WALES HAIKU
JOURNAL
Summer Competition 2026
☀️Wales Haiku Journal Summer Competition 2026 ☀️
We invite haiku writers from around the world to join us in celebrating the season through the meditative form of haiku.
Summer holds many textures: warmth and stillness, movement and memory, abundance and passing. We welcome haiku that attend closely to the natural world and the subtle resonances between outer landscape and inner life.
Whether your summer arrives with cicadas, monsoon rains, sea mist, wildflowers, or long evenings of lingering light, we look forward to reading the many ways the season finds its voice in your work.
Accepted Forms
Traditional, experimental, monoku, and senryu are all welcome.
There is no 5–7–5 requirement - only attention, clarity, and presence on the page.
Key Dates
Competition Opens: 30th May 2026
Submission Deadline: 31st July 2026 (midnight GMT)
Results Announced: 15th August 2026
How to Enter
Step 1
Choose your entry tier (see below) and submit payment via the PayPal button below.
Step 2
Complete the submission form here.
Please include:
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Your payment reference number
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Your name and country
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Whether you are a 🟢 Member or 🔵 Non-Member
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Your haiku entries
You are welcome to submit more than once. Each submission should be accompanied by a matching payment.
Entry Fees
🟢 Members
£7 - Full Submission (up to 10 haiku)
£4 - Short Selection (up to 5 haiku)
🔵 Non-Members
£9 - Full Submission (up to 10 haiku)
£5 - Short Selection (up to 5 haiku)
🟡 Entry + Word Emporium
£12 - Full Submission + 3 Months in the Word Emporium
Includes:
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A full submission (up to 10 haiku)
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Three months' access to the Word Emporium (Mezzanine tier)
Simply subscribe to the Word Emporium for free, and we will immediately upgrade your account.
Prizes
🥇 First Prize
£150 + Publication
+ 12 months' access to the Word Emporium
🥈 Second Prize
£75 + Publication
+ 6 months' access to the Word Emporium
🥉 Third Prize
£50 + Publication
+ 3 months' access to the Word Emporium
🌿 Twelve Commended Poets
Publication in a special Summer Competition Edition
+ 1 month's access to the Word Emporium
Alongside the prize winners, a further selection of haiku will be featured in a dedicated Summer Competition Edition, showcasing fifteen voices from around the world.
All prize money will be paid via PayPal.
Judging
Entries will be reviewed by the Wales Haiku Journal editorial team and invited guest poets.
We look for haiku that carry clarity, depth, and resonance — work that lingers and continues to unfold after reading.
Results
Winners will be contacted prior to public announcement.
Results will be shared on the Wales Haiku Journal website and across our social platforms.
Legal & Rights
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All submissions must be original and unpublished.
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AI-generated or AI-assisted work is not permitted.
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Plagiarism or AI use will result in disqualification.
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Multiple entries are permitted, provided each submission is accompanied by the appropriate entry fee.
By entering, you grant non-exclusive publication rights to Wales Haiku Journal, with full attribution remaining with the author.
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact:
