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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…
My understanding of a haiku is that it is supposed to
take readers on a journey, so that was my goal when I sat down to
write mine. My haiku reflects the pandemic experience I can most
easily put into words, and I expect it is a fairly universal
experience among epidemiologists. Before the pandemic people would
look at me in confusion when I told them I was an epidemiologist and
then take a guess as to what it might be about - most chose skin. Now
I get asked for advice, comfort, and predictions about what might
happen next in the pandemic. I have done my best to research and share
trusted resources, but I won’t be surprised if those are the most
difficult questions I am asked in my career.”
Dr. Porter works in Raleigh NC as an epidemiologist in
the Environment & Health division at Ramboll, primarily focused on
perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Ramboll Group A/S is a Danish
consulting engineering group headquartered in Copenhagen.
Third
prize winner Lisa Labita Woodson told the Epi Monitor “Thank
you so much for this honor. I love writing poetry and actually studied
it as an undergrad. But throughout my years of writing, this is the
first time I have ever been paid for my poetry and I am thrilled!
…I am currently a PhD
Epidemiology candidate from the University of Arizona. I just
completed my second year…I wrote this haiku right after I had
completed my comprehensive exams and while setting up my study in
Peru. I used my notes from my exam as inspiration having recently
jotted down all the historical figures, epidemiological concepts, and
biostatistics I needed to have memorized. I was intrigued by this
year's theme around COVID-19.
…Before going back to school, I worked as
both a county- and hospital-level epidemiologist. Back then, many
people had no idea what an epidemiologist was and what I did. I recall
having many conversations describing my day-to-day work. However, with
the pandemic, suddenly everyone was an "epidemiologist". I worry about
how this has led to the spread of misinformation from many so-called
experts with no training or knowledge of this field.”
Second prize winner, Jessica Lane Carmeli,
told the EpiMonitor: "Thank you so very much, this is very exciting
and I am honoured!
I was
motivated to submit a haiku to The
Epidemiology Monitor contest as
I write poetry, fiction, and non-fiction works and revel in any chance
to combine my scientific and artistic passions.
The
haiku was inspired by the vast embattlements among epidemiologists,
scientists, economists, those in medicine, academia, and the
public, surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the insolent and
sometimes peevish tones juxtaposed pervasive and strong resonance in
discussions. On the one hand there were/are COVID-19 deniers or those
who disagree with various measurements that were put in place, without
much or any evidence to support their arguments, and public
contestations of Epidemiologists and our findings /recommendations. On
the other hand there were/are disputes amongst Epidemiologists and
other health professionals, where the hat of expertise was heavily
rotated and debated. How we use our words matter. Do you choose petulance
or eloquence? I like to think Epidemiologists choose the latter.
I am
a reproductive, maternal, and child health Epidemiologist at
the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern
in Switzerland and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,
Imperial College London, in the United Kingdom. Additionally, I am
consultant and writer. "
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Top 30 Haikus Selected From Over 300 Submissions
Several Entries Receive Honorable Mention
Given the large number of outstanding
entries, we also selected the top 30. They are listed in no particular
order after the first three winning entries. The editor’s favorites
are marked with asterisks. Several colleagues submitted more than one
haiku and often earned recognition for more than one entry. Enjoy!
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Top 30 |
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We used to be asked
Does that have to do with skin
Harder questions now
·
Anna P
Without evidence
Harmful petulance against
Epi’s eloquence
·
Jessica LC
Quell Snow, Koch, and Hill
Faux experts and science swell
Causation skews nil
·
Lisa LW
SARS CO-V 2 war
Science versus politics
Populations shrink
·
Deborah H
**Unruly disease
Shed light on disparities
Normalcy must cease
·
Serena X
“Who needs PHDs?”
They cried, tweeting expertise
From their warm armchairs.
·
Emily O
**Months of talks later
Skeptic dad’s vaccinated
A long, slow exhale.
·
Emily O
Recommend a jab
Tell them it will keep them well
Receive your pink slip
·
Theresa B
Are we now experts?
As they ignore advice and sense?
Seems we have made it
·
Sahar S
All class examples
are just COVID-related.
What was used before?
·
Hannah B
**Quantifying risks
Shouting into a deep void
I am Cassandra
·
Tamara L
COVID fills headlines;
meanwhile, cancer kills millions…
But still just silence.
·
Jennifer W
Prior to Covid
No-one knew our profession
Now, we’re all Covid.
·
Natascha M
In
disguise ‘til now,
Epidemiologists
Are really rock stars
·
Beryl K
Vax efficacy
Infection, sickness, or death?
Try explain outcome
·
Beryl K |
Sewage systems, check.
Clean water. Prevention. Check.
Public health? Fake news
·
Connie W
Third call of the day
No answer, left voice mail, sigh
Lost case in the void
·
Elizabeth F
One stat to rule all,
Mandates lock down or parole.
Begone naughty R.
·
Ernest M
Can we please just make
Epidemiology
Boring again, please?
·
Maureen D
Impressive response
Most were saved, some succumbed to
Alternative facts
·
Tom P
**Exponential growth
Everyone is so surprised
Except you, R naught
·
Paul B
We were know-it-alls
Before the pandemic hit
Humility reigns.
·
Maureen D
Pandemic, my bane,
If
only you were safer,
I would have more papers.
·
Sifang Z
Have you ever tried
Learning ID epi and
Yelling on Twitter?
·
Sifang Z
Tell me what this is
Black, white and read all over
Misinformation
·
Bobbijean G
**Vaccine hesitance
Simplified as Tuskegee
Absolves nobody
·
Lisa F
Have a PhD
In epi, but not ID
I stay in my lane
·
Candice J
How do you say it?
Epi-dem-i-ol-o-gist
Perfect for haiku
·
Jennifer W
Now we're relevant,
for fighting COVID-19,
do we want to win?
·
Jennifer W
**What to name my cats?
Moderna and Pfizer, or
Johnson and Johnson?
·
Sifang Z |
|
Honorable Mention |
|
Heart disease? Boring!
Cancer? Boring! Strokes? Boring!
Bring back the boring!
·
Jennifer W
My
masters degree
Gains dust, since family just asks
Google for answers
·
Stephanie B
To
mask or not to
Mask? There's really no question.
Just wear the damn mask.
·
Jennifer Y
Who you gonna call?
Epidemiology
Ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost!
·
Natascha M
Epi on the news.
No glory in prevention.
No-one listening.
·
Natascha M
What we always did
Epidemiology
Strive in misery
·
Natascha M
How to be patient
And positive when you're a
Positive patient?
·
Sifang Z
“It depends” on far
Far more than what we all wished
It depended on
·
Holly K
While we can predict
We cannot convince and so
We predict the worst
·
Holly K |
Here comes BA.2:
Novel COVID variant.
New number, who dis?
·
Grant H
The virus revealed
Epi is not skin research!
Degree affirmed
·
Meghana S
Oh, when will it end?
You are an epi – tell me!
Now a household name.
·
Wanda S
Lulled asleep by neglect
Awakened by loud sirens
Still stupor remains
·
Lisa F
Mountains of data
Sitting on shelves unheeded
Lead to brown body count
·
Lisa F
Overcredulous
Anti-vax now breathlessness
Trusted deathlessness
·
Jessica C
Covid shows value
Brought by descriptive epi
Will funding follow?
·
Candice J
As
covid goes on
Epidemiologists
Heroes to villains
·
Candice J
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