Haiku Attempts 1 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • January 2018
walking around as a stranger Vance Martinez teaching me to bake Kimberly Dial The first haiku reminds me of the connectedness we all share, yet often ignore. When we walk around, in our own heads, we become strangers to our environment. There are so many distractions in this life, and we often forget that all we have and all we are, is this present moment. I’m not sure the author’s intent of this haiku, but I see a busy person in a crowd, one person catches her eye, and she remembers she is right where she is supposed to be. It’s the old saying, “wherever you go, there you are.” The second haiku brings me the memory of baking cookies with my Grandma. I instantly thought of the sound of her getting out the baking pans, showing me how to level the flour in the measuring cup by first chopping into it and then scraping the top with a butter knife. I still measure flour with that technique! I can also remember smelling the cookies baking in the oven, and this haiku put that smell right back in my nose when I read it. Sean |
timid wave |
waiting to go on Vance Martinez (6) Bursting through the front door Kimberly Dial My thoughts: I enjoyed these two Haiku’s because I plan to expand my family of three into four. These two Haiku seem to match well and show a progression of motherhood at delivery and after a few years and the child is now walking. I am reaching my end of the college life at 29 years-old and I would like to have a new edition to my family before I reach 30 years old. I see the first haiku as butterflies in the sense of little kicks of a new baby inside of a mothers’ womb, the beginning of life. In the same haiku, I see the curtain rising as a gesture letting me know that its “show time”, time to give birth! The second haiku gives the scenery of a child is waiting at home for their parents to arrive and their little feet tapping on the floor a child running to greet their parents. Both haiku’s give a sense of an inviting feeling, feelings of warm love from parents and possible expect in each parents’. Tori |
clarity of the Datoria Parker (3) Looking into this haiku on a deeper level, this haiku says to me that people make life more difficult than it needs to be. An otherwise clear window has made your vision foggy by a person’s touch. I think this haiku could have many different meanings, but I picture someone sitting on a bus or train, looking out the window. They’re maybe trying to get over someone they love, and their life has been interrupted by this one person. Bailey |
kept warm by the fireplace |
plucked from the air |
kitchen doorway Marissa Holloway (3) |
early morning dew |
off the school bus Marissa Holloway (5) During the elementary school days in the spring I always use to pick up flowers on my way home from school so I can give them to my mother and my grandmother. I remember there was a girl I liked in my school. On her birthday I had picked up some flowers on my way to school one morning and I when I seen her in the playgrounds I told her happy birthday and gave her the flowers. She looked really happy I did that for her and I just wanted to be nice. Elijah |
at the water's edge |
sitting in my seat Vance Martinez (3) |
a dash of sugar |
Bursting through the front door Kimberly Dial |
grandfather’s rusty truck Bailey Welch (4) |
the sun slowly rising |
a rose has smooth edges Datoria Parker (7) This haiku reminds me of falling in love with someone’s flaws over there smooth edges. When you really get to know someone, their flaws can become some of the things you love most. The thorns on the beautiful rose represent the flaws that is capturing someone and holding them close to them. This haiku seems very intense and romantic and it shows having a real love for someone. The petals of the rose attract the eye in the beginning but it’s the thorns that capture and hold on. This haiku is very beautifully written. Bailey I find this poem to have the essence of beauty. From far away, we see the beauty and everything that’s right with something but the closer we get to it, we can see the little imperfections. With the last line “capture her skin”, I think that someone’s imperfections are being loved unconditionally. We all carry and hold onto things that may be toxic to us. Or it could be a means of protection. Someone keeping their guard up. Danni |
bunkbeds Danielle Morgan (4) |
raining outside Elijah Henry (3) |
empty box Kimberly Dial (5) |
initials in the foundation Danielle Morgan (4) |
high school cafeteria Sabrina LeBlanc (5) |
old bumpy road as far as the eye can see Vance Martinez (4) |
The day’s commotion ringing in my head |
complete darkness |
Walking the bike trail again Sean James (4) This one stood out to me the most because it seemed like every line had a powerful meaning behind it. Most of the haikus I have been reading had an overall message to analyze but this haikui kind of had a message in every line. Walking the trails again makes me think this is something he does constantly to clear his mind. Footprints in the snow makes me think he is doing this or maybe he use to do this with someone and getting over you in the dark was a really powerful line. It seems as if he is having a hard time trying moving on from someone. Knowing how hard my first hard break was it is easy to understand the pain he may have been feeling. Of course now I look back and laugh at how upset I was over that person but i still remember how it felt. Marissa |
curling up Sabrina LeBlanc (4) The strength in these words radiate, especially because the topic pertains to depression. It is difficult to talk about such a sensitive subject but with these few words, I find comfort. I have personally dealt with depression and feel sympathy with the writer on another level. The phrase “under cover” makes me think about how people mask how they are really feeling because sometimes it makes other uncomfortable. It also reminds me that we don’t always show people, especially the ones we care about, that were down out of fear of causing them pain. In my head, if I cause someone pain because I’m hurting, I feel even worse and it becomes a vicious cycle. Danni |
beams of light Danielle Morgan (3) I liked this poem because of the ambiguity that can be taken from it. I see it as children playing flashlight tag at a sleepover or just something for fun. It could also be an owner following their pet’s path outside to keep an eye on them, or maybe a search party looking for a missing child. It’s interesting to me because I think humans are always searching for something, even if its means are simple in nature. It’s refreshing. Sabrina |
roaring campfire |
snowy afternoon Bailey Welch (4) This Haiku reminds me of when my two daughters were just little girls. They wore footed pajamas often matching. I can picture the large snowflakes falling fast and hard. The girls would be anxiously waiting by the t.v. to hear if their school is closed. Yay! For snow days! When the girls get up I would suggest we bake. I can picture my kitchen—dished everywhere ingredients all over the counter tops and their little faces covered in flour. We will use the cookie cutters they picked out at the store just for this occasion. We make cookies all afternoon and the girls anxiously await their dad to come from work so he can sample their work. I sure miss those days. Kim |
laying by the fire’s warmth |
poolside sunlight |
quiet hospital room |
mother waits at the door |
Busy airport Sean James (5) Traveling opens so many doors to people. Being in an airport gives you an energy of being one of many. You just are. The poem captures this feeling perfectly for me. It gives you a setting that almost anyone can transport themselves to and feel like they are actually there. I take it to mean that you can lose yourself within the crowd and still be okay. It’s nice to take a step back and look at what could be considered mundane in a new way. Sabrina |
Sun coming up in the summer Sean James (8) I really like this one. I am picturing a group of young kids out from school for the summer. These kids probably are from a small town and they ride their bikes till dark. These kids are looking for a summer adventure. In my image I see 7 kids on bikes, pedaling fast my mean they have gotten into a little bit of mischief and maybe they riding to get away from someone or something. Kim |
overcrowded and hot |
I make my bed Vance Martinez (2) |
cool autumn evening Bailey Welch (6) |
sleet and rain Kimberly Dial (3) This one stood out to me because of the simplicity and beauty. When I think about this poem it’s not really even the imagery that stands out. I picture to people blissfully walking down the street, completely in love, ignorant to the world around them. The first line sleet and rain suggest that the have been through a lot but their love for each other remains strong. Marissa |
irish twins |
sunny sugar creek |
|
gifted at birth Danielle Morgan (5) |
© 2018, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.