Haiku Kukai 3 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • January 2015
amidst the books— Tory Hennessey (2) |
here— Simone Griffis (4) |
runaway glasses Jess Brooks (6) |
soft contacts Jess Brooks (3) |
barbeque smoke |
in love with him Simone Griffis (4) While perusing other relationships, I found one guy who I really wanted to hit it off with. Him and I continued our relationship for a year – on and off. I tried hard to be the girl I thought he wanted in his life. Unfortunately, he had a rough past with relationships and couldn’t commit, all in the while I thought I was in love. To this day, I replay the vivid steps from our relationship. I came to realize I was infatuated with him. He was a year older and was just trying to make it through college, so he could figure himself out. We have minimal contact to this day, and I know he still is looking for himself in this big place we called life. Karlee I have felt love before and been through relationships but no love was as real as what I felt when I truly and completely fell. From the moment I saw him I knew that there was something different. There was something in him that needed love. I knew I would love him completely even if he would never love me I could not help the way my heart felt. He took advantage of this and because I cared I let it happen. I was used and psychologically and mentally abused. He strung me along and told me he loved me when he really didn’t. My friends tried to warn me and despite the numerous heartbreaks I still defended him. I know for a fact that not all of him is bad. I saw him at some of the most beautiful simplistic moments we have ever shared. I knew he was still discovering himself and let more slide than I should have. Despite my love I know I need to walk away. His pleads and lies of love will no longer lure me in. Rachel |
blonde hair, blue eyes Lindsey Williams (2) I truly did not understand this one when I first read it at all but someone I knew it was good and that I liked it. I wasn’t sure if she was talking about a wax museum or a movie but either way I liked the descriptive imagery and the huge mystery surrounding all of it. I actually liked it even more once I realized that I had read it in a completely different way than she intended. I love how one person can get something totally different out of the same haiku. It is a beautiful part of haiku and one of the big reasons I want to try and leave some of my own open-ended. Jess |
daddy’s girl Karlee VanDeVelde (4) I can imagine a father and daughter on that special day, stopping at the end of the aisle and looking at each other one last time and smiling with tears in their eyes. They are very close and have shared many memories together—both good and bad. I can really see the dad lifting the long weight veil. Lindsey |
popping the tab Karlee VanDeVelde (5) |
Netflix documentaries |
peacefully asleep Alex Dorchinecz (5) |
loud thunder clap |
her hair strung across my chest Alex Dorchinecz (5) This haiku made me think of a couple after a long, bad day. She’s asleep on his chest and he just breathes a sigh of relief that she is there with him. Like that she is all he needs to cure a long day. After a long day like that they’re finally together and just relaxing. It is nice that they are just together, so close. Tory I see a couple in each other’s arms. The lull of the tv in the background sooths them to sleep. Complete bliss is felt through their love. These little moments remind the couple of how much they love one another. Rachel |
red Cadillac Lindsey Williams (2) |
full bladder Jess Brooks (2) |
neglected litter box |
your fingers dance between mine Rachel Ives (4) I really enjoyed this haiku because it gives me a sense of love and intimacy. This couple is bound together, their lives intertwining. It gives me butterflies just reading this. I love the fact that they joined their hands, two souls, into one love. Tory |
how bad it feels |
aroma of incense |
lying to him— Simone Griffis (8) My boyfriend and I have been together for the past fours year – on and off. I’m a year older than him, so I departed for college first. I was homesick for the first year, so our relationship was stronger than ever. Luckily, my boyfriend decided to attend the same college as me. At first, I could not be more excited. Then, I had the sense of independency – I didn’t want somebody to tie me down. For the next year, him and I hit every wave in the ocean. I wanted the sense of belonging but I didn’t want a boyfriend, so I would keep him around but pursue other relationships. I would constantly lie and hurt him, but when confronted about the issues, I still lied and tried to run from the truth. The whole time, though, I knew I couldn’t find anybody else who made me as happy as he made me. Karlee |
xzfv56-po Jess Brooks (7)
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beads of sweat on her forehead Anna Marie Abbate (4) |
size double zero Alex Dorchinecz (8) This haiku was definitely my favorite of the day today for kukai. It was just the perfect wording, in my opinion. The way she started with this image of the size double zero girl and then the unobvious implication of the truth someone being the thing that gets flushed down the toilet. Also the use of porcelain instead of toilet was just brilliant. I am very impressed with Alex and her work. She just draws you in and makes you really see it in a beautiful way. This haiku also made me think about my own struggles with weight and food in general and it was nice to kind of feel for the other side of things (skinny, bulimic girl). Jess This sadly reminds me of my childhood. While being in a strict ballet company several of my friends including myself had eating problems because our directors used to weigh us every week. And I saw some of my best friends dwindle away to bone when they stopped eating or threw up what they ate. Whether people think so or not ballet is a beautiful art and its painful most of the time. We as dancers have so much pressure on us to always look our best you even are paranoid in class looking at every angle of your body that it’s not a good enough body which then leads to body dysmorphia. Anna Marie |
leather wheel |
turning the pages Tory Hennessey (4) So I loved this haiku because I think we all can fully relate to this. For most of us being seniors, the thought of the real world is so scary to me. I loved how the haiku said “turning the pages” because I think of being in school for at least 21 years now, literally turning pages...and now we are all so close to the madness of LIFE. Our whole entire lives are journeys; we just have to remain confident in all our decisions, whether right or wrong. Alex |
slipping away |
sweaty palms Dalton Kaufmann (4) |
contraction number four |
thoughts racing |
the tension in the car Karlee VanDeVelde (4) I’ve felt all of this before and it’s so painful especially in the heat of the moment. I don’t really know what else to say there isn’t much to describe the feeling. Anna Marie |
perfectionists— Karlee VanDeVelde (4) This is perfect to me, because I find myself as well to be a perfectionist. Everyone around me always says, “calm down, everything will fall into place.” If I don’t do things right then, or the way I want it done, I will never be satisfied with the work completed. I loved how Karlee capitalized NEED because there really are no exceptions with perfectionists and they will ALWAYS be type A, high-strung personalities! Alex When reading VanDeVelde's haiku, I really liked how truthful it was. I t was written simply and effortlessly. However, it really made a big statement. I feel that the emphasis on the word need presents not only a visual image but also makes the reader pronounce it more profoundly. The tone of this haiku was great and overall I think that many students found it to be relatable. Simone |
a woman Alex Dorchinecz (6) When reading this haiku, I immediately thought about a girl that got broken up with and finds out that her ex is now seeing some other girl. She is devastated by the news, so she goes and gets on Facebook to investigate who this girl is and what she is like. Lindsey |
his lips in the crook of my neck— Alex Dorchinecz (7) |
we smile when we meet— Simone Griffis (4) |
fresh cut grass Dalton Kaufmann |
with one more strike Rachel Ives (3) |
© 2015, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.