bang at the side door
two in the morning
body tense

Alex Dorchinecz (4)

I like this one because of the imagery that i associate with it. The side door is very erie to hear being banged on at two in the morning. I imagine someone who is lying in bed and they hear the door rattle and they get a shiver of fear over their bodies. They then have to choose whether on not to hide in fear or confront the source of the banging on the door. I find it very powerful in thought and the diferent was that it could be interpreted. Dalton

popsicles
hot summer day
sticky face

he drifts off
as the chair rocks
with coffee in hand

Rachel Ives (6)

This haiku took me back to when I was a child and sitting on my papa’s lap after dinner. We always make coffee as a family after we have dinner together and I always loved sitting with my papa while he drank his coffee. I felt so at peace and comfortable with him. It is always such a great memory now since he has Alzheimer’s and can’t even speak anymore. I love those little memories of us and this haiku brought me back. Tory

I think Rachel did really great things with this haiku. She was able to catch another moment in a way that you can visualize but with your own life and the people you would think of doing this. I know I imagined my fiancé (even though he shouldn’t be tired) even in the morning just not being able to stay away after a stressful week. It was just such an instant image that came into my head and I think that made it a very successful haiku. I also like that this haiku made me imagine sounds. I could hear the low snoring, the creaking of the chair, and the slushing of the coffee. I would say she did a great job with using sensory works. Jess

This summer, I took care of a man that was a big coffee drinker and he always had a cup of strong black coffee by the side of his chair that would sit on a drink warmer all the time. Occasionally, he would doze off while have a grasp on his coffee cup. I can remember always being nervous that he was going to spill the coffee everywhere, or that he was going to burn himself on the drink warmer because he would always slowly start leaning off the left side of the chair. Lindsey

As a child my grandfather used to do this all the time. In fact, he would be holding a soda or a beverage of some sort while watching television and soon dose off. I would always check on him, make sure that he was alright. In lecture today, so many students were able to relate to this kukai and I am very thankful that it was written because it really brought back childhood memories. Simone

steam
wiping the mirror over
          and over again

Jess Brooks (4)

What a surreal image. As human beings, we have all made mistakes, because that is how we learn. Unfortunately, it may take repeats of the same mistake several times before learning. I imagine a young girl, possibly myself, constantly trying to wipe away her mistake. Just like the steam, the mistakes would not go away! How frustrating! It may take a few wipes before the light bulb turns on and the mistake is no longer made. Just like the steam from the shower, a crack in the bathroom door will go a long way. Karlee

14-hour workday
eyes drooping low
she always finds time

Alex Dorchinecz (4)

This haiku hit home with me. My mother, my role model and inspiration, is one of the most hard-working women I have been acquainted with. She works hard in her career in order to help provide for her family and herself. She is always my shoulder to cry on and my go-to person when I need a reality check or advice. One day, I hope to strive to be half the person she is. My mother would always come home after a long workday, staying overtime as usual. I could always see how tired she was in her eyes, but as soon as she walked into the house, the tiredness vanished. She always made time for her a family. Always having a hot dinner served on the dining room table, making sure homework was completed, the sleeping children were in bed by nine thirty on school nights; all with a smile on her face. Karlee

This kukai reminds me of my mom. The way she has always been able to work all day but still manage to come home and complete other tasks that have had such an extraordinary impact on my life today. It also reminds me of the idea as to how we as college students work really hard and feel as though we never have time for fun, but are still able to find the time to give ourselves some alone time and become centered. Simone

white chalk
cracking hands
reach for the barbell

sun going down
alone on the road
where to go from here?

chaos of toys
footsteps approach slowly
the door handle turns

Dalton Kaufmann (3)

I really liked this haiku because it made me think of my own childhood. My friends and I used to go down into the basements and play for HOURS and I was always scared that my mom would come down and be so upset about the huge amount of toys that were out. We would literally flood the floor with endless toys, it was ridiculous and that is why this haiku made me almost feel anxiety! I think he did a good job of building the intensity and letting the reader slowly understand what is about to happen. I think if he just left out the “the” at the end there it would be even more powerful. Jess

sticking snow
trying to step
         in his footsteps

Jess Brooks (3)

big, red blemishes
bronzer covers
her face

Karlee VanDeVelde

This one hit hard for me. I was even too afraid to say it in class. I’ve always struggled with blemishes on my face. I’ve tried everything my doctor has thrown at me but it’s really embarrassing to always have to feel like I have to have make up on before I leave for class or even leave my house. I am very self-conscious when it comes to my face. I cake make up on just so that people don’t see the flaws on my face. And looking at what the media puts out there for skin and body type and how you should look really puts young girls to the test. It really shows them obscure ways about how to think about their appearance. Anna Marie

sunday morning—
sitting on the floor
passing notes under pews

new flame
undoing the scars
her warmth

a man with an aroma
holes in his coat
hands pressed together

Alex Dorchinecz

I can imagine a gentle old man who has lost his way in life for one reason or another. He sits with his belongings by a small fire attempting to get warm in the harsh winter. Rachel 

Catholic girl
spilling secrets
a man behind the screen

Karlee VanDeVelde (5)

I personally cannot relate the religious imagery but I do enjoy the haiku. But based on what I have seen from movies and read in books. I would be absolutely mortified to confess all my “sins” to someone who will be judging me for my “wrongdoings”. I can feel the anxiety from putting myself in the position of the young developing nervous girl. Rachel

mom dad me and my sister
my heart

Anna Marie Abbate (2)

blue extensions
her lecture
down the drain

Jess Brooks

This one was relatable to me because I have been in so many courses here at Millikin that someone has come in with an extravagant look or big hair (which both of those things are completely awesome, I just get distracted easily.) When the teacher starts in on the lecture, I just shut everything out and just focus on the look that has distracted me. I loved how Jess put “down the drain” because I could literally leave that class and could not remember a single thing of what that teacher discussed that day. Stinks to have such a distracted mind! Alex

clear blue skies above
father and son
bobber underwater

Lindsey Williams (5)

pews filled with people
sacrifice
a cross of ashes

Karlee VanDeVelde (2)

In this haiku, I was taken to Ash Wednesday Mass with my family. The church is always packed full with people ready to begin lent. The whole point of lent is to sacrifice, or give up, something in order to prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus. I just think about walking up to the altar to get those ashes signifying the beginning of the 40-day period of sacrifice. This haiku really brought me back to a specific time and place with such great detail. Tory

rain
thunder and lighting
argument ends

Anna Marie Abbate (3)

brisk winter walk
through the Christmas lights
he’s on one knee

Jess Brooks (5)

world full of magic
bug eyes everywhere
dreams come true

set table
she prepares dinner
smiles and warmth

haiwaii in winter
no dancing
barely singing

clear summer night
tikki lights glowing
talk surrounds me

Tory Hennessey (6)

I really enjoyed this one because summer isn’t really my most favorite time of the year, but this image is one of my favorites to an awesome summer night. This reminds me of my family and me around my back patio with our small fire pit roaring and our tikki torches glowing. Summer nights are just the right temperature too that a fire feels cozy and the ambiance of the tikki torches just makes the night so much better. With a refreshing beverage in hand, it’s always a serene summer night with your loved ones surrounding you. I also liked how she said “talk surrounds me” because there are so many conversations going on with family and friends that you could just sit back with your eyes closed and just take in all the good times. Alex

To me the scene associated with this is just a casual social event such as a bonfire by the beach or a pool party at a friends that doubles primarily as a casual affair. It really captures those memories that we hold on to, because a lot of the bonding you do with your friends happen around these kinds of events. I visualize my friends backyard where they had a pool, hot tub, and tiki torches all around. We would be listening to music, playing games and enjoying those summer night. Dalton

This haiku makes me think of all the wonderful summer nights spend with either friends or family. I also think of sitting at my best friend’s house on her back porch talking with a group of friends and she has tikki torches that line the outskirts of her porch. Lindsey

howls on the moonlight
rapid heartbeats
the field lies blank

friends drive
around the bluffs
long shadow of a deer

Dalton Kaufmann (3)

first day of work
beanie babies
line my desktop

a taste of honeysuckle
from my mother
too sweet

Tory Hennessey (3)

our special day
chocolate milkshakes
with grandma

Karlee VanDeVelde (3)

This one really reminds me of Sundays when I used to go to my grandma and grandpas house. Every Sunday was family day. In our big Italian family, family means everything. So on Sunday mornings we’d ALL go by my grandma and grandpas house to spend the entire day there. I’m talking about my mom’s whole side of the family, that’s a good fifty people! And after a long day of cooking and running around with all my cousins we begged my nonna to take us to dairy queen. Like I had said in class she was diagnosed with emphysema when I was a young girl but she still promised her grandchildren that we would walk to dairy queen for ice cream. The older man that owned the dairy queen knew us all by name! But that’s one of my special memories with my nonna and my family. Anna Marie

honeysuckle growing
by the driveway at nana’s
eating ice cream with papa