John Pappas is a poet and teacher whose work has appeared in many poetry journals and anthologies. His haiku have garnered a Touchstone Award from The Haiku Foundation, a 2023 Trailblazer award, a silver medal in the 2023 Ito En New Haiku Grand Prix, Best in the United States in the 2023 Vancouver Invitational, a Sakura Award in the 2024 Vancouver Invitational, honorable mention in the 2024 Heliosparrow Haiku Frontier Awards, and three New Science Awards in the 2025 Heliosparrow Haiku Frontier Awards, among others. His first chapbook dimes of light was published in 2024 by Yavanika Press. His work is featured in the recently published haiku anthologies off the main road: six contemporary haiku poets (Alba Publishing, 2024) and New Resonance 14 (Red Noon Press). His longer poetry has twice been selected for the Mayor of Boston’s Poetry Contest (2016 and 2020). As drummer and lyricist of the punk rock band Heather Hates You, he has recorded two albums (Operation Suckerpunch and A Scar is Born) and toured extensively. John lives in Boston, MA with his wife and two daughters, and has taught literature and general semantics in the Boston area for over 25 years.