - it's here, she says
Through age-old pages
Shary Nguyen
The chicken crossed the -
Oh...never mind, it got hit
Rest in peace chicken
Tommy Gunawan
Through the reading glass
Look! I hop from world to world
The watch never stops
West End Library
Winner and Honorable Mentions - Children
Go Unicorns!, Camila R., Age 8
Her horn is magic
Her wings are pretty and white
She is taking flight
Waves, Layla, Age 10
Coming closer now
Catch the wave before it's gone
Could you surf it now
What a World, Josey, Age 11
What a world I say
Sad to glad, peace to fights, wow
What a world I say
Winner - Teens
Brianna B.
Ah, origami!
Look at all the paper shapes
Paper comes alive
Winner - Adults
Mike S.
D.C. is much more
Than politics and power
Urban blooms reign too
Karla B.
Peace is light, it's still
A quiet breath fills the air
Time forgets to move
Shreya S.
first light, warm embrace
i kiss these beloved hills
they carry me home
Audience