Falling Leaves

This Challenge is part of the Vocal+ Fall Poetry Series. Learn more

The Prompt

This challenge is about the moment before it disappears. That flash of red, gold, and amber in the trees, a crisp breeze, a soft landing, a glimpse of something beautiful before it’s gone.

Your haiku doesn’t need to explain the season. It just needs to feel like it. Evoke the rustle, the color, the quiet shift in the air. Let the brevity of the form mirror the fleeting beauty of fall itself.

Write like you’re watching the last leaf drift down.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:

• A haiku (Strict 5-7-5 syllable structure)
• Submitted to the Poets community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before September 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• 5 Winners: $200 each
• 15 Runners-up: $15 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $5 each

For your story to be eligible, a haiku (Strict 5-7-5 syllable structure) and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until September 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Falling Leaves Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.

To be eligible to win, you must be over the age of 13 and reside in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.