I watch your face
as the tall bouncy blond
walks by

Betty Hartnett (5)

I chose this haiku as one of my favorites because of the immediate reaction I got from it. Interestingly, I was immediately mad at the person. I don't even have a significant other, but I was still fuming at the idea. If I had caught a boyfriend of mine looking at a woman like that it would make me feel insignificant to her. When thinking of a gorgeous woman, I imagine a perfect blonde. If I were to look over at the person I love and they were looking at the woman the way that the person in this haiku sees, I would be extremely upset. Samantha

a mosquito
buzzes into the cabin
fish frying in a black skillet

Hannah Mahr (4)

brushing the horse mane
tangled with burs—
nature's velcro

Heather Dolye (5)

let go of my
spaghetti,
tramp

Emily Mihalkanin (8)

I thought that this haiku was funny, which it one of the reasons that it is my favorites. I immediately look at the haiku and get two different meanings. First, I think of the movie The Lady and the Tramp. I think of Lady looking at the dog pulling on the other end of her piece of spaghetti and insisting that he back off. The other way that I looked at this haiku is from the eyes of a woman angry with another woman. She looks at the woman and calls her a tramp before making sure that she doesn't touch what is hers. Samantha

I find this haiku to be so hilarious and clever. Lady and the Tramp was one of my favorite Disney movies as a child because I really loved dogs (and still do). I can just picture the old scene of the dogs sitting outside the restaurant with their plate of spaghetti and meatballs, however, this time when they go to share the last noodle, Lady takes over the plate and as if she is saying “No, this is allll mine, go find your own, Tramp.” It is the sassy tone that really makes this a good haiku to me. The fact that the new Lady calls her dog boyfriend, Tramp, a tramp is just so clever. Heather

Mother’s reflection
little girl in a dress
too

Hannah Mahr (2)

a young life
taken too soon—
the blood moon rises again

Alizarin Salmi (11)

hoop dreams
the kid who shoots
paper into trash cans

T.J. Griffin (5)

When I was teaching so many of the students would “shoot” the paper into the trash. I know many of them, even a few of the girls, had dreams of being basketball stars. Many of my students were black or Latino. Sports has brought many young boys and some girls to success that they couldn’t have had in any other arena. I love the first line of this haiku. It says it all. Betty

In this haiku I picture a young boy who is confined to his room for the next day due to back talking to his mother.  She told him he is grounded and to go to his room and not come out till she says it is okay.  It is a hot summer day and the young boy can hear the swishing of the basketball through the hoops, sneakers squeaking, and his neighborhood friends yelling out warnings to their teammates.  He is pouting and dreaming at his computer desk.  He knows there is no way he is getting out of this trouble so he takes out a notebook, wads up the paper, and shoots into the trash can. Over and over. Kailey

she shows no emotion
as the doctor says the word
mastectomy

choosing items for
a nursery
two become three

she walks
along the moonlit trail
daisies in her hair

Alizarin Salmi (3)

scorching August sun . . .
escape in Minnesota's
crystal clear lakes

how quickly my feelings grew cold
as he talks
of former loves

Betty Hartnett (10)

I like this haiku because it is really relatable, and something that I think every girl understands. I picture two lovers on a nice date. They are enjoying their meal and time together when the boy mentions running to his ex at the store yesterday. Immediately the girl becomes cold and distant. Alizarin

I liked this haiku a lot because of how relatable this is to anyone that has been in a relationship where the significant other has talked about past relationships. Even though they aren't comparing you to their past boyfriend or girlfriend, there is always going to be some sense of anger or jealousy when the past lover is brought up. I like how the author used the world cold to describe his or her feelings as opposed to jealous or pissed off or mad. Emily

I enjoyed this poem because it evoked strong feelings. It took me back to past relationships and experiences where this happened. I think this is a very relatable poem. A girl can be very jealous and she never wants to hear about another girl. Especially an ex, typically when a guy talks about an ex, that means he isn't over her yet. No girl wants to hear that, they begin to feel inferior or not good enough, or like a rebound girl. Uriah

an old photograph
my mother with long hair
so young

Betty Hartnett (2)

playing in the barn
cool drink from the spikit
fresh Earth water

Heather Dolye (4)

I like this haiku because it reminds me of my childhood. I picture a girl hosing a horse down on hot summer day. The girl and her horse both enjoy a refreshing drink from the water. They bond and enjoy the time spend together. Alizarin

When I read this haiku, I really liked the scenery I can imagine. I picture a kid that lives on a farm and is currently playing in the barn in the backyard, maybe in the hay and all the space. I picture them being tired from playing that he has to run outside to drink. I like the phrase choice, a cool drink from the spikit, instead of saying cold water. I also really like the word spikit there and then the "fresh Earth water." I like that third line because I can really picture the water coming up from the ground instead of from inside the house. Emily

the ceremony
tears began to pour
my career is over

my grandfather
wetting his pants
celebrating Christmas

pale autumn moon
above the pines—
starlight glistens on the lake

Alizarin Salmi (3)

cowboys and Indians
sticks for horses
fingers for guns

Betty Hartnett (7)

thinking with the river
memories come
and go

T.J. Griffin (4)

The imagery I got from this was a river with a strong current. It might be windy outside, in a green forest. The memories are showed by the flowing current of the river. They are here now, but they quickly move and are gone before you know it. It is like the saying, nothing lasts forever. I think this poem is meant to make people think and remember to cherish even the little things, before they are gone. Uriah

first snow of winter
the local kids
sledding at The Mound

Heather Dolye (3)

wined and dined,
all he wanted was
sex

Uriah Walker (5)

putting on her first smile
carrying a petition
to the neighbors

little girl crawls
under the wooden fence—
whinnies greet her

Alizarin Salmi (6)

hundreds of
rainbow balloons,
there goes the house

Emily Mihalkanin (5)e

This poem is so cute. It is a great reminder of one of my favorite kids movies, UP!. I can just see all the different colors of balloons that the man attached to his house. Also, I can see how the house suddenly becomes weightless with all the balloons attached. With only one hundred balloons, I would imagine the balloons are either really huge or the house is super tiny. If some one didn't know the movie UP, maybe they would think the house flying away was a dog or large dollhouse. Hannah

HUSTLEEE
the score is going uPPPP
but it's not our team

T.J. Griffin (8)

I don't know that I would have liked this haiku as much if it weren't for the visuals.  You can really picture maybe the coach or basketball captain getting frustrated and yelling at everyone to HUSTLEEEE. You can feel the intensity of the game and the desperation to come back and win the game.  The third line really gives the haiku its turning point.  As a reader you think the game is exciting and our team is winning then all of a sudden surprise we aren't actually scoring at all. Kailey

summer sun
loons leading
hatchings all in a row

domestic dog
howling at the moon
his wild ancestors

Samantha Bies (4)

my oldest sister
asks if she's asked
the question before

galloping along the rushing river—
light summer breeze
through my hair

forest covered trail
smell of Minnesota
in the pines

brown and white paint
grazes in the pasture
saddles hanging over antique wood

Hannah Mahr (3)

I love this image of the brown and white painted horses grazing in the pasture! I love that the writer doesn’t use the word horse! It invites the reader to fill in the word. I’m not sure “over antique wood” is needed to make this a very nice haiku. Betty

What class is it?
Global Haiku
bless you

Hannah Mahr (7)

I think that this haiku is hilarious as well. I have had to tell so many people what immersion class that I have been taking and they always give me a weird, confused look. I have also tried to explain it to my fiancé because he was over at my house one night while I was finishing up homework. He thought I was talking about the famous Pokémon named Pikachu, and he still continues to call it that. I have really enjoyed this class and I know that some people might think that it sounds “lame or boring” but I have learned a lot about a different way of expressing my inner emotions. This haiku leads me to imagine a classmate talking to a friend and the friend mistakes “haiku” for a sneezing sound. I like that it ends with “bless you.” Heather

kids in the creek
Grandma yells out—
lunch is ready!

under the sea, talking crabs
giving advice
to a woman with no legs
fish are friends
and food

Emily Mihalkanin (3)

frayed edges
her vows on the back
of a senior photo

Randy Brooks (3)

I love this haiku because I can just sense the romance behind it. I imagine a woman and man that have been in love with each other since high school. In fact, I am guessing that they got married soon after getting out of high school because she wrote her vows on his senior photograph. Now the edges are frayed because they have been together for many years not. Maybe, she has framed it. She could keep it on her person or in her purse at all times, pulling it out occasionally to smile and fall in love with him more and more each day. Hannah

pink flower
fallen from a bush
put in her hair

Samantha Bies (2)