The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is pleased to announce the winners of its Haiku for ANSI's 100thcompetition, held in honor of the centennial anniversary of the Institute's founding in 1918. ANSI invited members of the standardization community and beyond to create a haiku that distills the essence of a voluntary standard to just 17 syllables (the standard haiku format) [See the related article: Get Poetic with Standards! Enter Our 100 Haiku for ANSI's 100th Competition].
Following review of over 50 outstanding submissions from a wide range of standards professionals and many other participants, ANSI's communications team has selected a winning haiku in each of the five contest categories. The winners are as follows, highlighted below:
We're not the writers
Of standards or good haiku.
We rely on you.
-American National Standards Institute
Overall Best
Breathing unhindered,
fingers and toes free from harm.
Shhh Baby sleeping.
Standard: ASTM F1169-13, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Full Size Baby Cribs
- Penny Arrowwood
Traditional
Title: Dangling
Dangle high above
Winter chill bites feared fallen
Happy are those caught
ANSI/ASSE Z359.1-2016, The Fall Protection Code
- Sean Coughlin, UAW
Poetic/Beautiful
Title: Reaching
Climbing to catch up
Ladder of wood, hand foot hand
Safely in the stars
ANSI ASC A14.1-2007, American National Standards Ladders - Wood
- Linda Doran, Maine Labor Group on Health
Funny
Despite all the care
The standard guides to manage
The cow just says moo
ISO TS 34700:2016, Animal welfare management
- Jeffrey Strauss, Northwestern University
Relevant
Access to and use
Of the built environment
Is a human right
ANSI A117.1, Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
- Don Risdall, Pacific ADA Center, National Network of ADA Centers
The five winning writers will each receive an elegant award and a desktop Zen garden. Check out all the haiku submissions here (those providing permission with or without attribution).
Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to the winners!