San Francisco International Rengay Contest (1995– )

The first international contest for rengay was inaugurated in 1995 by the Haiku Poets of Northern California. The contest has gone under a variety of names, originally the Haiku Poets of Northern California Rengay Contest, and currently the San Francisco International Rengay Contest.

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Contest Guidelines

The following Rengay Submission Guidelines for the 2022 contest appear on the HPNC website:

All rengay must be titled. For two people (Poet A and Poet B) follow this linked format: 3 lines/Poet A, 2 lines/Poet B, 3/A, 3/B, 2/A, 3/B. For three poets (A, B, and C) the format is: 3 lines/A, 2 lines/B, 3 lines/C, 2/A, 3/B, 2/C.

Type or print each rengay on three letter-size sheets. Include full authorship information, stanza by stanza, as well as all poets’ names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses (optional) on one copy only. On the other two copies, mark stanzas with letters only (poet A, poet B, poet C) to indicate the sequence of authorship.

The entry fee is $5.00 per rengay. Make checks or money orders payable in U.S. dollars to “Haiku Poets of Northern California (HPNC).” Cash (in U.S. currency) is okay. Enclose a business-size SASE (U.S. first class postage or an IRC) for notification of contest winners. No entries will be returned, with the exception of late submissions, or those received without payment. These will be returned using your SASE; without an SASE these entries will be discarded.

Send rengay submissions to HPNC, c/o Fay Aoyagi, 930 Pine St. #105, San Francisco CA 94108.

Winners of the San Francisco International Rengay Contest, together with the judges’ comments, are posted on the Haiku Poets of Northern California website and published in the HPNC members’ journal, Mariposa.

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San Francisco International Rengay Contest, 2021

Judges	Dan Schwerin and Julie Schwerin
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
Number of entries	Not stated
First Place	Laszlo Slomovits, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Jennifer Burd, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Michele Root-Bernstein, East Lansing, Michigan	“Far From Shore”
Second Place	Deborah P Kolodji, Temple City, California, and Billie Dee, San Miguel, New Mexico	“Omicron”
Third Place	Lew Watts, Chicago, Illinois, and Tanya McDonald, Woodinville, Washington	“Forbidden Fruit”
Honorable Mention (2)	Deborah P Kolodji, Temple City, California, and Yvette Nicole Kolodji, Whittier, California	“Kyoto Tourists”
	Naia, Temecula, California, and   Billie Dee, San Miguel, New Mexico	“Lineage”

San Francisco International Rengay Contest, 2020

Judge	Lew Watts
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
Number of entries	45
1st Place	Deborah P Kolodji, Temple City, California, and Billie Dee, San Miguel, New Mexico	“Wildfire”
2nd Place	Agnes Eva Savich, Austin, Texas, and Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“A Moveable Feast”
3rd Place	Harriot West, Eugene, Oregon, and Ce Rosenow, Eugene, Oregon	“Mythos”
Honorable Mention (2)	Kristen Lang, Sheffield, Tasmania, Australia, and Lorraine Haig, Richmond, Tasmania, Australia	“Surf in my Pillow”
	Ignatius Fay, Sudbury, Ontario, and Marcyn Del Clements, Claremont, California	“The Day is Early”

San Francisco International Rengay Contest, 2019

Judge	Seren Fargo
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Dan Schwerin, Greendale, Wisconsin, and Julie Warther, Dover, Ohio	“Moonflowers”
2nd Place	Bryan Rickert, Bellville, Illinois, and Terri L. French, Sioux City, South Dakota	“Rubbing Rocks”
3rd Place	Debbie Strange, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Jennifer Hambrick, Worthington, Ohio	“In the Key of Grey”
Honorable Mention (2)	Lorraine Haig, Richmond, Tasmania, Australia, and Kristen Lang, Sheffield, Tasmania, Australia	“Cleared by the Flood”
	Alan S. Bridges, Littleton, Massachusetts, and Jacquie Pearce, Burnaby, British Columbia	“The Waiting”

San Francisco International Rengay Contest, 2018

Judge	Deborah P Kolodji
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Angela Terry, Lake Forest Park, Washington, and Julie Warther, Dover, Ohio	“Light Through a Crack”
2nd Place	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and David Terelinck, Queensland, Australia	“Whiteout”
3rd Place	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Sarah Welch (age 13), Sammamish, Washington	“A Summer’s Tale”
Honorable Mention (3)	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Carmen Sterba, University Place, Washington	“Unplayed Harmonica”
	Alan S. Bridges, Littleton, Massachusetts, and Jacquie Pearce, Burnaby, British Columbia	“Water Song”
	Andrew Riutta, Traverse City, Michigan, and Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“Six of One”

San Francisco International Rengay Contest, 2017

Judge	Billie Wilson
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Gary Evans, Stanwood, Washington, and Seren Fargo, Bellingham, Washington	“Even Starlight Crackles”
2nd Place	Marilyn Ashbaugh, Edwardsburg, Michigan, and Jeanne Cook, South Bend, Indiana	“Hidden Ice”
3rd Place	Billie Dee, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Deborah P Kolodji, Temple City, California	“Wisconsin”
1st Honorable Mention	Julie Warther, Dover, Ohio, and Dan Schwerin, Waukesha, Wisconsin	“Two Rivers (A Honkadori Rengay)”
2nd Honorable Mention	Julie Warther, Dover, Ohio, and Angela Terry, Lake Forest Park, Washington	“Weightless”
3rd Honorable Mention	Tanya McDonald, Woodinville, Washington, Michelle Schaefer, Bothell, Washington, and Mimi Gorman, Indianola, Washington	“Soak”

San Francisco International Rengay Contest, 2016

Judge	Tanya McDonald
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Simon Hanson, Queensland, Australia, and Beverley George, New South Wales, Australia	“Grand Arcade”
2nd Place	Sarah Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“Giving Thanks”
3rd Place	John Thompson, Arroyo Grande, California, and Renée Owen, Sebastopol, California	“Page Turners”
Honorable Mention (2)	John Thompson, Arroyo Grande, California, and Renée Owen, Sebastopol, California	“Purple Haze”
	Ruth Yarrow, Ithaca, New York, Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Emiko Miyashita, Tokyo, Japan	“Rocking Chair”

San Francisco International Rengay Contest, 2015

Judge	Garry Gay
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Sonja Arntzen, Gabriola Island, British Columbia	“Weighing In”
2nd Place	Stephanie Baker, San Francisco, California, Sherry Barto, Daly City, California, and Chuck Brickley, Daly City, California	“Lost”
3rd Place	David Terelinck, Sydney, Australia, and Beverley George, Pearl Beach, NSW, Australia	“A Shared Umbrella”
Honorable Mention (2)	Julie Warther, Dover, Ohio, and Angela Terry, Lake Forest Park, Washington	“No Escape”
	Beverley George, Pearl Beach, NSW, Australia, and David Terelinck, Sydney, Australia	“Underbelly”

San Francisco International Rengay Contest, 2014

Judges	Beverley George and Ron C. Moss
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Susan Antolin, Walnut Creek, California, Michael Sheffield, Kenwood, California, and Lois Scott, San Francisco, California	“Letter from Home”
2nd Place	Carol Judkins, Carlsbad, California, and David Terelinck, Pyrmont, NSW,  Australia	“A Spill of Moonlight”
3rd Place	Julie Warther, Dover, Ohio, and Angela Terry, Lake Forest Park, Washington	“Origami”
Honorable Mention (3)	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Sarah Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“A Winter’s Tale”
	John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California, and Renée Owen, Sebastopol, California	“Visiting Hours”
	Shrikaanth Krishnamurthy, Birmingham, England, and Sahana Shrikaanth, Birmingham, England	“The Joy of Rain”

2013 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	Ebba Story
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California, and Renée Owen, Sebastopol, California	“Moonflowers”
2nd Place	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Garry Gay, Santa Rosa, California	“Recess Bell”
3rd Place	Seren Fargo, Bellingham, Washington, and Sheila Sondik, Bellingham, Washington	“Coming to Light”
Honorable Mention (3)	Michael Sheffield, Kenwood, California, and Susan Antolin, Walnut Creek, California	“Autumn Deepens”
	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Terry Ann Carter, Victoria, British Columbia	“Starlings Rush”
	Barbara Snow, Eugene, Oregon, and Marianna Monaco, Eugene, Oregon	“tintinnabulation”

2012 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	John Stevenson
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Beverley George, New South Wales, Australia, and David Terelinck, New South Wales, Australia	“Snapshot”
2nd Place	David Terelinck, New South Wales, Australia, and Beverley George, New South Wales, Australia	“Celluloid Moon”
3rd Place	John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California, and Renée Owen, Sebastopol, California	“Bubble Gum Bubbles”
Honorable Mention	Angela Terry, Lake Forest Park, Washington, Cara Holman, Portland, Oregon, and Julie Warther, Dover, Ohio	“The Sound of Frost”

2011 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	Renée Owen
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Tracy Koretsky, Bellevue, Washington, Kala Ramesh, Pune, India, and Garry Gay, Santa Rosa, California	“The Last Word”
2nd Place	Carolyne Rohrig, Fremont, California, and Christopher Herold, Port Townsend, Washington	“The Space Between”
3rd Place	Linda Papanicolaou, Stanford, California, and Sprite (Claire Chatelet), London, U.K.	“At the Edge”
Honorable Mention (2)	Beverley George, Pearl Beach, NSW, Australia, and David Terelinck, Alexandria, NSW, Australia	“Sliding into Place”
	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Amelia Fielden, Buff Point, NSW, Australia	“Two Fat Spaniels”

2010 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	Paul Watsky
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Cherie Hunter Day, Cupertino, California, and Christopher Patchel, Mettawa, Illinois	“Pulse”
2nd Place	John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California, and Renée Owen, Sebastopol, California	“Hints of Blue”
3rd Place	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, Billie Dee, San Diego, California, and Tanya McDonald, Woodinville, Washington	“Swapping Shells”
Honorable Mention	John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California, and Garry Gay, Windsor, California	“Bottoms Up”

2009 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	Billie Wilson
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Renée Owen, Sebastopol, California, and John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California	“Pausing Mid-Pirouette”
1st Honorable Mention	Christopher Patchel, Mettawa, Illinois, and Alice Frampton, Seabeck, Washington	“a pickup game”
2nd Honorable Mention	Billie Dee, San Diego, California, Josh Wikoff, Petaluma, California, and Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“Thump of a Rose”
3rd Honorable Mention	Linda Papanicolaou, Stanford, California, and Sprite (Claire Chatelet), London, U.K.	“Concoctions I” (a bilingual rengay, each link in both English and French)
4th Honorable Mention	John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California, and Renée Owen, Sebastopol, California	“Bits of Shell & Ship”
5th Honorable Mention	Tanya McDonald, Bellevue, Washington, Russell McDonald, Bellevue, Washington, and Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“Spiraling Down”

2008 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	Ebba Story
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place (tie)	Linda Papanicolaou, Stanford, California, Kathy Earsman, Maleny, QLD, Australia, and Colin Stewart Jones, Aberdeen, Scotland	“Rainbow Lorikeets”
1st Place (tie)	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Alice Frampton, Seabeck, Washington	“Returning”
Honorable Mention	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, Alice Frampton, Seabeck, Washington, and Connie Donleycott, Bremerton, Washington	“Off the Top of Our Heads”

2007 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	Cherie Hunter Day
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Tom Clausen, Ithaca, New York, and Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“Sixth Sense”
2nd Place	Billie Wilson, Juneau, Alaska, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“Circling”
3rd Place	Helen K. Davie, Templeton, California, and Lynne Leach, Kentfield, California	“Quilt”

2006 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	Michael Dylan Welch
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Carolyne Rohrig, Fremont, California, and Marco Fraticelli, Pointe Claire, Québec	“Only Words”
2nd Place	Billie Wilson, Juneau, Alaska, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“Echoes”
3rd Place	Pamela Miller Ness, New York, New York, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“Loose Ends”

2005 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judges	Ebba Story and John Thompson
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Dejah Léger, Shoreline, Washington	“Inside Passage”
2nd Place	Ariel Lambert, Shawnee, Kansas, and Stanford M. Forrester, Windsor, Connecticut	“Paper”
3rd Place	Vicki McCullough, Vancouver, British Columbia, Alice Frampton, Seabeck, Washington, Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“Prairie Wind”
Honorable Mention (3)	Joann Klontz, Swedensboro, New Jersey, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“a tempo”
	Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California, and Billie Wilson, Juneau, Alaska	“Learned by Heart”
	Zane Parks, Livermore, California, Kathy Earsman, Maleny, QLD, Australia, and Gino Peregrini [Gene Doty], Rolla, Missouri	“will-o-the-wisp”

Haiku Poets of Northern California 2004 Rengay Contest

Judge	[not recorded]
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Hortensia Anderson, New York, New York, and Carole MacRury, Point Roberts, Washington	“A Hint of Blue”
2nd Place	Pamela Miller Ness, New York, New York, and Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“Idlers in the Gallery”
3rd Place	Carolyne Rohrig, Fremont, California, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“more of her cleavage”
1st Honorable Mention	Max Verhart, ’s-Hertogenbosch    Netherlands, and Betty Kaplan, Adventura, Florida	“A Spider in the Words”
2nd Honorable Mention	Carolyne Rohrig, Fremont, California, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“Ruby Lip Print”

Haiku Poets of Northern California 2003 Rengay Contest

Judge	Paul Watsky
Contest Coordinator	Fay Aoyagi
1st Place	Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington, and Ikuyo Yoshimura, Gifu, Japan	“The Hilltop Castle”
2nd Place	Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California, and Ebba Story, San Francisco, California	“Clack of the Rails”
3rd Place	Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California, and Billie Wilson, Juneau, Alaska	“Lingering Light”
Honorable Mention (3)	Michael L. Evans, Port Orchard Washington, and Connie Donleycott, Bremerton, Washington	“Around May”
	Ebba Story, San Francisco, California, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“Break in the Clouds”
	Brian Tasker, Beckington, Somerset, England, and Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, Washington	“On Broadway”

2002 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judge	Michael Dylan Welch
1st Place	Maria Steyn, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Kirsty Karkow, Waldoboro, Maine	“Finger Melodies”
2nd Place	Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California, and Billie Wilson, Juneau, Alaska	“White Flannel Sheets”
3rd Place	Carolyne Rohrig, Fremont, California, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California,	“Dummy Under the Blanket”

2001 HPNC Rengay Contest

Judges	Garry Gay and Tom Clausen
Contest Coordinator	Dan Brady
1st Place	Kirsty Karkow, Waldoboro, Maine, and Maria Steyn, Johannesburg, South Africa	“Cheek to Cheek“
2nd Place	Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California, and Ebba Story, San Francisco, California	“Speckled Dawn”
3rd Place	Kirsty Karkow, Waldoboro, Maine, and Merrill Ann Gonzales, Dayville, Connecticut	“Inch by Inch”
Honorable Mention (3)	Carolyne Rohrig, Fremont, California, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“Hanging on Every Word”
	Ellen Compton, Washington, D.C., and Roberta Beary, Bethesda, Maryland	“cats and I”
	Carolyne Rohrig, Fremont, California, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“Pop Goes the Weasel”

2000 Haiku Poets of Northern California Rengay Contest

Full information about the 2000 contest is missing.

Judge	Not known
1st Place	Michael Dylan Welch, Foster City, California, and Lenard D. Moore, Raleigh, North Carolina	“Cornstalk Twisting”

HPNC 1999 International Rengay Contest

Only Honorable Mentions were awarded in 1999.

Judges	Helen K. Davie, Templeton, California, and Rich Krivcher, Citrus Heights, California
1st Honorable Mention (tie)	Cherie Hunter Day, Menlo Park, California, and D. Claire Gallagher, Sunnyvale, California	“Deep Woods”
1st Honorable Mention (tie)	Alice Benedict, Richmond, California, and Carolyn Hall, San Francisco, California	“Lacy Underthings”
2nd Honorable Mention	Leatrice Lifshitz, Pomona, New York, and Anne French	“Undercurrent”

Haiku Poets of Northern California 1998 Rengay Contest

Judges	John Stevenson and Ebba Story
1st Place	Rich Krivcher, Citrus Heights, California, John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California, and Michael Dylan Welch, Foster City, California	“Dying Spark”
Honorable Mention (3)	John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California, and Garry Gay, Santa Rosa, California	“Still Life“
	Helen K. Davie, Templeton, California, and John Thompson, Santa Rosa, California	“Sierra“
	Jocelyn Conway, Concord, California, and Michael Dylan Welch, Foster City, California	“For a Moment“

San Francisco International Rengay Contest 1997

Judges	Claire Gallagher and John Thompson
1st Place	Rick Kuntz, Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and Jeff Witkin, Rockville, Maryland	“Beyond the Bridge”
1st Honorable Mention	Helen K. Davie, Atascadero, California, and Ebba Story, San Francisco, California	“Twilight”
2nd Honorable Mention	Ebba Story, San Francisco, California, and Tom Clausen, Ithaca, New York	“Fallen Leaves”

Haiku Poets of Northern California 1996 San Francisco International Rengay Contest

Judges	Paul O. Williams, with Garry Gay
Contest Chair	Suzanne B. Friedman
1st Place	Carol Purington, Colrain, Massachusetts, and Larry Kimmel, Colrain, Massachusetts	“Dotted with Gnats”
Honorable Mention (3)	Ebba Story, San Francisco, California, and D. Claire Gallagher, Sunnyvale, California	“Flow”
	Lee Gurga, Lincoln, Illinois, and Michael Dylan Welch, Foster City, California	“Uh-huh”
	Ebba Story, San Francisco, California, and Louis Morra, New York, New York	“Spattered Ink”

Haiku Poets of Northern California 1995 Rengay Contest

Judges	Garry Gay, John Thompson, and Michael Dylan Welch
Number of entries	29
1st Place (tie)	Valorie Woerdehoff, Dubuque, Iowa, and Connie Meester, Dubuque, Iowa	“Moving Inside”
1st Place (tie)	Ebba Story, San Francisco, California, and Cherie Hunter Day, Portland, Oregon	“Tidewater Marsh”
1st Honorable Mention	sally l. nichols, Shelborne Falls, Massachusetts, and Carol Purington, Colrain, Massachusetts	“Golden Pickets”
2nd Honorable Mention	Jeff Witkin, Potomac, Maryland, and John Stevenson, Nassau, New York	“Far Away Voice”
3rd Honorable Mention	Yvonne Hardenbrook, Murrysville, Pennsylvania, and Tom Clausen, Ithaca, New York	“Summer Red”

Compiled by: Fay Aoyagi, Susan Antolin, Michael Dylan Welch, and the Haikupedia editors

Sources:

Rengay contests results, including texts of the winning compositions, were reported in flyers to members of the Haiku Poets of Northern California and posted on the HPNC website. Results were also sometimes reported in the HPNC journals Woodnotes (until 1995) and Mariposa thereafter. The Contest Coordinators and Judges sometimes kept their own records as well. The HPNC website (https://www.hpnc.org) includes an archive of all its contests, but information for the rengay contests before 2001 is often missing or spotty.

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