Winners of the Shamu Haiku Contest!

Clearly, you people consider the ocean a solemn place. For the first time in any of my haiku contests — nay, for the first time in any of my contests, period — the number of serious entries outnumbered the humorous. After all, the ocean is dark and mysterious... much like the criteria by which I judged your haiku.

Thanks to everyone who entered! Your fantastic submissions made it tough to settle on the winners. I wish I could give awards to you all, but alas, that's not in the rules. I checked.

So, despair not if your entry doesn't get highlighted below; it barely missed the cut. And if you haven't done so already, make sure to check out all the entries.

Honorable Mention

Dan Yungk waited until one minute past the deadline before posting a comment. It's written all in one line and has nothing to do with the ocean. So why does he get a mention? Because I always reward cleverness. (Just not necessarily with gift cards.)

Every single year, I plan to participate, then run out of time...

Marian Allen, as soon as you posted this question, the answer was always going to be one. Yours.

How many entries
Will use the words, "I think we
Need a bigger boat"?

This one of Tara Tyler R's gets the nod (barely over her "Poles baited") because every time I read it I hear my 2-year-old son's pronunciation of barracuda. (That's what he calls the salad tongs.)

A lurking monster,
hidden in coral...attacks!
Boss barracuda!

Matthew MacNish had me at "cthulhu."

Dagon in the depths
la Cthulhu f'taghn
shadows of the past

J. Grace Penningon swayed me with the force of her imagery.

anemones sway
but not from force of current
back and forth alone

And this one from Juliet Lauser is beautiful, even though I must admit I'm not entirely sure what the tiger represents. (I think I've got it, but who knows.)

That tiger curls round
Two thirds of earth so we play
With his velvet toes.

First Place - Humorous

Matt Pelletier, take a bow. Just don't do it near the bow of the boat...

Frigid salty depths
Waist deep... OHGODWHATWASTHAT!?!?
NOPE NOPE NOPE. NOPE NOPE!!!

First Place - Traditional

And Li takes the crown with this entry, titled "Pearls."

life's irritations
transformed by patient bivalves
jewelry from torment

And that does it for this year's contest. Thanks again to all who entered, stopped by, retweeted, shared, mocked, etc. Matt and Li, please send me a note so I'll have your email addresses and can get you the Amazon gift cards.

And before you leave,
Here's a haiku just for you.
(It's not very good.)