Haiku Contest
Submit your best haikus inspired by Filoli’s spring Garden to our annual contest, judged by San Mateo Poet Laureate Emerita Aileen Cassinetto. All ten semi-finalists will have their poem printed and displayed throughout the Garden during the month of May!
Theme
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the contest, we are inviting work that highlights nature’s many generosities and the role it plays as a place for contemplation, joy, and healing. Please share your own personal and communal stories to Filoli’s Garden and the way it keeps us rooted and resilient.
The special Ecopoetry Award will recognize a haiku that celebrates this theme while touching on the connection between humans and the environment.
Guidelines
You may submit up to three original poems. Poems should consist of 17 syllables or less – the length of a breath. We encourage submissions in languages other than English, as long as you also provide us with an English translation.
Timing
- The contest opens on Friday, March 14, 2025.
- Entries should be submitted by midnight PST on Monday, April 14.
- The 10 semi-finalist poems will be announced on the website on Earth Day, April 22.
- Prize winners will be announced May 1.
Prizes
First Place: Filoli Family Membership and Gift Basket
Second Place: Filoli Individual Membership
Best Under 18: Filoli Student Individual Membership
Filoli Ecopoetry Award: Filoli Individual Membership
Rights: Poems submitted will be used by Filoli for promotional materials, and the winning poems may be published on our social media and marketing channels