Well, here they are--the judges' picks. Thanks to everyone for playing, and we'll ship the prizes out after World Fantasy.

JeffV


Judge Marmot's, Judge Possum's, and Judge Flying Squirrel's ‘This Here Cupcake’ Picks. With commentary from Paul (Marmot) and Possum (Leisa). Flying Squirrel (Meredith) declined to comment beyond making her picks.

Eric Marin

three kids dressed as ghosts
wander down fishhook alley
blood-stained sheets puddle

First prize.

Paul says: Nice dark tone with rich images. The development of the haiku from gentle to violent is just lovely.
Leisa says: I love this one for the story… the glimpse of Halloween (the film) and the visual it leaves you with. White stained with red….. the sharp points of the fishhooks.

Clare Dudman

Wing of decayed bat
shrivelled foot of old baboon
mmm squishy candy.
Second prize.

Paul says: Bats, baboons and the word ‘squishy.’ Three of my favorite things. Plus the ‘mmmm’ meter filler. Brilliant.
Leisa says: this one wins one of the top honors because of the gross-out factor. Clare captured the icky post candy pick up bleck and still conveyed a bit of fright night.

Dana Martin

candy candy corn
lets eat lots of candy corn
orange, yellow, white
3rd prize.

Paul says: Best use of candy corn in a haiku that seems like a cross between a playground taunt and a madman’s mantra.
LP says: this one because it best replicates the spirit of the candy corn haiku-fest that started it all. Dana "gets" the candy corn obsession. BTW, now is the perfect time to buy candy corn—discounted post Halloween!


Noosh

shove extra copies
of Veniss up your arse, I want
Shriek: An Afterword

Honorable mention: Violence to VanderMeer Award. Given to the best suggestion for the bloghost to sodomize himself with his personal library.


Noosh

French Maid, Cheerleader
Fantasy adult costumes
On sale at Target

Honorable mention: Thirsty Roofer Award (formerly Lucky Burglar Award). Given to the best adult role-playing haiku.


La Gringa

There would be far more
creativity here if
Peeps were the grand prize.

Honorable mention: Cross Holiday Candy Shout-Out Award. Perhaps Jeff can be persuaded to have an Easter contest.


La Gringa

Easter Bunny baked
into Halloween pot pie.
Somewhere, the Pope laughs.

Honorable mention: WTF Award. Thanks for tying the Pope and the Easter Bunny together with Halloween. This is a haiku I wish I had written. (Paul)


Punning Linguist

Autumn in Wyoming:
With a sack of costumes,
We circle the same house.

In your neighborhood,
A diabetic child
Is cleaning his gun.

Other honorable mentions: Despite the wounded meter, the imagery of these two warmed my heart. I toiled over a diabetic haiku and couldn’t form it.