all through November
the turkey
calls me home

Caroline Lodovisi

Thanksgiving in the caf
the line stretches
out the doors of RTUC

Owen Pulver

home for Thanksgiving
passing time
peeling potatoes

Morgan Vogels

setting the table
with grandma
football game in the background

Anna Harmon

all through November
the turkey
calls me home

home for Thanksgiving
passing time
peeling potatoes

home for Thanksgiving
passing time
peeling potatoes

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

home for Thanksgiving
passing time
peeling potatoes

bottom quarter champion

the second plate
piled higher
than the first

swallow joke
about turkey basters—
Mom rounds the corner

the second plate
piled higher
than the first

swallow joke
about turkey basters—
Mom rounds the corner

Kaia Ball

split the bone
to get a wish
sorry grandma

Savannah Riestenberg

youngest to oldest
we line up
to gather our food

Matthew Vangunten

the second plate
piled higher
than the first

Ryan Sikora

TOP half champion

home for Thanksgiving
passing time
peeling potatoes

CHAMPION
 

homemade pumpkin pie
too bitter
I take small bites

homemade pumpkin pie
too bitter
I take small bites

BOTTOM half champion

waking up
the smell of
pie in the oven

Morgan Vogels

homemade pumpkin pie
too bitter
I take small bites

Ryan Sikora

I sit next to my sister at dinner
she leans over
and steals my turkey

Alexsenia Ralat

trying to describe
a whole semester
over Thanksgiving dinner

Anna Harmon

homemade pumpkin pie
too bitter
I take small bites

I sit next to my sister at dinner
she leans over
and steals my turkey

homemade pumpkin pie
too bitter
I take small bites

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

homemade pumpkin pie
too bitter
I take small bites

bottom quarter champion

trying to avoid politics
I tell my dad about
my panic attacks

trying to avoid politics
I tell my dad about
my panic attacks

thanksgiving coma
I pass out
for 6 hours

trying to avoid politics
I tell my dad about
my panic attacks

Alexsenia Ralat

thankful for peace
thankful for family
maybe next year

Douglas Sherrill

thanksgiving coma
I pass out
for 6 hours

Jacob Morgan

driving home
from Thanksgiving dinner
pants too tight

Anna Harmon

all through November
the turkey
calls me home

Caroline Lodovisi

Thanksgiving in the caf
the line stretches
out the doors of RTUC

Owen Pulver

home for Thanksgiving
passing time
peeling potatoes

Morgan Vogels

setting the table
with grandma
football game in the background

Anna Harmon

I like this haiku because it reminds me of impatiently waiting for Thanksgiving break. My mom was constantly texting me about break and all the plans she had made. Along with how stressful school has been getting, I was super excited about getting a break from school for almost a week. Ryan

My favorite match is the one about peeling potatoes and the one about setting the table. Yes, the peeling potatoes one was mine (I had to peel potatoes for my mom while my whole family sat in the living room watching the first half of the Badger game) but I like how it matches up the setting the table one. They both kind of serve as the epitome of what it is like to be home for the holidays from school. I feel bad, most of the time, because I know my parents do a lot for me, especially considering the fact that every time they have to come get me or bring me back to school, it basically takes the whole day (although we drove home at three in the morning on Tuesday so I could go home for Thanksgiving) but I know that it would be really nice of me to help my parents out by doing a little extra work around the house as a sort of thank you. Morgan

swallow joke
about turkey basters—
Mom rounds the corner

Kaia Ball

split the bone
to get a wish
sorry grandma

Savannah Riestenberg

youngest to oldest
we line up
to gather our food

Matthew Vangunten

the second plate
piled higher
than the first

Ryan Sikora

I like this match because both pieces remind me of Thanksgiving with my family. My family always goes to my grandparents' house for the holiday, so we have three generations in one house. Us kids are always the first to eat, and we always go back for seconds. There is no room left on our plates once we are done dishing up all of the different dishes. Mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, turkey, stuffing, and rolls are just a few of the options we have. Owen

I just like this pair in its sense of bounty, the spirit of Thanksgiving. The first is bounteous in lineage and the second is bounteous in nourishment. Jordan

I really like this match because of how each one seems to be set up to portray the scene that is being described. In the first haiku, you can almost visualize the line that is being formed. In the second haiku, the lines being stacked can be visualized as the food stacking up on the second plate. Renee

I chose this match as a favorite because I think that it does a really good job of capturing what Thanksgiving is all about. Both of these haiku make me think of how plentiful Thanksgiving is, in terms of food and by being with all of your family during the holiday season. I also think that these haiku do a great job of creating a very vivid image and an emotional element while staying very brief. Anna

waking up
the smell of
pie in the oven

Morgan Vogels

homemade pumpkin pie
too bitter
I take small bites

Ryan Sikora

I sit next to my sister at dinner
she leans over
and steals my turkey

Alexsenia Ralat

trying to describe
a whole semester
over Thanksgiving dinner

Anna Harmon

I have three favorite things about thanksgiving: the turkey, the mashed potatoes, and the apple pie. When it comes to baked goods I can't resist at least having a piece. Thankfully I only ever eat one but this slice of pie (apple pie to be specific) is the highlight to wrap up the feast. Matthew

I like this match because it almost takes me on a story of the pie throughout Thanksgiving day. For me, I think about my Thanksgiving this year. I woke up on Thanksgiving morning to the smell of pumpkin pie that my mom was baking. Through this haiku I feel the warmth of the pie and my bed, I can smell the aroma of pumpkin pie, and I can even see the steam coming off of the pie as my mom pulls it out of the oven to cool. Later in the day, my brother made a pie to bring to his Thanksgiving celebration with his friends. The second haiku makes me think of someone who is starting to try contributing to the feast, like my brother, and they did not do so well. However, no one wants to hurt his feelings so they pretend that the pie tastes good and stomach through it. Alyssa

I love this one because I totally relate to it. Every year my aunt makes this peanut butter pie and it's terrible. But I always eat it because I'll feel bad if I don't. Thankfully, she stayed home this year (actually I really missed her because I love my aunt, she just doesn't make very good pies). Alexsenia

trying to avoid politics
I tell my dad about
my panic attacks

Alexsenia Ralat

thankful for peace
thankful for family
maybe next year

Douglas Sherrill

thanksgiving coma
I pass out
for 6 hours

Jacob Morgan

driving home
from Thanksgiving dinner
pants too tight

Anna Harmon

This pair was by far my favorite matching pair in the Thanksgiving haiku. The first has a rather solemn air that shows how stressful seeing certain family can be on Thanksgiving. The second follows this mindset addressing the opposite issue where some people don't have any family to be with during Thanksgiving. This was an interesting match and a couple of very well written haiku. Caroline

I like this match a lot, I think it does a really good job of summing up the stress of a lot of the kids in my generation. Alex

Both of these show how stressful visiting home can really be in a lot of instances. Mine is just flashing back to staying optimistic, despite the fact that home life is never really the best. trying to avoid, while of course showing the ridiculous state that politics has reached in our country, also shows this person's vulnerability and willingness to share it. I really love how these two matched up together, even though mine lost. Doug

I think these two haiku are a very interesting pair because they show the darker side of the holidays. I always get nervous when we are asked to write holiday related haiku since I have grown to dislike the holidays a bit because they are not the same as when I was younger. The second haiku makes me think of someone who just wants things to go back to how they were. I know I personally am thankful for my health and the family I do have, but I would love nothing more than to actually go back to spending the holidays with my entire extended family. The first haiku shows the tension of seeing extended family who have differing views on hot topics. No matter how firmly you stand in your views, you will always be the 20 year old child against the fleet of 50-something year old aunts and uncles. Savannah