Taco Bell and a movie
        our first date

Karlee VanDeVelde

the warm glow of a candle
she sets the table . . .
he doesn’t show

Anna Marie Abbate

her tattoo playing peekaboo
on the rim
of those levis

Alex Dorchinecz

a flash of a smile
my heart
s k i p s  a beat

Rachel Ives

Taco Bell and a movie
        our first date

her tattoo playing peekaboo
on the rim
of those levis

her tattoo playing peekaboo
on the rim
of those levis

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

her tattoo playing peekaboo
on the rim
of those levis

bottom quarter champion

curled up crying
a wet nose and wagging tale
brings comfort

Rachel Ives

tears of loneliness
I can no longer see
do. you. know. me?

Simone Griffis

nothing misplaced
a kiss is
stolen

Dalton Kaufmann

as we kiss
i taste
his lies

Alex Dorchinecz

TOP half champion

her tattoo playing peekaboo
on the rim
of those levis

CHAMPION
 

her tattoo playing peekaboo
on the rim
of those levis

his touch
everlasting 
only for a moment

BOTTOM half champion

leaving her house for the night
“ill meet you
            in my dream”

Jess Brooks

my acrylics
        slide down
                his spine

Alex Dorchinecz

raincoat in overstuffed chair
books jammed in closet
can't get enough of her

Simone Griffis

his touch
everlasting 
only for a moment

Tory Hennessey

my acrylics
        slide down
                his spine

his touch
everlasting 
only for a moment

his touch
everlasting 
only for a moment

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

his touch
everlasting 
only for a moment

bottom quarter champion

a bond under leaves
carved deep
in the old oak

a bond under leaves
carved deep
in the old oak

gold hair with a gentle curl
that’s the girl he choose
i'm not that girl

wandering through the park . . .
holding hands
will you say yes?

Lindsey Williams

a bond under leaves
carved deep
in the old oak

Dalton Kaufmann

mysterious stranger
at the bus stop—
what's your story?

Tory Hennessey

gold hair with a gentle curl
that’s the girl he choose
i'm not that girl

Anna Marie Abbate

Taco Bell and a movie
        our first date

the warm glow of a candle
she sets the table . . .
he doesn’t show

her tattoo playing peekaboo
on the rim
of those levis

a flash of a smile
my heart
s k i p s  a beat

These are both really great and they are both relatable but I feel that people in the generation before us would pick mine because they can relate... it sounds like an older couple. But so many picked the taco bell one because its relatable to them in this case making it more successful! Anna Marie

curled up crying
a wet nose and wagging tale
brings comfort

tears of loneliness
I can no longer see
do. you. know. me?

nothing misplaced
a kiss is
stolen

as we kiss
i taste
his lies

Both of these haikus were great, but the one that stole my heart was the first one. I am such a dog lover and I know whenever I am down in the dumps, my dogs’ kisses and her snuggles are one of the only things that heals me. I can’t even count how many times I have been curled up crying and my little 4 pound Luci always knows how to make me feel better. She brings total comfort to my heart, and it just goes to prove to me that she will always, unconditionally love me for who I am. I liked the second one, but it really didn’t tug at any part of my heart, I understood it but because I had never been in this situation before, I couldn’t quit relate to it. Alex

leaving her house for the night
“ill meet you
            in my dream”

my acrylics
        slide down
                his spine

raincoat in overstuffed chair
books jammed in closet
can't get enough of her

his touch
everlasting 
only for a moment

When reading Jess' haiku I really liked how she had a quote with the break because it really showed that she was able to get the audience to see the connection between what was being done right at that time and what would take place later on in the dream. It also makes me think about how sometimes we as people don't want to deal with a situation right when it happens and so we put it off for a while, however, when we go to sleep and forms in our memory again.

The haiku written by Alex was definitely an attention getter. II was definitely able to relate because when I have manicured nails and give a loved one a hug or caress their back it is not only a moment they remember but it becomes more meaningful when they hold the hand and admire the lady-like appeal of having acrylic nails. Based on my perspective both haiku were well written and provide students with the opportunity to see different ways at which a good haiku can be arranged. Simone

I really liked this match when it came up. They are just such complete opposites that I fell in LOVE with it! The first one is this abundance of love and joy and acceptance and cute battles. The second one on the other hand is full of longing and want and loss and not enough of anything. Side by side I just think they are a beautiful reflection of what a lot of people go through in this world. I know personally I feel like I have experienced both of these with Jake. There was a time right before he left for Africa when every moment felt like not enough time and it was all so precious because there was just not enough of it and now we are always in each others faces and have been together so much that the love the abundance of little annoying things we pick up on. It is so interesting as a couple to have experienced both of these feelings. To both bask in the glory of abundance and to savor every moment like it’s your last. Oh and I think the raincoat one should have definitely won this match, I just think it has more character and is much less general. Jess

my acrylics
        slide down
                his spine

his touch
everlasting
only for a moment

as we kiss
i taste
his lies

my acrylics
        slide down
                his spine

I thought this match was very intriguing. Both of these haiku are discussing the sensations associated with touching a significant other. I also believe the mood of these haiku is both calm and relaxed. I believe the setting to be in a dark, quiet space while the significant others are lying next to each other. I believe this match to be interesting and a difficult one to chose the winner due to the many similarities I imagined with both of them. In my opinion, I chose the second one as the winner. I can picture the rough callus on the significant other’s hands as he softly places his arms around me. I can feel the prickling of my skin as my hair stands up. I can feel my heart beating faster and hear its sounds of “lub dub.” I can also imagine the disappointment as the heat of the moment comes to end and how I would long for the ability to relive it. One last idea, really drawing my attention to the second haiku, is I like the surprise of the ending. I was expecting the haiku to end with something along the lines of the touch to be lasting forever. I also really enjoyed the adjective everlasting, it really tied the whole image together for myself. Karlee

The imagery of these two haikus focus strongly on the emotion associated with touch. The first one is saying that although the touch from the man only lasts a short time, it will forever be in the mind and heart of the reciever. It's just a very strong image. The characteristic of love is present. For the second one, it has more of a passionate feel associated with touch. It suggests more of a romantic encounter and maybe lust rather than love. It seems to speak of a woman's account of a passionate encounter. Dalton

I really joyed this haiku because it tells a story to me. The guy did something wrong and is obviously lying about it. The girl kisses him and can taste his lies almost. It has beautiful wording to it that just takes me to a tense moment, both people know something is up but no one is going to say anything. They just kiss, knowingly.

I really loved this haiku by Alex as well because it has so much passion. This moment of pure passion sliding her nails down his back. It is almost like a scene from a movie of intimacy and that last thing they show are her nails sliding down his back ever so gently. She let me imagine this exact scene perfectly through her words. This is the reason I think out of these two, that this haiku should win. It took me to an exact scene in my head and I think that’s what a haiku should do. Tory

wandering through the park . . .
holding hands
will you say yes?

a bond under leaves
carved deep
in the old oak

mysterious stranger
at the bus stop—
what's your story?

gold hair with a gentle curl
that’s the girl he choose
i'm not that girl

gold hair with a gentle curl
that’s the girl he chose
i’m not that girl

tears of loneliness
I can no longer see
do. you. know. me?

I thought that these two haiku matched up well because I can picture a couple that have not been together long, but the man is confused. He does not know what to do because he is in love with two women. He ends up choosing the other woman and the girl he did not choose feels broken and lonely. She mourns the breakup and is crying so hard that she feels as though she cannot see. She her brain is flooding with thoughts about what she could have possibly done to turn him away—she wonders if he even knew who she really was because they were not together long. I really enjoyed the first poem. Lindsey