A 20-Second Reading Habit, Sparked by Stephen FitzGerald
Stephen FitzGerald is the kind of reader many people relate to: busy, deadline-driven, and convinced that pleasure reading has to wait for a quieter season. As a professional manuscript editor, writing coach, and public school teacher, he often told friends he had zero spare time to read just for himself. Then, in 2020, a simple moment shifted his routine. After returning a relative’s overdue library books and paying the fines, he wandered into the poetry section and picked up a few haiku collections.
That brief browse delivered a clear realization. A haiku offers a complete reading experience in about 20 seconds. Three lines. A small breath of language. A finished feeling. For someone who spends the day working with words, that tiny format felt like permission to read again, even at night, even between tasks, even while waiting for the everyday errands of life to move along.
From there, the habit grew into a mission. Stephen began reading dozens of haiku after work and before bed, then sharing the lines he “crushed on” across social media. His goal stayed simple: keep celebrating the poems that land with clarity and heart, and keep inviting more people to try the same quick, satisfying practice.
How HaikuCrush.com Turned a Personal Routine into an International Search
As Stephen’s near-daily sharing continued for a year, he noticed something interesting. People were not only enjoying haiku, they were craving a reliable way to find excellent haiku without digging through endless feeds. So he expanded the idea beyond personal favorites. He launched HaikuCrush.com and built an annual search that welcomes submissions from around the world.
The process is organized and community-driven. Judges are recruited to read hundreds of entries and select 50 winning haiku for each volume. Honorariums are awarded to the best of the best, adding a meaningful thank-you to the poets whose work rises to the top. That combination of careful selection and real recognition has become a defining part of the project’s identity.
Stephen also keeps the reader’s lifestyle in mind. Haiku fits in pockets of time that usually disappear, like standing in a post office line, sitting in a doctor’s office, or waiting for a train. He carries The Best Haiku with him for exactly those moments. It is reading that meets people where they are, without requiring a long stretch of quiet or a big commitment of attention.
Inside The Best Haiku Collection 5: International Anthology: The Annual Search
The Best Haiku Collection 5: International Anthology: The Annual Search by HaikuCrush.com is the fifth annual publication in a broader series: The Best Haiku Anthologies – The Annual Search for The Best Haiku by HaikuCrush.com. This installment continues the same promise that shaped earlier volumes. It gathers winning poems from an international search and delivers them in a format that is easy to pick up, easy to share, and easy to return to.
In this collection, several prize-winning poets are highlighted: E. C. Huddleston (United States), thomas david (England), Tracy Davidson (England), and David Oates (United States). Their recognition signals what readers can expect throughout the anthology: crisp images, emotional resonance, and the kind of simplicity that feels earned. Each haiku is small, yet the experience can feel surprisingly complete, like looking through a window and catching an entire season in one glance.
Stephen’s editorial perspective matters here. He lives in language all day, so he values poems that do their work efficiently. Haiku rewards precision, and the anthology rewards haiku that stays with the reader after the page turns. Many readers also enjoy the browsing rhythm. A person can dip into a few poems before bed, return during a lunch break, or open to a random page while waiting in a lobby. The experience remains whole every time.
Why This Anthology Makes a Warm, Easy Gift
Haiku tends to be welcoming. It offers meaning without demanding a long sit-down. That is why this anthology makes such a natural holiday gift, especially for the poet in someone’s life, or for a friend who says they never read for enjoyment anymore. A single poem can soften a stressful day. A handful can reintroduce the quiet pleasure of reading again.
This fifth collection is available on Amazon, and it is supported by enthusiastic reader response, including consistent five-star feedback mentioned by the project. For those who want to learn more about the annual search, the judges, and the larger series, they can visit the official site, haikucrush.com.
Stephen’s larger message is gentle and practical. A person may feel too busy for books, yet a haiku can still fit. One poem. Twenty seconds. A complete experience, ready whenever life leaves a small opening.
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