On The Light Side
Haiku Contest Winners Announced
Readers of The Epidemiology Monitor
submitted over 300 haikus to compete for prize money and bragging
rights in our haiku contest. The purpose of the contest was to capture
the “changes and challenges” brought to epidemiology and/or
epidemiologists as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The haikus struck multiple themes ranging from the
influence of misinformation, the increased recognition of epidemiology
with its positive and negative aspects, humor, the health disparities
made evident, the downplaying of expertise and education, the
widespread use of the internet, the neglect of non-COVID conditions,
over reliance on social media, and many others. Many haiku authors
took the liberty of composing verses outside the requested topics and
wrote about the impact of the pandemic on public health, the general
public, and on science in general.
Many of the submissions were very clever, insightful,
and a delight to read. They met the criteria for a haiku to express
much and suggest more with the fewest possible words. The choice for
the three prizes offered was difficult to make since so many were
excellent.
1.
The winning haiku is:
We used to be asked
Does that have to do with skin
Harder questions now
The winning entry was submitted by Anna Porter
who will receive the $500 prize.
2.
The second place winner is:
Without evidence
Harmful petulance against
Epi’s eloquence
The second prize entry was submitted by Jessica
Laine Carmeli who will receive the $300 prize.
3.
The third place winner is:
Quell Snow, Koch, and Hill
Faux experts and science swell
Causation skews nil
The third prize entry was submitted by Lisa Labita
Woodson who will receive the $200 prize.
See the Top 30 Haiku starting below.
Winner Comments
First
prize winner Anna Porter told the Epi Monitor “What a shock! I am so
honored to be selected as the winner, thank you! I had such fun
writing it…
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