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Judging By His Responses, Judge Takes Job Seriously

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By JEFF HOUCK, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2007

Updated: 12/18/2007 06:55 pm

Seeking an impartial judge for our fruitcake haiku contest, we asked for help from the folks at Swiss Colony food catalog company in Monroe, Wis. As operators of the Web site ILoveFruitcake .com, Swiss Colony has judged our contests for the past two years. This year, senior copywriter Stephen Eliasson did the honors.

We weren't prepared for him to take it seriously.

He offers the following reasons for his selections:

First Place, Camila Sainz de la Pena of Tampa

"There is immediacy because the poet is presenting a strong visual image that is happening at this moment. Black cherries and sugar, though byproducts of nature, nonetheless conjure up an image of nature, one of the hallmarks of classic haiku. And though 'fluff' may be a little abstract, there is a moment of realization presented (another classic aspect of haiku) by the fruitcake in the poem, which the reader can either participate in or ponder. The fruitcake's realization even hints at an emotional state (classic haiku) by the sheer lack of one."

Second Place, Diane Franklin of Sebring

"A contrast - an aspect of many haiku - is set up right away. This nature of this contrast not only involves indirect images of nature (hemlock, fruit) but implies a conflict between life and death, which can involve the emotion of the reader. There is an immediacy to the situation. There is also a final (and humorous) 'surprise' or realization for the reader, in making the lethal hemlock the less of two evils."

Third Place, Joe Villeneuve of Tampa

"We have an immediate sense of the poet contemplating a fruitcake before him. But the poet cleverly manages to avoid bringing himself into the poem by not using the pronoun 'I.' We are also clued in to an emotional state or attitude through the adjective 'humble.' An interesting contrast in image, color and flavor is set up in our minds by converting the typical sweet red and green tidbits to an image of olives. We experience the transformation simultaneously with the poet, and can continue to ponder the new image and sensations."

Honorable Mention, Mary Elizabeth Hill of Tampa

"For the clever double-entendre use of 'nutty' in its food and descriptive sense, as well as the sense of immediacy and the unique image. 'Dancing in my fridge' could, unintentionally, be attributed to the poet dancing rather than the fruitcake, and using two 'ing' verbs in one haiku may complicate the clarity."

Other entries included:

Friends I know bake cakes

Fruitcakes I know

Make memories.

DONNA MILLER

Apollo Beach

The love that's inside

Baked into each tasty bite

Can't be found in stores

JACLYN PETERSON

Spring Hill

Thanks Mrs. Harvey.

Your cake's so moist, so fruity.

How do you do it?

GLORIA MORROW

Sun City Center

Holiday fruitcake

Passed year to year among friends

These friends, I don't need.

DEB RISNER

Gibsonton

Pineapple, cherries,

Nuts yum, yum, that is fruitcake

But where's the brandy?

MARY ELLEN AHRENS

Lake Alfred

My friend's a fruitcake

Warm, spirited and nutty

The best kind to have.

MARIANNE REASON

Lake Placid

To bake a fruitcake

Takes more than some fruit and nuts

It takes lots of love.

IRIS EVANS

Land O' Lakes

Name one thing that is

Good to eat, and can be used

As ballast, replacing concrete

ROBERT W. POWELL

Tarpon Springs

A fruitcake giveaway

Will surely come back to you

The very next day.

MARJORIE C. WALTERS

Tampa

How many fruitcakes

Do you have to give as gifts

'til you have no friends?

SUZANNE STONE

Lake Placid

Oh pretty fruitcake,

Shining with bright fruit and nuts,

Why are you hated?

CAROLYN BOSSE

Plant City

Oh, no, a fruitcake

Grandma always sends us one

We'd rather have cash

NANCY M. HESTER

Tucker, Ga.

My dog, who oft begs

For food from fridge or table,

Will not sniff fruitcake!

MARILYN A. JOHNSON

Sebring

Teacher Laurie Daigle wrote to say that her seventh-grade language arts/writing class at St. Raphael Catholic School in St. Petersburg recently read "A Christmas Memory."

"Of course, I brought in fruitcake for them to enjoy while we read together," Daigle wrote. "I was delighted to see your column so that I could further extend this lesson and create haiku."

The students' creations are as follows:

Polka-dotted mess

I know I can resist it

The worst Christmas meal

MARISSA TAYLOR

A sugary treat

for me to eat every week

I'd be fat, indeed

RYAN TAYLOR

Fruitcake weighs a ton

It would make a great anchor

For a giant yacht

ADAM MILLER

It's hard as a block

Falls apart when it is cut

My fruitcake is done

NICOLE McQUINLAN

Green cherries, brown nuts

Everything is a mix-up

It's one healthy cake

ALEX EARLY

Fruitcakes are pleasing

Fruitcakes please my picky taste

Give me a fruitcake!

BRIDGET GRAMAILA

A cake I adore,

with fruit, nuts, and more, galore

Well, it is a fruitcake.

CAYLA REDDICK

Keyword: Stew, to read more fruitcake haiku.

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