Matching Contest 3 Homecoming Favorites

Homecoming Matching Contest - 3 - Favorites

Fall 2016 • Millikin University

back at last
opening the door
to welcoming meows

Caroline Lodovisi

my cat sees I've returned after
months away
gets up to stretch

Jordan Comish

pulling into
the driveway
my dog jumps off the porch

Owen Pulver

open the door
my dog's tail
a hurricane

Owen Pulver

back at last
opening the door
to welcoming meows

open the door
my dog's tail
a hurricane

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

open the door
my dog's tail
a hurricane

bottom quarter champion

pulling into the driveway
realizing
I knew the way home by heart

"come home"
she doesn't know where
she's sending me

waiting at the end
of the stone path
my front door

Caroline Lodovisi

pulling into the driveway
realizing
I knew the way home by heart

Anna Harmon

away from home
easy to be your
parents' favorite child

Morgan Vogels

"come home"
she doesn't know where
she's sending me

Alexander Erickson

TOP half champion

open the door
my dog's tail
a hurricane

CHAMPION

constellations inviting me home
having forgotten the color
of the night sky

BOTTOM half champion

constellations inviting me home
having forgotten the color
of the night sky

Shannon Netemeyer

putting on an old dress
she wore on graduation
still fits

Shannon Netemeyer

mom and dad
always say
it's never long enough

Alyssa Becker

group hugs
see-ya-laters
weekend ending

Renee Sample

constellations inviting me home
having forgotten the color
of the night sky

mom and dad
always say
it's never long enough

constellations inviting me home
having forgotten the color
of the night sky

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

constellations inviting me home
having forgotten the color
of the night sky

bottom quarter champion

just the guys and I
reunited in our booth
the old Dairy Queen

hollow stomach
I can't reach
mom's cookie jar

just the guys and I
reunited in our booth
the old Dairy Queen

Owen Pulver

family reunion
1 burger left
my brother and I, present

Jacob Morgan

favorite restaurant
get whatever you want
thanks mom

Caroline Lodovisi

hollow stomach
I can't reach
mom's cookie jar

Ryan Sikora

Reader Response Favorites

back at last opening the door to welcoming meows Caroline Lodovisi	my cat sees I've returned after months away gets up to stretch Jordan Comish	pulling into the driveway my dog jumps off the porch Owen Pulver	open the door my dog's tail a hurricane Owen Pulver
		This haiku pair was my favorite because they reminded me of my dog. My dog loves any attention she can get so it is always fun to see her reactions when I go home from school. These both just remind me of my energetic dog and I wish I could go see her. Matthew I really liked both of these haiku because I think they both describe such a universal feeling. We all had the moment of coming home and the excited, explosive moment of everyone rushing to the door to greet each other. This moment especially reminds me of small children running into the arms of their parent who just returned from work. When you are on the receiving end of this love and affection, you feel like you were really missed and that your loved ones really care about you. I like how both of these haiku have this moment with pets, and specifically dogs. I think that the images of a dog and their disposition make this moment even more excited, and both dogs seem like they can hardly contain their excitement. I also like how both show the dogs and their physical movement to show their excitement, which I think makes them an incredible match. Anna

waiting at the end of the stone path my front door Caroline Lodovisi	pulling into the driveway realizing I knew the way home by heart Anna Harmon	away from home easy to be your parents' favorite child Morgan Vogels	"come home" she doesn't know where she's sending me Alexander Erickson


constellations inviting me home having forgotten the color of the night sky Shannon Netemeyer	putting on an old dress she wore at graduation still fits Shannon Netemeyer	mom and dad always say it's never long enough Alyssa Becker	group hugs see-ya-laters weekend ending Renee Sample
I enjoyed this pair the most out of the haiku from the matching kukai. Both have an admiration for home that the reader can't miss. The first haiku is more open about this, talking about how they clearly miss how the night sky looks at home compared to where they are now. The second haiku is a little more subtle about the admiration. I believe it is referring to the girl's reflection of how she feels about home. Her old graduation dress still fitting can reflect her ties to home and how she still feels fond of her past there. Caroline

just the guys and I reunited in our booth the old Dairy Queen Owen Pulver	family reunion 1 burger left my brother and I, present Jacob Morgan	favorite restaurant get whatever you want thanks mom Caroline Lodovisi	hollow stomach I can't reach mom's cookie jar Ryan Sikora
I liked this pair because they're both about togetherness after separation, as well as food. I think eating with someone or a group of people is something special, that you only do with those you are comfortable around. Jordan

home from college
walking under the lights
to pass down the crown

Owen Pulver

been gone too long
someone is in my spot
in the school parking lot

Owen Pulver

sitting in my room
not the dorm,
my real room

Owen Pulver

old sorority house
creaky brass handle
I still turn twice

Anna Harmon

been gone too long
someone is in my spot
in the school parking lot

old sorority house
creaky brass handle
I still turn twice

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

rising sun
homecoming morning
I crack open a beer

bottom quarter champion

rising sun
homecoming morning
I crack open a beer

crisp autumn chill—
with it comes
old friends

rising sun
homecoming morning
I crack open a beer

barks and meows
greet me
not my pets

Savannah Riestenberg

crisp autumn chill—
with it comes
old friends

Caroline Lodovisi

joy of homecoming
spoiled by the elevator
reeking of vomit

Kaia Ball

rising sun
homecoming morning
I crack open a beer

Ryan Sikora

TOP half champion

rising sun
homecoming morning
I crack open a beer

Champion & GRAND CHAMPION

rising sun
homecoming morning
I crack open a beer

candy crushed
into the cobblestones
parade

BOTTOM half champion

moist grass
pressed down
the tailgaters

Ryan Sikora

new football turf
different uniforms
the cold stands not as full

Anna Harmon

lost the ball
too much
conversation

Savannah Riestenberg

talking with old friends
in the bleachers
football in the background

Owen Pulver

new football turf
different uniforms
the cold stands not as full

lost the ball
too much
conversation

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

candy crushed
into the cobblestones
parade

bottom quarter champion

candy crushed
into the cobblestones
parade

matching outfits
we support
our school

candy crushed
into the cobblestones
parade

Savannah Riestenberg

homecoming weekend
graduates drive miles
to relive the glory days

Shannon Netemeyer

blue shirt, blue hat
blue sky, black cleats
play ball

Jacob Morgan

matching outfits
we support
our school

Savannah Riestenberg

Reader Response Favorites

home from college walking under the lights to pass down the crown Owen Pulver	been gone too long someone is in my spot in the school parking lot Owen Pulver	sitting in my room not the dorm, my real room Owen Pulver	old sorority house creaky brass handle I still turn twice Anna Harmon

	been gone too long someone is in my spot in the school parking lot Owen Pulver	old sorority house creaky brass handle I still turn twice Anna Harmon
	Both of these haiku put me back to how things used to be. They are both bittersweet in a way. In the first one, I imagine myself pulling into the parking spot in my hometown high school parking lot on a Friday night and seeing that where I used to park to meet my friends is taken. I feel as though I have been replaced even though I felt like I left a mark on this place when I graduated. Yet here is someone in Alyssa Becker's parking spot. Time to move on, I guess. In the second haiku I imagine myself coming back to Millikin as an alumni. There is a special trick and code to open our sorority house door and many other little things about the house that no one beside the members who lived there would know. I love the special secrets this second haiku holds in it. It brings a sense of familiarity and belonging, contrary to that of the first haiku. Here, it's good to be back. Alyssa
barks and meows greet me not my pets Savannah Riestenberg	crisp autumn chill— with it comes old friends Caroline Lodovisi	joy of homecoming spoiled by the elevator reeking of vomit Kaia Ball	rising sun homecoming morning I crack open a beer Ryan Sikora
		My favorite pair of haiku is the ones about drinking. I see a lot of people having fun on homecoming day, hanging out with friends and talking about memories and all of the funny things that have happened. I didn't live in Dolson last year, so I can't say I relate to the one about the smell of vomit in an elevator (although I do live in building 13 of The Woods, so we have an elevator, but I never take it.) I know all of my friends did some day drinking on the day of Homecoming, but I didn't participate because I had to work the football game. I wished I could have gone to hang out with them because seeing your friends drunk is extremely entertaining, but I had things to get done before working the game. Morgan

moist grass pressed down the tailgaters Ryan Sikora	new football turf different uniforms the cold stands not as full Anna Harmon	lost the ball too much conversation Savannah Riestenberg	talking with old friends in the bleachers football in the background Owen Pulver
I really like the juxtaposition of the popularity of football in these two haiku. In Ryan's the football game is so crowded and popular that the grass has been crushed by the tailgaters, while in Anna's the stands are still chilly due to lack of bodies. Both haiku give a lot of sensory images that are even more interesting when compared against each other. The haiku also suggest that the football team has a history, in Ryan's the history is continuing, while in Anna's the tradition has ended. Savannah		I like this matched pair because they are both very similar. I like how they set the scene of old friends who are catching up with each other in the stands during a football game. I can really relate to these haiku because when I go home during the fall my friends and I will always go to the football game if the team is playing at home. Even though we want our team to win and care about the game, its like we are more happy to be in each other's company again than we are to be watching the game. Owen This was my favorite pair of haiku from the matching contest. When reading, I found both haiku very relatable. I feel like everyone has had this happen to them. You go to a sporting event with a group of friends. You are so engaged in your friends, that you sometimes forget to watch the sporting event. I like how this is described for homecoming, especially in the first haiku by Savannah. I feel like Savannah's haiku described the exact situation as Owen did, but put it into simpler terms. Renee

candy crushed into the cobblestones parade Savannah Riestenberg	homecoming weekend graduates drive miles to relive the glory days Shannon Netemeyer	blue shirt, blue hat blue sky, black cleats play ball Jacob Morgan	matching outfits we support our school Savannah Riestenberg
		This is my favorite pair because we get the perspective from both sides of the ball game. We see in one haiku, there is a player getting ready for his game. He is preparing for his battle against his opponents in hopes that him and his team will come out victorious. In the other haiku, we have the supporters of the team. They're all in matching colors and ready to be rowdy and supportive of their team. There is a certain synergy that viewers and players share. They feed off each other's energy. Fans don't have a reason to cheer if the players are not doing well, and players don't play as well when their fans aren't as supportive. However, when players play well, the fans get pumped and excited. The players feed off this energy and perform even better than before. Without both players and fans, the sport is nothing. Ryan