Coming Soon: Hawkeye Haiku Contest
Mark your calendars for the annual Hawkeye Haiku Contest—a free, online writing competition.
You don’t need to be an Iowa Writers’ Workshop grad or have ever written a haiku to participate.
Create one traditional haiku, using the 5-7-5 syllable pattern, that explores the theme of "home." The deadline to enter is 4 p.m. CST, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026.
Contest Details
The submission period begins at 9 a.m. CST on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, and closes at 4 p.m. CST on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026.
Submissions must be in the traditional, 5-7-5 syllable, haiku format. The contest is free and open to UI alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends from each of the following age categories:
- Grades 3 & 4
- Grades 5 & 6
- Grades 7 & 8
- Grades 9–12
- Current UI Students
- Adult (University of Iowa alumni; Non-alumni/Friend)
We will select one winner from each category and post all the winning haiku here on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2026.
About Haiku:
Haiku first emerged in Japanese literature during the 17th century, as a terse reaction to elaborate poetic traditions, though it did not become known by the name “haiku” until the 19th century. (source: https://www.britannica.com/art/haiku)
Contest Guidelines:
Contestants must develop a traditional “home” inspired haiku. How do you define it? Is it a place you return to, the people who surround you, a cherished memory, a familiar tradition, or a feeling of belonging?
Haiku has evolved over time, but this contest follows the traditional 5-7-5 syllable pattern. The structure of your haiku should adhere to the following:
- Three lines, totaling 17 syllables:
- The first line is five syllables.
- The second line is seven syllables.
- The third line is five syllables.
- Punctuation and capitalization are up to you and don’t need to follow rigid grammar rules.
- It does not have to rhyme; in fact, haiku often does not rhyme.
- It can include repeated words or sounds.
Each contestant may submit only one haiku entry for this contest.
Haiku Examples:
An old silent pond...
A frog jumps into the pond,
splash! Silence again.
—Matsuo Basho
The season gives way.
Winter lays down her mantle,
As spring bursts to life
—Kelly Roper
Winners’ Prizes
Winners in each of the four grade-school categories will receive an Iowa scribe pack and $25 Bookshop.org gift card.
Winners in each of the two adult categories will receive a $50 Bookshop.org gift card.
Learn More
Deadline and Submission Format
- Deadline: You must submit your completed haiku by 4 p.m. CST, on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. All entries not received by the University of Iowa Center for Advancement by that time will be ineligible.
- File format: You must upload your haiku at foriowa.org/write-now as a Word document (.doc), text file (.txt), or rich text format document (.rtf). Haiku submitted in Apple’s Pages format will not be accepted. The name of the file must be the first word of your haiku. For example, if the first word of your haiku is “candy,” then the name of your file must be “candy.doc,” “candy.txt,” or “candy.rtf.” Contestants will also have the option of submitting their haiku via email to write.now@foriowa.org.
- Font: Submissions must be typed in 12-point font.
- Anonymity: Your name must not appear anywhere in the haiku document; you will only submit your name on the web entry form.
- Length: The maximum length for each haiku is three lines. Entries with more than three lines will be disqualified.
Before the contest begins, enjoy some of these amazing writing samples from your fellow Hawkeyes. Check out entries from past winners and explore the University of Iowa's writing resources to inspire your own creativity.