And the winner is....

Deborah
with

The fish found a pearl.
'The world's my oyster!' it thought -
But found itself hooked.


It was very difficult to judge between all the splendid contributions, but eventually random Dave, whom we called in to swing our hung vote, plumped for the one above rather than our second favourite (which was:

Chinese love fish whole
Head, skin, bones, and fragrant flesh
Much as I love you
by RL).

Thanks to all who entered! The competition is now closed, but we're leaving the page open for more haiku submissions in case anyone feels inspired!

Daily Info Staff, 10/02/06

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A haiku (or hokku, originally, or rather 発句) is a graceful and difficult form of Japanese poetry. An approximation in English is a verse comprising three lines arranged thus:

5 syllables
7 syllables
5 syllables

You can read more about haiku-writing on wikipedia or on www.aha.poetry.com. Meanwhile, if you write us a haiku on anything to do with love or fish, you could win a free Valentine's Day meal for two at Oisi Master!

If you need more than 17 syllables to express the depths of your feeling, then try our Anti-Valentine's Day Big Bang Poetry Competition.

You can submit your haiku on this page in the boxes on the right.

Here are a couple to start you off:

A first melting kiss.
A plate of tender sushi.
Both over too soon.

She said over lunch:
"I need you like my sushi
needs a bicycle."

Proper haiku-masters would never split a clause over two lines like that, but we think it's quite difficult enough without that limitation. So have a go!

Daily Info Staff, 26/01/06

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dark morning...
the sushi bar opens up
for the train station

haikutec, 12/03/08

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Haiku for loan companies:

Persistent as rain
Promising the summer sun
Who are you fooling?




p

Rabbie, 13/09/07

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sparkles in your eyes
luscious lips part with desire
devours food quickly

cathiesblogg, 10/07/07

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Ever thus and now
Savour the oriental
Choose the tastiest

Rafe 'O', 13/02/07

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Sparks between us flew
Electrifying the fish
Which rose from the dead

Supermouse, 10/02/06

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Pickled ginger zing
Green wasabi what a punch!
Valentine love roll

Chung Love, 10/02/06

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Eagerly he points
She cannot see the fish hawk
Only heart-shaped clouds

pinkswan, 09/02/06

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succulent sushi
satisfyingly juicy
Be my Valentine!

grizla, 09/02/06

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To find that someone
Reminds me of a wide sea
Full of many fish

CB, 09/02/06

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I looked at your back
as you ran down stairs away.
Now alone again.

Tanya, 09/02/06

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Valentine's haiku:
Is it me that she loves, or
my bangers and mash?

JH, 09/02/06

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Dream, Love for Today;
Wait Not, Uncertain Future;
Slain Regret's One Chance.

TS, 09/02/06

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Beneath a canopy of trees
the world sighs
all the fish are dancing

Annushka, 08/02/06

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Healthy Sashimi
Precious treasures of the sea
Oisi Mastery!

Poseidon, 08/02/06

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Japanese, Chinese.
Oisi Master serves them both.
I prefer Chinese.

Could the writer of this please let us have their contact details if they wish to have any chance of winning the prize!

08/02/06

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fish fish fish fish fish
mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
rice is also good

fishy, 07/02/06

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Genie grant my wish
I would love a tasty dish
Oriental Fish

hayley, 07/02/06

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she chews chocolate,
and sighs like a finished book.
A perfect puzzle.

ian, 07/02/06

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Trembling sashimi
So like in scent and texture
To you-know-what, love.

Jessabelle, 06/02/06

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Beautiful Sushi
Bring your flavours to my mouth
Let's inhale pure bliss

Brus, 06/02/06

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Sublime of the sea
Sushi of the eternal
Recipe of love

Bella, 06/02/06

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I await each touch,
I count seconds to hold you
Im falling in love

Lou, 06/02/06

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Chinese love fish whole
Head, skin, bones, and fragrant flesh
Much as I love you

RL, 06/02/06

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"Fishy," he whispered,
tonguing her rosy oyster.
Soon he'll need to swim.

Jessabelle, 05/02/06

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I have got your love letter
So distant you are
There's nothing apart from that

Iria, 04/02/06

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Offering senses...
Variety of fishes
Love plate is prepared!

Evik, 04/02/06

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One eye wide open
Quiet table holds a secret:
Love on a platter

Smitje, 03/02/06

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A lingering glance
Over the last nigiri
I cannot resist

NG, 03/02/06

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Oi! See the great new
Japanese place on the Plain?
How about it love?

boatgirl, 03/02/06

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the war drum drummeth
war dance around the raw fire
sushi age cometh

nilk, 03/02/06

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My unagi fell
from its bed of sticky rice
when she took my hand.

JS, 03/02/06

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Stir me up, Oyster
Let your juices flow freely
You naughty love food

pinkswan, 03/02/06

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Kumi sang sweetly
Preparing her lover's meal
Deadly plate of fish

pinkswan, 02/02/06

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I crave sashimi,
chirashi, and nigiri -
How it pleases me!

Sashimi Girl, 02/02/06

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Love is Wonderful
Something never to Regret
Always Keep it Safe

LBS, 02/02/06

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Mr. Valentine,
I need your kiss like an eel
Needs a ball of twine.

Delix, 02/02/06

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He loves me smiling
He loves me not when crying
He loves me most when...

Boog, 02/02/06

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Cat pads across the room
Tail swaying behind in time
Sushi box empty

Wilber, 02/02/06

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Salmon caught, take heart!
Your death shall intensify
Our romantic eve.

EA, 01/02/06

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Purple-silver swirls,
of such beautiful candor,
wrapped around my heart.

JW, 01/02/06

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The fish found a pearl.
'The world's my oyster!' it thought -
But found itself hooked.

Deborah, 01/02/06

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A seed sprouting love,
is like a new day rising
sheltering me from above.

SH, 01/02/06

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Can a fish feel love?
I gaze at a fish swimming.
It seems to wink 'Yes.'

Deborah, 01/02/06

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His polar bear feet
and his new sexy hairstyle:
I'm weak at the knees.

Suz, 01/02/06

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If you knew sushi
Like I know sushi, oh, oh
Oisi’s a great place!

(with profound apologies to Buddy de Sylva, lovers of haiku, everybody involved in the competition but I did have to produce the world's first fusion of haiku and Broadway)

Toby, 01/02/06

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the oisi master
as a springboard for our love
raw fish and snogging

beardy, 01/02/06

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tenderly we kiss
entwined lips trembling and wet
hot like wasabi

cmv, 01/02/06

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I never eat fish
Soon the seas will be empty
Yet you blame the whales

Conservationist, 01/02/06

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Fish are romantic.
Remember those kissing ones?
They're called gourami.

Aquaman, 01/02/06

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Love, Passion, Fiery
Fish, or raw if you prefer -
Oisi for my love.

Tom, 31/01/06

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The fish was cut up
The rice vinegar was sour
Bad feelings all round.

Clean MC, 31/01/06

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Smell something fishy?
It's because you stuck chopsticks
Up your nose

Miss Brown, 31/01/06

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Succulent sushi
seems to seduce my senses -
not quite like you do.

laura, 31/01/06

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A Haiku for you
Will culture the ocean blue
Feed our love so true

Tom, 31/01/06

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The passion is true
With a dish of fish for two
Flourish, will our love

tom, 31/01/06

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The ocean opens
We taste pleasure together
Salt dries on your skin

nakedmystic, 30/01/06

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Smile from a lover;
Two sushi sit side by side;
Time is forgotten.

Domo, 30/01/06

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Garden of blossoms
where love is alive in life
but not without you

J, 30/01/06

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Ooh, I love sushi
I could eat it all night long
be my valentine

Stix, 30/01/06

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Sushi, like romance
Tasty and good for you too
Same goes for marmite

Hopeless, 30/01/06

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With his hand in mine
His luscious plump red lips said
'Be my Valentine'

Miss Turner, 30/01/06

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Oisi Master meal
For two on valentines day
tell me how you feel

dan, 30/01/06

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Eternal struggle
Of lovers eating sushi -
Raw feelings, raw fish.

Trinny, 30/01/06

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I share my sushi
With no-one but my lover
Since he foots the bill!

E, 30/01/06

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Love is the tender
Feeling of warmth when you wake
In your lovers arms

BJones, 30/01/06

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Dusk heart day arrives
Frozen powder beneath feet
Gloved hand in gloved hand

Lucy Marian, 29/01/06

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Tickle my tastebuds
Pickled Radish and Ginger
Fickle is my love

Sushi Lover, 28/01/06

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You break my heart
Whatever and wherever
I love you forever

YiKa, 28/01/06

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My wife wanted love.
I wanted to give her love.
Not 'that' kind of love

pote, 27/01/06

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Our first honeyed kiss
Caressing our loving lips
Embracing my soul

Bugeye, 27/01/06

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Oscar was a carp
I loved him with great relish
Chips and mushy peas

avenance, 27/01/06

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Sydney to Oxford
We have travelled the world too
The best view is love

Tee, 27/01/06

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In a hectic world
He stills my soul with the smile
Hidden in his eyes

Doo, 27/01/06

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Su she is my love
delicate and difficult
to eat with chopsticks.

SM, 26/01/06

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How satisfying I felt
After having a big portion of Sushi
In a place called 'home'.

vuong69, 26/01/06

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What heavenly smell...
There is something in the air
Of great food for love.

beanie, 26/01/06

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