Andrew Burton/Getty ImagesSpringtime is officially here, but the temperatures are not cooperating. Spring’s delights remain
Overshadowed by the still
Dissolving winter
â€" by Eba Hamid
In April, springtime is on our minds, and so is poetry. For National Poetry Month, City Room is hosting the New York City Haiku Challenge, and we’re looking for original haiku that tell us a little bit about New York City.
We plan to publish entries that move us in some way â€" that make us laugh, think, reflect, smile, blush or even fume. We plan to illustrate the best ones with Times photographs.
But there is a twist. Your haiku must relate to one of six categories relating to New York City. Those topics are:
Island
Strangers

Solitude
Commute
6 a.m.
Kindness
You don’t have to include the word, just let the topic inspire you, and relate it to your experience of New York City.
For those who may have forgotten the rules of writing a haiku, here’s a quick 101 guide:
- Only three lines.
- First line must be five syllables.
- Second line must be seven syllables.
- The third line must be five syllables.
- Punctuation and capitalization are up to you.
- It doesn’t have to rhyme.
- It must be original.
You might also be inspired by Times Haiku, our collection of serendipitous haiku that appear in Times stories.
Ready to take on the New York City Haiku Challenge? Please post your haiku in the comments below.
The deadline is April 5.
