time to break
the wishbone
i get the short end

two wishbones
by the sink
unbroken

time to be thankful
but i can’t help but know
what’s missing.

people rioting
glad i didn't
go black Friday shopping . . .

don't oppose violence
with violence
do it with love

CHIRAQ:
That's what they call us.
     We're more than gunshots.

Valina Hoang

watching scary movies
just to hold
her hand

Danna Herbach (9)

reading into
every detail
to bring him justice.

Valina Hoang (4)

I give thanks to his doctor
his rightful spot
he sits at dinner

Olivia Cuff (12)

I love this so much, I really do. There is so much that this haiku leaves unsaid, so many questions it presents, but at the same time, none of those questions need answering, because they don’t matter. It makes me wonder who this “he” is, why he needed doctors, what it was that had him so close to not sitting in his rightful spot. However, the fact that he is seated at the dinner table makes all those questions seem insignificant. They don’t matter. All that matters is the fact that he is there and he is well. There is so much emotion in this, the relief and joy alone are almost overpowering to me. It’s fantastic. Natalie

greeting cards
have all been sent
. . . crap no they haven't

bumper to bumper
staring into the
dark abyss

deleting facebook friends
draining the water
from macaroni

Alec Campbell (8)

I absolutely loved this haiku ever since the second that I first read it. It is funny that Alec wrote this haiku because I just went through deleting over forty of my Facebook friends, which is a pretty big dealing seeing as I have over a thousand friends. Sometimes you just need to take control of your life and filter what you see on this social media site. Certain people can be so negative and do not have a place in your life. I love that he connected this action to macaroni because I adore food. Rebecca

I like this haiku because at first glance it seems like it is about two very different topics, but after a closer look these topics are connected. Deleting facebook friends is getting rid of something that is no longer needed, just like draining water from macaroni to leave only the desired pasta. Also these events form a visual of a person so causally doing both of these tasks as just going through the motions, unaware of the irony of these events going together. Trista

homecoming
pounced
slobbery dog kisses

Brandi DeLeonardo (3)

the birds
trapped in Menards
make nests too

Alec Campbell (7)

sibling car ride
harmonizing
with the radio

Natalie Zelman (6)

grumpy cat
not just an animal
but a role model

Alexandria Wilson (10)

treats
I stalk them
purring

how many watts is that smile?
as it warmed me,
feet in a pile of snow

Taylor Hagerdorn (8)

I’m simply in love with this haiku. The question posed really captivates the audience, and you can essentially feel the rapture that the smile gives off. The presence of this haiku is so strong, and I really can appreciate the artistic lens that Taylor uses when she wrote this. The juxtaposition between the warm and being in the pile of snow is delicate, and the whole haiku seems to give off this delicate nature. Jonathan

garage floor
filled with sawdust . . .
ladder on the floor

my daughter's trash can
filled with love letters
never sent

Daniel Rausch (8)

my friends' laughter
smiling, I glance over;
the man who broke me

Brandi DeLeonardo

I like this haiku because when I first read it, I thought that the narrator had looked over at her friend who was talking to an ex-boyfriend or former friend. I also thought that maybe her friend was dating this man. However, I read it again I realized that it could be saying that she heard the man laughing and looked over, smiling, because it was so friendly and welcoming, but she realized that the laughter was coming from the man who broke her heart or just brought her down. This haiku could also be about her having a crush on this man and her friends are across the room flirting with him. He could have broken her by turning her down or leading her on and then breaking her heart. I really like how there are so many possibilities in this haiku; it leaves it open for the reader to imagine. Erin

comfy sweaters—
souls warmed by
moonshine

Valina Hoang

I don’t know who wrote this one, and I’m so sad I forgot to talk about it during class. This is such a cozy haiku. It reminds me of being with my family and enjoying an evening in of laughter and comfort. It reminds me of a future evening where I can sit with someone who has a soul like a cashmere sweater and we drink the warmth of existing together. I love this haiku. Taylor

a pint shared in
the snowstorm
Ben and Jerry's

Danna Herbach (7)

he told me to
forget about Monday—
sun warms our skin

underneath cover
of quilts and each other
home is where

             my heart is

Jonathan Rieck (8)

I really liked this haiku because it is very descriptive. It gives me both immediate feelings of harsh cold and then the transition to the warmth of the quilts and the other person. I found this haiku to be very comforting. I also like the word choice of “quilt” because I think it suggests something warmer than a blanket. For some reason when I think of quilts, I think of winter. I think it ahs something to do with the fact that when I was little the only blanket I really ever used, especially in the winter was a giant quilt. Allie

happy thoughts
my heart on wings
                  n      g
          y   i
     l
f

Erin O'Brien (3)

               H
      H O H C H
H H C N C C N
  C N C C N C
  O C H H
     H

Alec Campbell

the cold feel
watching the drawing
this henna daisy

How could you?
he's not good for you
blood sucking l(iar)eech

Erin O'Brien (6)

cherry syrup,
your red stained
smile

first snowfall
the weatherman
more excited than me

looking in the mirror
finally comfortable
in her his body

Natalie Zelman (6)

This haiku was my favorite from the kukai because I love the meaning behind it. It has to do with someone finally being able to be who they want to be, which is someone of the opposite gender. My personally, I only recently began to accept my body’s shape for what it is. I can honestly say that most of the time I am ok with how my body looks, but I can’t imagine trying to accept they you are a different gender than what you were born. So for people who have actually been through this, I have the utmost respect. Brandi

a reflection in the mirror
my own worst
enemy

    get out—
    words fly
    like darts
          B
     U         E
   L             Y
     L        E
          S

growing deadly nightshade;
I didn't want this to be

another lesson

Jonathan Rieck (6)

I don’t know what it is that intrigues me about this one. Perhaps it’s the fact that I’m morbidly curious about the meaning behind the haiku. I’m not exactly sure what this haiku is about, but my interpretation is kind of sad. It reminded me of when I was younger and my childhood dog drank antifreeze. We ended up having to have him put down, because the vet couldn’t do anything to save him. When I read this haiku, I imagined someone—maybe a plant enthusiast—planting deadly nightshade against her family’s wishes for the sake of having something novel. Eventually, the woman gets busier and abandons gardening. The nightshade still grows in the garden, hidden by other weeds and grasses. The years pass, and the woman gives birth to a baby girl. When the little girl is several years old, she runs inside the kitchen, her little fists balled up and an excited smile on her face: “Mommy! I found blueberries!” The woman opens the girl’s fists, and sees the dreaded nightshade berries. She demands to know if the girl ate any of them. The little girl nods, confusion on her face, holding her index finger up. The woman rushes her to the hospital, but by that time it is too late. I imagined that this haiku was the thing that was running through the woman’s mind as the small coffin was lowered into the ground. Mackenzie

cold bedside;
preferable over a warm body
+ cool heart.

a walk once
refreshing,
now completely frozen

Rebecca Coutcher (3)

little feet running
snowman doll
Ilsa and Olaf

cheesy happy endings
and bad acting
ah, there you are Lifetime

woke up, dry throat
choked on the words I didn't say
the night before

Valina Hoang (10)

I like this one because this is the story of my life. Every time I have a disagreement with someone or a debate, I always think of things I could have said the next day. I think about valid points I could have made when it is too late. DJ

too many classes
when did my floor
become clothing

sky diving
landing softy
in your arms

Mikayla Shaw (5)

autumn wind
crushes on girls
i can't love

Danna Herbach (7)

a friendship bracelet
hanging from a nail
unfinished

Danna Herbach (4)

should I wear
boots or sandals
Mother Nature is on her period

Deja Finley (5)

the city reflected
on the lake,
in my eyes

neighboring bunk-beds
we recreate
the Creation of Adam

Natalie Zelman (8)

sunset porch
she plays with my hair
head in her lap

I won't apologize
for my taste in music
country girl from birth

Olivia Cuff (4)

I love this haiku because it is a perfect description of who I am. While I went through a phase where I listened to rap and nothing else, I got over that when I realized I liked the sound and story's associated with country music much better. I still enjoy listening to the occasional rap song however this haiku completely agrees with my preferred music. I love to turn on the radio when I am driving around in my hometown and sing along with all the catchy country songs that are found on about half the stations where I live. Overall this is an excellent haiku that any girl with a camo shirt in her wardrobe can relate to! Sara

high strung and wound up
she twirls on command
jewelry box ballerina

Olivia Cuff (5)

sunday morning
perched on the doorframe
one blue sock

Natalie Zelman (3)

after mass
the eternal flame
a lone light

Sara Siegfried (3)

tossing pennies
into the stream
days gone by

Alec Campbell (4)

college bank account
can't even pay
. . . attention

Deja Finley (6)

what you feen for
is your demise
the irony . . .

laundry day
gold stars
in the lint trap

Natalie Zelman (4)

heading home
songs shuffle
that I don't know

mother and daughter
connected by heart
now permanent ink

Rebecca Coutcher (4)

art museum
trying to understand
Duchamp's Fountain

cornfields
   h   o   u   r   s   later
blur into skyscrapers

19 & married;
I asked if it felt like playing House

Taylor Hagerdorn

This is such a neat haiku. I love the simplicity of the two lines. I have heard increasingly more stories of people getting married that are close to my age (19) and while I'm extremely happy for those who has found a person they want to spend the rest of their lives with, I am in shock. I'm turning 20 in January and I absolutely cannot imagine being married right now or anytime soon. I'm nowhere near close to having someone to call my boyfriend, let alone get married! This haiku reminds me of what it would be like if I was married right now- it would be innocent and as if I was playing House. I'm so young and I have big plans for my future. I don't want to drag someone into my life just yet because I know I will be selfish and cater to my wants and needs when given the opportunity. I think it's awesome and so so so sweet when people find their true loves at a young age, but as for me? I don't see myself getting married for at least another 10 years! Valina

snowflakes decorate my eyelashes ever so softly

 
that pretty face under snowy fingertips smiled and I loved it forever

Taylor Hagerdorn (6)

evening chill
a romantic dinner
in the picture window

Sara Siegfried (4)

unsure of what to do
               she scratches out
her dreams

Valina Hoang (13)

they tried to bury me
guess they didn't know
I was a seed

Deja Finley (14)

I absolutely loved this haiku because it is all about people putting you down and instead coming out on top. There is so much strength behind this haiku that it warms my heart. I see this almost as internet bullying, with someone being bullied over and over again online. Despite all of the bullying, she is able to stay mature and dignified, answering politely but still putting the bullies in their places; I imagine her then gaining support from the internet community, thus the burying of a seed. Olivia

I really liked how this haiku brings such a feeling of joy and meaning. Everyone who has ever tried to be great had people who tried to bury them, threw tomatoes at them, or discouraged them. The real great people have grown past that, despite the discouragement. This haiku is so matter of fact that it makes us all think that we are seeds. That we can become who we really are, whether that is a rose, mint, or a vine. Danna

lighting the candlewick
burning me up
then putting me out

Jonathan Rieck (4)

tucked in a corner—
how will I know
when love finds me?

drinking Jenga
my date drinks,
when I drink

he liked my coffee more
because it had touched my lips

Jonathan Rieck (7)

frisbee in the park
long past sunset
that summer

night driving
an intimate goodbye

Taylor Hagerdorn (3)

visible
even in the city
shooting star

Mackenzie Peck (5)

I thought that this haiku was very well written and formatted. I chose this to be my double vote for this kukai because I loved it so much. For some reason, this haiku stood out to me. I really enjoyed the fact that the shooting star, even in the midst of great buildings, could be seen. This gave me a great picture in my head about how it would look and how the people in the city who saw it. In big cities, there is a constant light, making it hard for anyone to even see stars. I can imagine a couple looking up at the night sky and seeing the shooting star pass by, extremely bright. They then get filled with excitement because the act of physically seeing stars of any kind is close to none when in the city. To me, this seems like a stroke of good luck if someone were to see this. Daniel

my dreams are in
front of me but then
I open my eyes

the sturdy queen
more deadly than a king
check mate

Trista Smith (11)

high-pitch giggling girls
I take off my shirt
in the bathroom stall

alone in the dark
speaking in
our own language

"a boob job won't fix everything,"
spoke Experience

Taylor Hagerdorn (4)

New Year's Eve
steaming tea
warms my fingers