bookshelves line the walls
she pushes her glasses up
and turns the page

snare drum cracks
the warm boom
of a bass drum

oboe plays A
the waves lick the shore
end of summer tradition

books askew
papers cover the desk
burning the midnight oil

rap bass pounds
the ceiling above me
power hour

food I'm greedy with
but with you?
I could spare a bite or two.

Alyssa Becker (10)

running to class
the train blocks me
late to class

Ryan Sikora (3)

My favorite haiku from Kukai 2 was the one about the train and being late for class. Although I have never been late for class because of the train, I can definitely attest to the fact that the train is annoying, especially having to wait for it. For instance, about a week ago, I was just getting done with having class from 11-3:15 and all I was looking forward to was finally getting to rest for a little bit, but instead I got stuck waiting on a train that took about 10 minutes to finish. Another time that the train is a pain is when you're trying to sleep. I don't know if there has been a night since I have gone to this school that I haven't been woken up in the middle of the night by a train and it is extremely annoying. Morgan

a loving mother
chocolate chip cookies
for her little boy

twin beds pushed
together
3 blankets become 1

Anna Harmon (3)

her braid catches
on her zipper
Monday

Shannon Netemeyer (5)

bride and bride
after many year of waiting
family rejoices

Savannah Riestenberg (4)

rings of water
on the table
after he leaves

Shannon Netemeyer (10)

This haiku stuck out to me as my favorite because it really reminded me of personal experiences that I have had. The rings of water seem to me that there was a long conversation or that they spent a great deal of time together. I also like this haiku because I can see it as being sad that someone has left and missing the time that you spent with the. However, I can also see this haiku as being bitter that someone has intentionally left you and all you have left of them is the rings on the table, which could damage a wooden table. Anna

I read this piece as having two different meanings. First, I see a table on a porch under a dim light in the summer. A car drives by on the road in front of the porch, and I am sitting at the table. There are literal rings of water on the table, presumably from cups with drinks that were there. In a deeper
meaning, I see the rings of water as ripples like on the top of a lake when the water is disturbed. In this thinking, the 'he' who leaves must have left an impact on the writer or the world around them. Jordan

hot dogs and brats
sizzle on the grill
speaking to my stomach

the yellow grass
you never bothered
to water

the puppy wags his tail
not knowing
his owner is no more

Alexsenia Ralat (10)

shifting shadows
whispers in the corner
alone with the moon

Anna Harmon (6)

twin sized bed
room for only one
the empty space of another

holding up a frame
to the old farm house
snapshot

Shannon Netemeyer (5)

I like this haiku because I can relate to it. Until this past month, my grandparents lived on an old dairy farm just outside of my hometown. Though the dairy had closed years ago, they still had a large white barn on the property. I had lots of fun times at that house, whether that was helping my grandmother in her garden or playing hide-and-go-seek with my brother across the sprawling, wooded property. When I read this haiku, I picture myself looking at the house the day they moved out. When I looked at the empty house, I remembered all the happy times my family had there.  I will definitely miss that house. Owen

girls night out—
praying this time
I can keep down some measly saltines

Alyssa Becker (5)

the text messages I don't delete
to remind myself
I'm done

Anna Harmon (7)

plastic bag
floating carelessly
in the tree

the red blanket
envelops her
a shiver

head pounding
lightning strikes
when you speak to me

Alyssa Becker (7)

This haiku makes me think of how rude I've been to people when I've been suffering from migraines. Its just a blinding pain that makes you think that there's nothing else. It makes speaking unbearable and listening impossible, in some people it makes opening their eyes a nightmare. That's pretty much what I can see and relate to in this haiku. It just makes me think of how painful it is to be a migraine sufferer. Doug

In the muggy flatlands of the Midwest, storms build for days before you see a single cloud. The barometer climbs as people sag, vivacity drained out of them drop by drop via perspiration. The weight of the weather flattens, destroys any ambitions. The arrival of the storm itself, wind kicking up and clouds bursting, is bittersweet relief. To stand outside during it is sublime pleasure, gleeful in the inherent cheekiness springing from defiance of years of admonitions to stay dry. Even then, the storm is confusing, gales sweeping feet in all directions, rain blinding all sight. In the middle of it all, lightning strikes, thunder making bones quake. The lightning is terrifying, but its illumination is thrilling. Suddenly, the loneliness of the storm dissipates. Kaia

This haiku really gets to me because it reminds me of whenever I would argue with my ex-girlfriend. No matter what I had to say on my side of the argument, she would find a counter to make my argument so insignificant. It always frustrated how small she made me feel, especially because not many people were able to beat me in arguments. Her voice struck me like the worst kind of lightning at the time, but most of the time it was for the best and I learned from certain mistakes and it made me a better person. I am just an unusually stubborn person so having to change my mind on a topic has always been hard for me. Ryan

the hallway is quiet
I breathe
easier

Anna Harmon

What I think of when I read this poem is the fact that I love absolute silence. When it's quiet I feel more relaxed and at ease with myself. I don't really like large crowds or loud noises in general so I related to this a lot. Whenever no one is around, I can breathe. Alexsenia

trying to hide
shaky hands—
this wasn't on the brochure

Anna Harmon (7)

the laughter down the hall
is different now
I close my door

Anna Harmon (7)

grandma's house
thin quilt
wooden bed frame

Little Eddie
wears that same holy shirt
Monday thru Friday

Alyssa Becker (4)

at the mall for more clothes
     I wiz     by a man
asking for pocket change

Alyssa Becker (2)

empty seat at the
spelling bee
melancholy

glasses stacked
under
a chopped tree

spring—
the blossom of
the pup

beside one Another
the bells ringing
denying who We are

and what can
       a broken tool
              mend?

Kaia Ball

I really like this haiku because it is so open for interpretation. I find it very tragic. It speaks of a tool, whose only job is to fix things, who is broken and therefore cannot do its only job. It is rendered useless. This is the literal interpretation, but if you take it more metaphorically, it brings an even more tragic tone. I relate to this by thinking about the one thing that I feel I do well and gives others joy, then imagining losing that trait. I would be so lost. This is why I love this haiku, because it evoked a deep emotion in me. Shannon

rippling brook
lazy bluegill
suns amongst the rocks

the cliff, steep
the water, flat
he takes the leap

number two pencil
sharpened
pens only

Caroline Lodovisi (6)

When reading this haiku, I find it very relatable. It reminds me of the first week of school. You go into all your classes for the first time, feeling very prepared and motivated. You have your school supplies and books, and you have a great feeling about the new year. By the end of the first week, you feel overloaded, stressed, and hopeless. This is the sense I get from this haiku. The student goes into take his test, prepared, with his sharpened number two pencil. However, his feelings get thrown for a loop when he finds out that you can only use pens on the exam. I like this haiku because it simply describes the common feelings of a college student. Renee

sitting under the
sea of stars
her eyes

Jordan Comish (9)

This haiku presented clear and beautiful imagery to me. I imagined a couple sitting under a clear sky gazing at the stars. However, one of the two is more invested in the other's eyes than the night sky. It shows how much beauty can not only lie in what is all around us, but also in what is right in front of us. As a romantic, I found this haiku very appealing and beautiful. Caroline

no school
bars loaded
labor day

laughing when we
walk under the sun
sharks circling

Jordan Comish (2)

out of Inky black
a single star

Douglas Sherrill (2)

boating with friends
too scared
to try new things

on the horizon
a lone sail boat
cuts through the low September sun

sunny day
I bend down
to tie my shoe

unsteady feet
           scale an
evergreen

Kaia Ball (3)

I really enjoy this one because I makes me think about a very close friend of mine and the adventures we would go on back home. She is small and fragile, but she would never turn down a challenge. She always claimed trees and blazed trails and plunged into new exciting experiences. Although her feet were unsteady, she still climbed. Alex

tucked into blankets
sweating
but afraid of ghosts

Anna Harmon (6)

sober as always
declining
yet another beer

Alexander Erickson (4)

lonely apartment
boil water
add ramen

Owen Pulver (5)

This haiku reminded me a lot of my sophomore year living in the Woods. I often found myself alone in the apartment making dinner. It was always a kind of sad and empty feeling for me. The food was just a sort of routine and a way to feel less unwanted. This haiku was probably not meant to feel quite so sad, but in my experience this was always a sad time. Without the laughter of my roommates my apartment felt hollow with just the bubbling of my sad dinner to keep me company. I find myself tasting the saltiness of the noodles, feeling the texture in my mouth and the steam on my face, hearing the slurping and bubbling water, smelling the cooked noodles, and seeing the dark kitchen. I really like how this manages to appeal to all of the senses while still telling a story. Savannah

four boys
one kitchen
cluttered sink

Ryan Sikora (6)

microwave pizza
even sober
a chore

early bird
night owl
friends in passing

Savannah Riestenberg (6)

I dance with
a brown hair belle
in three quarter time

Ryan Sikora (8)

This haiku practically threw me back in time, to classic dancing and ballrooms full of fancy parties of people. I especially enjoy that the author used the word belle, as it makes me think of a beautiful lady dressed up in her ballooned ball gown, perhaps in a southern state. These old-time dances of waltz used to be a popular high class social event, reminding me of the scene in The Sound of Music when the children sing goodbye to all of their party guests. I wish I could go back and live in that time! Alyssa

empty cans on the floor
with a pounding head
I pick them up

hellos
how are yous
small town reunion

lights out gossip
late night
giggling

a drunk stumbles in
to give respect
to his dead brother

Ryan Sikora (11)

empty bottle on the table
a clenched fist
pushes it Away

I wake to urban sunrises
       of rush hour honking
sunsets: neon with pollution.

Kaia Ball (9)

the paper bag hangs
on a hook
her bare apartment

Alexsenia Ralat (2)

building a wall
to keep out evil—
it's already here

weed stench
the sorority girl
honks with laughter

Alexander Erickson (5)

crumbling bricks
broken windows
school's out forever

Owen Pulver (2)

making my bed
the sheets come off
starting over

Morgan Vogels (4)

goldfish swim
amongst plastic plants
exploring their tiny world

Owen Pulver (10)

I liked the haiku because it reminds me of when I was little and my brothers and I wanted a dog. At first my parents did not allow us to have a dog so they took us to a pet store to look at the fish. We each got to
pick out at least one fish and this haiku reminds me of those fish swimming around in our home. Matthew

just one more
I say as I eat
the entire box

Matthew Vangunten (4)

forgot a towel
the cold wind
freezes my hair

covey of quail
awoken from their slumber
scatter amid clouds of lead

blown kiss
from the car
she leaves again

Alexander Erickson (7)

finger pricks
a bead of blood
blackberry season

Shannon Netemeyer (5)

one last good weekend
out on the lake
ends Tuesday

he senses
the open flower
asks for her number

Caroline Lodovisi (7)

long days
the harvest scent
combine running lights

a rose
opening at dusk
a full moon rises

Caroline Lodovisi (3)

dirt and rocks
stuck to my arm
I rise pained

windows open
breeze flows in
the turn of season

Savannah Riestenberg (4)

dark blue sky
a pink earth
off to the edge

Alexander Erickson (5)

I enjoy this poem because it takes me to a lake sunset with my mom, she always loves going down there to take pictures of the blue sky. It makes me feel relaxed. Jacob