Kwao Jonathan Tetteh (Courtesy photo)
1. What drew you to enter for the competition?
As a poet, I haven’t participated in any literary competition like this,
so I intended to give it a try when I came across the call for submissions
for the Babishai Niwe Haiku contest.
2. Do you have a particular personal story with haikus?
Yeah! I really do love Haiku but I never penned down any until I saw the
call for submissions. It’s amazing that one among my first three Haikus I
had scribbled made it on the shortlist. I couldn’t believe my eyes, I was
totally surprised because I least expected it.
Thereafter my entry into the contest, I have had a Haiku published in the
Mamba Journal and I’m proud of that.
3. What do you feel towards the shortlist in general?
Wonderful! reading great Haikus emanating from great minds, each and
every Haiku deserves to be on the shortlist and I know it will be a
herculean task for the judges declaring the winners.
Congratulations to every brain behind these powerful haikus on the list.
4. What motivation do poets need, to keep writing, in this ridiculously competitive world that vies for their attention?
I think platforms like literary festivals are really encouraging for
poets to expose their literary works to the world. Contests will always
motivate the writer to keep scribbling.
Poets as well must be self-inspired to inspire the world.
5. If your 2017 haiku submission were food, what would it be?
It will surely be ‘Banku’ an energy giving food prepared with corn and
cassava dough relished by virtually ever Ghanaian. It is one of the most
popular food in Ghana enjoy with all kinds of soup, stew and hot paper
before and after an energy sapping work.
Everybody likes it!
Read Kwao’s haiku here
under the bright moon,
fairy tales bring chill bumps
around log-fires
We at Babishai, congratulate him again. The winners will be announced at the #Babishai2017 Poetry Festival dinner on Sunday 6 August at Humura Resort, Kitante Close. Cards are on sale at 40,000/- Call +256 703147862. The full festival programme is here.
The full winning haikus are here:
http://bnpoetryaward.blogspot.ug/2017/07/the-babishai-2017-haiku-shortlist.html
