Spark Newton is delighted to announce 22 poets selected as winners of its fifth annual Haiku Newton contest. The winning poems will be displayed across Newton from late April through July debuting at the Newton Free Library.
“We were thrilled to receive 190 submissions from 115 poets,” says Grey Held, Spark Newton board member and co-director of Haiku Newton, along with Elizabeth Lund and Greg Fulchino. “We hear such positive responses from residents who look forward each spring to reading haiku at various location throughout Newton,” added Held.
The 2026 Winners!
Jody Callahan
Christine Carvajal
Hugh Dun Rappaport
Julia Dun Rappaport
Eliot Fumante
Margaret Geller
Marilyn Halpern
Ruth Hoberman
Lyn Jekowsky
Debbie Knapp
Jim Krosschell
Julie Leavitt
Heona Liu
Robin Mayer Stein
Roxanna Myhrum
Grace Neilan
Susan Nisenbaum Becker
Ezra Robison
Annette Seaward
Clara Silverstein
Claudia Springer
Richard Waring
You are invited to a celebratory reading, featuring many of this year’s winners!
Newton Free Library Druker Auditorium
June 9th at 7:00 pm
Free and open to all.
Spark Newton shares the joy of poetry throughout the city through its Spark Signature, Haiku Newton public art initiative. Dozens of poets from in and around Newton submit their Haikus to the annual contest, including poets of all ages, from students to grandparents to published poets, and to aspiring creatives.
Spark Newton is deeply grateful for the continued partnership with the Newton Free Library, which supports Haiku Newton writers and readers in celebrating their creativity and the power of poetry and connection.
Discover Haiku
A tiny form with endless possibilities
Ready to write your own haiku? Whether you’re a seasoned poet or just getting started, The History of Haiku is a great launch point. Created by Haiku Newton co‑director Greg Fulchino and Newton Free Library Senior Library Assistants James O’Connor and Greg Fulchino, this resource traces the form’s unexpected history and offers inspiration for your own work.