The City of Perth Library and WA Poets Inc. invite you to enter our annual Haiku on Hay Poetry Competition!

Entries open on Wednesday 1 July and close on Friday 31 July 2026. 
Submit your entry via Microsoft Forms here: forms.office.com/r/8m7JtKhwXZ 
Rules: One entry per poet will be accepted. Open to WA residents only. 

What is a Haiku?

A haiku is short, non-rhyming poem that is traditional in Japan. Historically haiku consisted of three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. Traditional haiku often focused on seasonal changes and nature, capturing a single moment in time.
 
Modern versions of haiku often bend the rules. They might for instance experiment with the structure, changing the syllable count or number of lines, or explore subjects outside of nature. 

You can choose to write a traditional or a modern haiku for this competition. You’ll be judged on how your poem feels, how well it uses brevity to capture a moment in time, and how well it evokes emotion.

Prizes: 
Primary (5 to 11 years) category winner
Prize pack valued over $100, including:

• Lightfall by Tim Probert - box set 
• $50 book voucher
• Selected library merchandise

For information about the prizes for the other age categories see the adults and young adults events pages.

Haiku on Hay Terms & Conditions