A Bite, a Bill, and a Bureaucratic Chill in Winning Halloween Haikus

By 51视频 Health News Staff
Illustrations by Oona Zenda
Oct. 31, 2025

Nearly 100 health care-themed haikus crept into our inbox this Halloween. See the winning poems and top runners-up from 51视频 Health News鈥 seventh annual Halloween haiku contest, illustrated by Oona Zenda.

The judges鈥 favorites were inspired by tick migration, Medicaid work requirements, and rising copays.

Follow 51视频 Health News鈥 social media accounts (, , and ) for more of our favorites. Enjoy!

1st Place

Checkups turn to fright.
Copays rise like witching flames.
My wallet screams 鈥淏oo!鈥


鈥 Arnav Shah

2nd Place

No rest after death.
Even the ghosts must work now
To get benefits.


鈥 Kristen Hayashi

3rd Place

Questing legs, and teeth
Hitching rides on their blood-brides,
All ticks and no treat!


鈥 Carrie Moores

While Halloween may be coming to an end, 51视频 Health News reporting continues year-round. Send us your haikus at any time for possible inclusion in our Morning Briefing: /contact-haiku/. 

2024 Halloween Haiku Contest Winners

A black and white cartoon of a witch donating blood. The person taking her blood is Dr. Dracula. Above them is a banner that says: "Dr. Dracula's Blood Drive." Haiku text at the bottom of the image reads: "Vampires don鈥檛 scare me. Empty blood shelves, now that鈥檚 fear. Roll up, save a life. 鈥揅rystal Decker"
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Crystal Decker)
A black and white cartoon of a scary medical bill frightening a ghoul and a ghost. Below the image, haiku text reads: "What spooks me the most Is not a ghoul or a ghost But steep health care bills. 鈥揝asha Zitter"
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Sasha Zitter)
A black and white cartoon of a business man, with a name tag that says, "PBM," showing a $1,000 price sheet for a prescription drug. The PBM man scares a thief carrying eyeballs. The haiku text reads: "No, not eye-gouging. My costume is scarier: Pharma price-gouging. 鈥揝iri Palreddy"
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Siri Palreddy)

2023 Halloween Haiku Contest Winners

A black and white cartoon ink drawing shows two young children standing in an abandoned school nurse's office. One child is dressed up as a witch. She is sick and coughing. The other girl is dressed up as her cat, and holds onto her friend with concerned expression. They face an empty chair. A ghost nurse floats behind it, unable to help them. Below the drawing, a haiku reads: "Costumed coughs in school! / Kids seek care but find instead / A ghostly nurse chair."
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Madeline Steward)
A black and white cartoon ink drawing shows visitors on a tour bus pointing and screaming at a hospital building that has come to life. It has money signs for eyes and is holding medical bills. Below the drawing, a haiku reads: "Other countries ask: / Medical debt, what is that? / Hospitals say, "Boo!""
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Tom Cook)
A black and white cartoon ink drawing shows a person that has fallen into a 'bobbing-for-apples' trough gasping for air. In the water, they are surrounded by apples and medical bills. Below the drawing, a haiku reads: "Bobbing for apples. / Drowning in medical debt. Either way, get wet."
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Brynne McBride)

2022 Halloween Haiku Contest Winners

A black and white cartoon drawing of a witch lying on her back looking at her phone with a frightened expression. A black cat stands on her stomach and paws at the window, where viruses and bacteria are floating menacingly outside. At the bottom of the drawing, a haiku reads: "Covid, Ebola, / Monkeypox, seasonal flu 鈥 / Who needs Halloween?"
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Paul Hughes-Cromwick)
A black and white cartoon ink drawing shows two skeletons in a mirrored position looking at each other. One is a real skeleton while the other is a human in a costume. They are thinking. A spider holding a face mask is hanging between them. Below the drawing, a haiku reads: "Ghastly, grotesque, sick! / You mask up to trick-or-treat, / But not for covid?"
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Micki Jackson)
A black and white cartoon drawing shoes a headless horseman holding surprise medical bills while yelling, "surpriiiiiise!" Below him, a haiku reads: "Surprise billing curbs, / Like the famed headless horseman, / Remain incomplete."
(Illustration: Oona Zenda/51视频 Health News; Haiku: Michael L. Millenson)
Oona Zenda

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