Haiku Kukai 3 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • Fall 2019
without a guide |
you and I Rebecca Jaffe (5) |
roller skates |
an old hoodie Benjamin Kuxmann On the nights I don't get to fall asleep next to the man I love, or my anxiety is weighing me down, or I need a hug when I can't get one, I put on his sweatshirts. I am notorious for stealing them. I pull it over my head and I immediately smell his cologne and skin scent, and it comforts me. I feel the worn fuzz on the inside that he wore, and I feel closer to him. I feel the sleeve of the sweatshirt against my cheek and it feels like he's there with me. I love this haiku. It's exactly how I feel. Thank you for putting it into words. Maddie Curtin, Fall 2019 |
oh to know every star Cassandra Reed (9) I could sit and stare at his face for hours. I picture looking at his eyes that I love and seeing a million stars and constellations connecting his freckles. I know it sounds weird, and sometimes just looking over at him when he's driving or watching TV is a little weird, but it just reminds me how lucky I am. He always asks "what?" and you'd think after 8 months of this he'd understand, but I do the exact same thing. This poem makes me want to run over and spend time with him. Maddie Curtin, Fall 2019 |
time, my mind, Charlize Pate (9) |
wearing my dress Elizabeth Napier This makes me think of my mom. Whenever I outgrow or get rid of clothes, she usually digs through the piles and pulls out a shirt or jacket for herself to use as a work shirt when she gardens or does yard work. Usually each year I look outside the back window in the fall and she is wearing a different article of clothing that used to be mine. Each year, she looks a little bit older, there is a new line on her face, or she looks just a little more tired. It’s bittersweet because I can physically see that she is getting older and potentially has more health issues than she did when we were both younger. These changes are made even more evident by the fact that now I see her so much less than I used to. I am home less and less each year. At the same time, it is really amazing to be able to see this change. I did not know her when she was young and growing into the woman that raised me, but I get the opportunity to see her now, know her when I was young, and see her continue to grow more as a person than as a mother. Alex Bergland, Fall 2019 This haiku brings me back to a moment I shared with my mom this summer. We were cleaning out our guest room closet and her wedding dress was hung in the back. I jokingly asked if I could try it on, and surprisingly my mom said yes! So I got all dressed up in the gown and my mom looked at me and said, "Wow, don't get married for a while, please." She took a picture and sent it to my dad and he had the same reaction. This haiku brought me back to that moment, which is what haiku is supposed to do, right? Meghan Hayes, Fall 2019 |
record player Gillian Genardo (18) I enjoyed this haiku as it gave me a warm feeling thinking of two people who seem to spin “together.” I took this as an idea of a romantic relationship when two people understand each other on such a deep level, and relate to each other’s mindsets that they spin together, just understanding the other person very well. Tori Stuart, Fall 2019 |
ruffling the pages Jessi Kreder (9) I loved this haiku for multiple reasons. One of the reasons I love it is because of the word choice. I love that the words “ruffling” and “sifts” were used in this haiku. These two words in particular really evoke the senses. You can hear the pages of the book being turned and you can smell the musty scent. You can see the yellowing of the pages. This haiku just paints a really wonderful picture. Also, I really like this haiku because it reminds me of my childhood. My mom is a high school English teacher and has collected old books ever since I can remember. She has some old poetry books, old novels, and old children’s books. Right now, she’s on the hunt for an original McGuffey Reader from the 1800’s. Anyhow, she kept her collection of books on a shelf and I would frequently visit that shelf…even if I wasn’t supposed to. I just loved flipping through the old pages of these books. Gillian Genardo, Fall 2019
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earbuds in |
two scars |
a new pair of shoes |
Van Gogh’s sunflowers Madeline Curtin (11) As I've said time and time again, I am a sucker for romantic poetry. This haiku encapsulates the feeling I get when I talk to my significant other. He is so joyful and kind, he reminds me of sunflowers. I also love the nod to Van Gogh. If it just said sunflowers, I think the effect would be muddled. Art does something to the soul, and it aids this haiku tremendously. Meghan Hayes, Fall 2019 |
empty garbage can: Madeline Wilson After reading this haiku again I really like this one. I like that it is a different way to say I love you to someone. I love the idea that there are completely different and unthought of ways to tell someone you love that you love someone. I appreciate it so much sometimes when other people do these types of things for me and I try and do the same for them. It makes me think about being at home and doing these types of things for my parents. I always try and do these things for them because they do so much for me and I appreciate it so much. Cassie Reed, Fall 2019 |
morning dew Meghan Hayes While we did not discuss this haiku during class time, I wanted to write about this poem because there are so many details I enjoy. I love that each line has three syllables. When I read this haiku, I imagine that I am waking up at my house in St. Louis, about to get up and face the day. Perhaps I go outside to see the sunrise or get the mail . . . and realize I forgot to remove my socks. There is no worse feeling than wet socks, and despite the beauty of the early morning, I cannot stop thinking about the soggy fabric clinging to my toes. Rebecca Jaffe, Fall 2019 Even though wet socks is typically a gross feeling, this poem makes it light and happy. For some reason getting your feet wet in the morning dew is different than, say, a puddle. I think because of the idea of saying hello to the ground with your feet, the poem becomes almost wistful. It makes me think of walking through my backyard early in the mornings in birks and socks to got to my neighbors. It also makes me think of when I would get the toes of my ballet tights damp when walking through the grass in the mornings. Lizzie Napier, Fall 2019 |
a palette of colors Nawaj KC (10) I like this haiku because it gives the readers the perfect set up for the tone of the poet without actually describing what they are feeling. The word “palette”, while not being the first word that comes to head when one thinks of imagery, allows the reader to envision a person with all the emotions they could feel represented by colors. Then black could mean any variety of emotions, we as readers just understand that it is a negative feeling. We then are given the freedom to feel as we do or try and interpret what the poet means. Another thing I considered with this haiku was the potential for acceptance within it. I would not be surprised if the color black was used in most works of art, thus making it a useful color to have. The poet could then be trying to convey that this emotion is necessarily a bad thing, just an emotion that occasionally needs to be released. Benjamin Kuxmann, Fall 2019 |
evening rush Rebecca Jaffe I just really was interested in this one. At first I didn’t really care too much about it, but as I read it a few more times I became a little more fond of it. I really think that this haiku does a good job at telling its story in a few words. I think the word choice itself is what makes this Haiku so interesting to me. It’s both so simple and so strong at the same time. I really like the imagery in the line “stars blink”. I think it’s such a clear image that I never would have thought of, and because of that I can see it even clearer than before. John DeAngelo, Fall 2019 This haiku reminds me of when I got glasses, and a whole new world was created for me. Growing up, I had never been able to see more than 2 feet in front of my face before things started getting blurry, so I really experienced facial expressions, details in nature, and the night sky in a very different way from most people. I didn’t know any of this until I was around 12, since my parents did not want me to get glasses. Once I got them, I was so blown away by the details of the world that had passed me by that I would get emotional about seeing things as they were. Everything seemed so extravagant and beautiful! And it was. This haiku captures that feeling for me, along with the calm of taking a moment to notice the world around us in times of stress- the “evening rush.” Morgan Bode, Fall 2019 |
sunshine bouncing |
a set of stairs Meghan Hayes I feel like this haiku can work on many levels. It works on a physical level: can i make it up these stairs or am I not physically fit enough? But it also works on the mental level. College is the beginning of all new types of struggles and I feel like I look at college as a staircase. Every good grade I get and everything I do is one step closer to graduating and getting the job I want, but as I look up the stairs, can I make it? Am I smart enough and mentally strong enough to make it to the top? Jessi Kreder, Fall 2019 This haiku is a little vague, so I think it gives the reader a lot of opportunities to make up their own story to fill in the blanks. Whether the subject is struggling with an illness or physical issue which would make stairs difficult to overcome, whether perhaps they are just tired or have had a long day of exploring...the possibilities are wide. I had a distinct feeling of relating to this haiku from my experiences with illness and the feeling of insurmountable everyday tasks just taking the life out of me. I appreciate the calm it captures in the moment before the subject embarks on the stairs. They’re not struggling yet, but the anticipation is enough to create an emotional reaction. Morgan Bode, Fall 2019 |
alone at the field |
heavy packs Alexander Bergland (6) I really liked this haiku because I think the reader can interpret it in many different ways. One can interpret it in the literal sense because it provides great visuals. In the literal sense, I picture a father and son going mountain climbing. In the early morning light, they struggle along the path because they brought along too many supplies. Personally though, when I originally read this haiku, I did not see it in a literal sense. I took the mountain to represent an ongoing journey of life and the heavy packs to represent the anxieties and struggles that you encounter along the way. I felt like this haiku was saying that the journey up the mountain (or the journey through life) would be so much easier if only one could learn to let go of the unnecessary and heavy supplies (the struggles and anxieties of life). Gillian Genardo, Fall 2019 |
“am I depressed” test Rebecca Jaffe (10) |
sunday morning |
where does |
door creaks slowly |
cramped gym |
sticky fingers |
looking upwards Alexander Bergland (12) I really love this one because I love thinking about how big the universe really is. I love thinking about what else is out there and what it could be. We truly are only a speck of dust in the universe. It reminds me that my decisions and mess ups truly aren't as world ending as I think they are. It really just doesn't matter as much as I think it does because at the end of the day I am just so small compared to the size of the vast universe. Cassie Reed, Fall 2019 |
couples smiling Benjamin Kuxmann (9) This haiku is one of my ultimate favorites. Romantic poems are lovely, but someone who has gone through her fair share of heartbreak, I’ve had enough romance for a while. At this point, I cannot stand the idea of depending on a man. Couples are kind of gross to me at the moment, and I really don’t need to hear about how great someone’s boyfriend is. Obviously, this poem puts me in a place where I just want to rant and complain about other human beings. I enjoy the humor, disgust, and sarcasm of this haiku. Rebecca Jaffe, Fall 2019 |
going over the top Nawaj KC (4) |
think think think think think |
the whole world stops Cassandra Reed (5) |
a flower grows Cassandra Reed (7) After discussion of why several students loved this haiku, one student asked the author if they would like to hear a possible edit of the last line. The author said okay, so here it is: a flower grows I like this haiku either way. Randy Brooks, Fall 2019 |
in your eyes Michael Hoelting (7) I picked this haiku because I enjoyed the rhyme structure. The first and last lines rhyme, while the middle line still feels like a loose rhyme. A rhyme always catches my eye when I am reading through kukai. I also enjoy that each line is three syllables. As they say, good things come in threes. There’s something very satisfying about anything that comes in three, which could be a reason that haikus are usually three lines. The poem feels like a broken-up sentence, making me feel as if the narrator was caught off guard by the other person’s eyes. This haiku takes me to a place where I feel jittery, starstruck, in awe, and filled with wonder. Rebecca Jaffe, Fall 2019 I just love this poem and thinking about my girlfriend it is such a nice and relaxing poem to see your loved one’s face in your thoughts. This poem is just incredibly beautiful to think about especially when it comes to your own butterflies about another person. Truthfully, it makes me think both individuals have butterflies in their stomachs now being with each other. That love connection is just so amazing to have between two people and to continually have it is even better. Michael Hoelting, Fall 2019 |
always wondering Michael Hoelting (7) |
an empty field |
at the apple orchard Morgan Bode (16) |
he falls asleep |
a show of hands Charlize Pate This haiku is haunting. I can imagine a classroom full of students full of dread much like many of my peers feel right now and will continue to feel for the next weeks as the semester takes it course. I also imagine all of those hands in the air, palms reaching out and wide open, trying to grab onto any straws that might bring them some sort of peace of mind. The image is uncomfortable, and that discomfort parallels the feeling the reader receives when reading the haiku. Madeline Wilson, Fall 2019 I like that this haiku uses the word hands as a connection between two different ideas. It connects two cliche phrases and turns them into a poem which conveys an interesting feeling, which is both funny and a little sad. The picture of a struggling classroom, office, or congregation comes to mind, with every hand-haver convinced that they know the truth, but truly lost in the complexity of the situation surrounding them. Morgan Bode, Fall 2019 |
she hits the note |
blood |
after class Elizabeth Napier This poem gives me a feeling of loneliness when I first read it. I feel this person watching their best friend having a good time with someone else and it is just a feeling of missing out that this poem addresses. It provides such a vivid image and it is a little bittersweet. Seeing people having a good time always puts a smile on my face, but it is better to be a part of that laughter I think. I do not know if this means the person’s best friend is becoming best friends with someone else, but I think the person is just noticing those little moments because they just want to be a part of the moment. Joel Ochoa, Fall 2019 |
like a skipping stone Elizabeth Napier (14) We had an interesting discussion about the use of simile and metaphor in this haiku. It conveys emotion and has a strong image, but what if there was only one rhetorical device as in this version: a skipping stone or with no simile or metaphor: a skipping stone I think I prefer the second version, without the simile "like" best whereas haiku purists might prefer the last version (which lets the reader imply that it might also be referring to a person without stating that it is). Randy Brooks, Fall 2019 |
a frequency Charlize Pate (5) For whatever reason, this haiku oddly gives me a peaceful vibe. The fact that the frequency is unknow may be intimidating or scary in other interpretations, but not to myself. There are many things unknow about the world and choosing to be fearful of the unknown is not going to get you far in life. But the tension is really taken away in the third line with the word “hum”. People tend to only hum when they are in cheery moods and to songs they enjoy. This detail gives me reason to believe that even if something doesn’t appear right, life isn’t always in shambles. Benjamin Kuxmann, Fall 2019 |
throat tightens Charlize Pate (8) |
down my chin Charlize Pate What I really like about this haiku is that I thought it was very morbid at first. I first thought of it as a person who got in a fight and was making a joke at their own expense, which also ties into the deeper meaning of the haiku, which would be something along those lines. But what I now think is that it could be that or it could simply be a retelling of how someone lost their tooth. I tried so hard to find meaning within this one that I think it’s interesting that the simplest meaning could be exactly what they were going for. John DeAngelo, Fall 2019 |
palms open Elizabeth Napier I feel the energy and strength running through my hands as I read this poem. I'm back in my neighborhood, on the outskirts of the city, on top of a parking garage to see the skyline. My two best friends are with me, and the feeling of a summer storm is in the air. We can see the heat lightning in the distance, and I have never felt more powerful in my life. I feel good, I feel like myself again. We went up here to get away from everything going on in our lives. I miss those nights, and this haiku reminds me of it. The feeling of a storm coming, and being open to receiving its lightning. Maddie Curtin, Fall 2019 |
the fetal position |
my to-do list: Charlize Pate (11) I just really like this poem because it is so true with how much stuff we as humans always must do. However, it is also sad because it never seems like people stop, stare, and enjoy the moments in the present. We should always try to accomplish the tasks we need to complete but also enjoy each task with love and fully appreciate what you are doing. Time is one of the most valuable thing in the world so you should never waste that time on something or not appreciating something to the fullest. Michael Hoelting, Fall 2019 I think this haiku is fun and goofy. I wonder why, however, it specifically is written as a to do list. Is it a way to represent that there is no time for the tasks they have? Do they feel that life and time is restricting them the way that three lines can feel restricting when writing? For all I know it might just be a goofy one, but either way it is genius. Lizzie Napier, Fall 2019 |
campus walk Elizabeth Napier (3) |
we lay together Jessi Kreder (7) |
he didn’t say hi. Jessi Kreder (6) Sometimes, actually most of the time I zone out when I am walking anywhere and do not say hi to anyone. Over the last semester and the year before that I got used to being in places where I do not know anyone and spending the majority of my time alone, so I’ve become accustomed to not saying hi to people. Being back in a familiar place with familiar places is weird, because I still have the tendency to just keep my head down and see anyone I recognize. I’ve been called out a few times already this semester for not saying hi to people. I am trying to get better at looking around with intent to see people but yeah I’ve been on the struggle bus. Alex Bergland, Fall 2019 |
remnants Gillian Genardo (8) |
mother’s voice Gillian Genardo (7) |
she looks pretty |
long drive Gillian Genardo (6) |
envelope Gillian Genardo (9) I am a senior in high school. The air bites and the breeze makes your bones shake. The sky gets dark by 4:30pm and the trees are naked. My friends sit in my living room crowding over a table full of diagrams, note cards, and open textbooks preparing for our anatomy final. A university was supposed to get back to me about my early action application three days ago, so my stomach cannot sit still. The air buzzes. I receive an email. I read the first five words and my world stops spinning. We regret to inform you. I did not even need to read the rest of the message. Days later, my mom comes in with the mail and I can see the green envelope. It is not the thick admission packets I was receiving from other schools. The envelope held within it a print version of my denial letter. I think I still have that letter buried somewhere deep in the boxes of things I never want to see again but just cannot seem to throw away. Madeline Wilson, Fall 2019 |
discussing life and galaxies Jessi Kreder (7) This haiku does a fantastic job of hitting me on an emotional level. Too often in relationships, people can get caught up in their goals for dating or doing fun things. Being excited about dating another person is a great feeling, but not if you don’t take the time to actually appreciate them. I believe this haiku captures the idea of never getting to know a person on a deeper, more meaningful level than is initially present. You often even hear about a person’s eyes “shining like stars”, and I really like how this haiku reversed this idea and left the stars out of a person’s eyes. Benjamin Kuxmann, Fall 2019 |
sleepless night Gillian Genardo (3) |
running to class Gillian Genardo I feel this. It’s not literally physically true for me, but I do have to make trips home every day because all the things I need for class won’t fit in my bag. Now I have different bags for each trip. All of them are heavy and I still have to leave something I need at home sometimes. It also makes it super hard to run. Charlize Pate, Fall 2019 |
an empty classroom John DeAngelo (4) |
dinnertime Joel Ochoa I really like this poem because there are so many times that my daily schedule is changed so much. I feel like every time I think I am in a routine it changes and I have to change. Being in a sport and having a strenuous major is very tough. Somedays it feels like I barely have a free minute to even think let alone eat a whole dinner. Sometimes dinner is the only constant throughout my day and it helps me keep a bit of a routine. Cassie Reed, Fall 2019 |
their stories remain |
a crown of flowers |
Saturday afternoon Joel Ochoa (5) I really enjoyed this Haiku because I think a Saturday afternoon with no homework or other commitments sounds very pleasing. I am often busy with homework and volleyball, allowing little to no time for leisure activates such as watching Netflix. This haiku allowed for a happy picture to be painted in my head. Tori Stuart, Fall 2019 I like this because Saturday is my free day right now. The only day I don’t have at least two things scheduled on a regular basis. That also means it’s my only real homework day. But it’s also my grocery shopping day and my I need to rehearse day. And because I have so much to do, I don’t do any of it, and hang out with friends because really nothing’s due until Sunday night/Monday anyway. A mild amount of guilt with suffering all week long. Charlize Pate, Fall 2019 |
which will fall first? |
90 degrees Meghan Hayes I like this poem not necessarily for Christmas time but for the time when it is cold because I love when its cold so much. I love the wintertime so much because of being able to bundle up with blankets and sipping on some hot chocolate is amazing to me. I truthfully just love every season besides the summer just because the summer just is so dang hot here its not fun at all to enjoy. I also just love the idea of snowball fights, making snowman and snow angels, and just the idea of snow is always amazing like frozen water from the sky is so cool. Michael Hoelting, Fall 2019 |
i hope you find me Madeline Wilson (12) This is one that I think should have gotten way more recognition than it did. I think this is a phenomenal haiku. What I really love about this one is how it sounds so much like a song lyric. I can hear the musicality in this haiku and I love it because of it. I also really like that it’s structure is really simple, the imagery isn’t strenuous, and that the contents of the haiku are simple enough to follow. This is just a phenomenal Haiku. John DeAngelo, Fall 2019 |
one too many Madeline Wilson (10) This is I think is a big problem in college. I think the one too many is one too many drinks and they were raped or assaulted. This haiku hits deep because the sense of regret that the author feels. In todays’ society girls are taught to stay safe and don’t drink too much out in public or else you will be assaulted, and this haiku shows that. The words “one too many” give a sense of “oh it’s my fault I had too many and I should have known to be safer when I drink” when in reality, nobody should have to worry about that. Jessi Kreder, Fall 2019 OOF! This haiku made me feel things. I had a bad breakup this summer and although I am doing much better now, I am still haunted by it occasionally. This haiku brilliantly describes how it feels to fail at getting someone out of your head. I absolutely loved it. Meghan Hayes, Fall 2019
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leaves in the wind |
key in the ignition Jonathan Kuebler (13) I love this. My roommates and I have a deal that no more than two people can have a mental breakdown at a time in our apartment unless we have already scheduled it in advance. I know most people can’t or don’t try to control when that is going to happen, there are definitely specific things that people know will absolutely send them off the rails, even if they are prepared. But sometimes we have to do them anyway. Charlize Pate, Fall 2019 |
pasta in the pot Jonathan Kuebler (6) |
4 am |
mirror messages |
people smile and clap |
you didn't tell me Cassandra Reed (7) |
I kick rocks Cassandra Reed (3) |
music box stopped singing Morgan Bode (12) This haiku really struck me. I have such a personal experience with the exact story that this haiku tells, so it struck me in an emotional way that I wasn’t really prepared for. I was 10 years old when I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression. And since I was 10 years old, I have taken a lot of different medications to try and combat the anxiety and depression. It has been an uphill battle finding the right medicine to help and finding different coping mechanisms. Because of my own experiences, I have become a huge advocate for mental health awareness being taught about the importance of understanding mental health. This haiku just brought up some personal stories and memories from my childhood and I think that’s why I felt such a strong pull to it. Gillian Genardo, Fall 2019 This haiku hit me really hard. It breaks my heart to think that there is someone out there that had to deal with depression at 10 years old. Nostalgia and childhood memories are a soft spot for me, so when I hear about difficult childhoods it absolutely breaks my heart. It’s heartbreaking because no kid should have to see the world as anything other than magical. I can hear the music box slowing down until the final pitch rings as I read this Haiku. Lizzie Napier, Fall 2019 |
two a.m. Rebecca Jaffe (7) |
one more plank |
dragging feet Victoria Stuart (4) I really like this because it is a good reminder of how good we have it. Even if we wake up and groggily drag our feet to class, not wanting to be there, this amber alert pops up and tells us that someone’s life has just been potentially ruined. Though it is a horrible thing, it is a good to get that different perspective on our day. I also live how the last line takes the reader in a totally different direction and changes the tone of the haiku completely. Alex Bergland, Fall 2019 |
the biggest question Michael Hoelting (9) |
heat lightning |
so deep in conversation Meghan Hayes I thought this poem was very interesting because I wanted to know what happened next. I do not know if the people in the car hit the biker or if they were able to swerve or what, and that is what drew me into this haiku. It is so real and provides fantastic imagery that I love. The idea of being so deep in conversation that everything else falls away is such a true thing that I have definitely felt before. I just really think this poem is beautiful and I was very intrigued by the story it told. Joel Ochoa, Fall 2019 |
each box checked |
each day |
hold in the yawn |
my professor tells me |
a wilted rose Alexander Bergland When I read this haiku, I think of a funeral and all of the emotions that come with the territory of that experience. The heaviness that sits on your chest the days before, during, and the days after. It is this weight that makes your breath shallow and laborious. I experienced that breathing while reading this. Maybe it was the reference to a wilted rose. The fact that the rose was wilted makes me think that the funeral was many days ago and yet the thoughts of the family now gone resides in your thoughts. I also love the use of color in this haiku. Juxtaposing the red rose next to the grey granite provides extremes much like the emotions felt in the haiku. Madeline Wilson, Fall 2019 |
a mahogany acoustic Nawaj KC (5) |
her hollow smile Benjamin Kuxmann (14) |
my alarm ends the nightmare Benjamin Kuxmann I really liked this one because of the dual idea of the word nightmare. Being a theatre major, calculus does sound like a complete nightmare to me. Waking up is really hard and sometimes an alarm is a very unwelcome sound because of a deep sleep. However, I like how this poem makes the alarm seem good because it ends something even worse than waking up is. But we can still have nightmares during our days and I like how this poem thinks about that idea. Joel Ochoa, Fall 2019 |
the sink overflowing Benjamin Kuxmann (14) I really like this haiku because I just like the impact it had on the class. The haiku is something so simple that it is so relatable. I personally relate because I always get stuck doing all of my family’s dishes, but it was just so interesting how one haiku could bring so much passion into a conversation about dishes and not doing chores around the house. This haiku just brought me back home when I would get home from school and there would be dishes in the sink, and if I didn't do the dishes, I would get in trouble for leaving them in the sink. Jessi Kreder, Fall 2019 |
wallet picture Madeline Curtin (6) |
swing porch Madeline Curtin (3) |
he feels like home |
© 2019, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.