We accept both traditional (approximately 5-7-5 with a seasonal reference) and three-line modern haiku.

Please include your city, state, and country for our author index.

The Heron’s Nest requires first publication rights for work accepted. These rights include first publication on-line and subsequent use in the annual print edition of The Heron’s Nest. All other rights revert to the author following on-line publication. Please direct any questions about first publication rights to John Stevenson.

A new edition of The Heron’s Nest will be posted at the beginning of March, June, September, and December. Included will be several pages of haiku and one page presenting three “Editors’ Choice” haiku. One of these three will receive The Heron’s Nest Award and be posted on the home page as well as on the Editors’ Choice page. The winning haiku will receive special commentary and the poet will receive a certificate of award.

In early March, The Readers’ Choice Awards are summarized at this website. The full results with poems and comments will be included in the annual paper edition of The Heron’s Nest. The Readers’ Choice Awards feature favorite poems and poets of the previous year as voted for by our readers. Engraved plaques are awarded to grand prize winners in the following categories:

Readers’ Choice Poem: the poem to receive the most votes. Readers’ Choice Poet: the poet whose work overall garners the most votes.

There are three runners-up in each category for which certifcates will be awarded.

A selection of highly commended poems, as determined by readers’ votes, will also be included.

The annual print edition of The Heron’s Nest is sent to the Museum of Haiku Literature and the American Haiku Archives, a repository for modern English language haiku. For details about subscribing to the paper edition or summiting haiku you would like considered for publication, please see the About page.

You can email your haiku to one of the following editors: Ferris Gilli, Alice Frampton, Peggy Willis Lyles or Paul MacNeil. Submissions can also be sent via regular mail (please include SASE) to: