Submissions Are Now Closed
Thank you to everyone who submitted a haiku to the Haiku Contest! All entries are have been reviewed by our panel of judges and winners have been notified. Winners have been invited to read at the Poetry Reading and Prize Ceremony on Thursday, April 9, 2026 6:30 pm at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch.
Details
In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Mercer County Library System (MCLS) is excited to announce the 2026 Haiku Contest. This contest is open to individuals of all ages who live, work, or attend school in Mercer County. Participants are invited to submit one original haiku following the traditional 5-7-5 syllable structure. A panel of judges will select finalists, and final winners will be chosen by Barbara Krasner, an award-winning poet and co-editor of Kelsey Review, Mercer County Community College’s long-standing literary journal. Ms. Krasner is stepping in for Alicia Ostriker, who is unable to serve as finalist judge as originally planned. We are grateful for Ms. Krasner’s willingness to lend her expertise to this year’s contest.
Contest Rules
- Open to those who live, work, or attend school in Mercer County.
- Haiku must have three lines and no title, and follow the traditional 5-7-5 syllable pattern.
- Your haiku may be funny or serious, and may evoke a natural element or seasonal theme, in keeping with the spirit of the form.
- Limit one haiku entry per person.
- Entries must be original and unpublished — not previously printed, posted online, or under consideration elsewhere.
- MCLS staff and their immediate family members living in the same household are not eligible for prizes, but are encouraged to participate.
Important Dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Thursday, January 1 – Monday, February 9, 2026 | Submit your haiku via the online form or email. |
| February 2026 | Judges will blind review submissions and select winners. |
| March 2026 | Winners will be notified. |
| Thursday, April 9, 2026 6:30 pm | Poetry Reading and Prize Ceremony at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch. Public reading of selected haiku, presentation of contest prizes, and open mic session. |
Prizes
- 1st Prize: $50 gift card
- 2nd Prize: $30 gift card
- 3rd Prize: $20 gift card
Judges
Barbara Krasner is an award-winning poet and co-editor of Kelsey Review, Mercer County Community College’s long-standing literary journal. Her work has appeared in more than sixty literary journals. She is the author of several poetry collections, including Chicken Fat (2017), Pounding Cobblestone (2018), Poems of the Winter Palace (2025), and Night Watch (2025). She serves as Director of the Mercer County Holocaust, Genocide & Human Rights Education Center housed at Mercer County Community College, where she is also an Associate Professor in the History and English departments. Learn more at www.barbarakrasner.com.
Mike Toth is a freelance writer from Pennington. He has spent his entire career working for magazines and websites, and served as executive editor of Field & Stream for 14 years. Toth is a published author whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, The Penn Stater, New Jersey Monthly, and The Star-Ledger.
Bill Waters looks at the world through haiku-colored glasses and likes what he sees. His haiku have appeared hundreds of times in Frogpond, Modern Haiku, The Heron’s Nest, and many other journals and magazines, as well as on outdoor signs around the country. Bill lives in Pennington.
Sharon Wang, a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and librarian, facilitates a range of poetry programs at the library. She leads a monthly Poetry Writing Workshop, cultivating a vibrant space where poets connect, create, and share their work.
Andrew Punk is a librarian and New Jersey local. His work has appeared in several haiku journals, and he actively participates in several regional poetry groups.