selfies
at the zoo
little boy hides his face

Amanda Ferguson (4)

the children playing
Mom sitting with a novel
on a nice spring day

Darla Laymon (3)

blue glow
controller in my palms
I'm six again

flowering meadow
fallen trees
baby black bears playing

in the bedroom
i silently laugh
at a toddler's whine

Jennifer Tohill (4)

I like this haiku because I now have a toddler and when I go to my room or close my door my son automatically thinks that I left him in a dark tunnel and that I am never going to come back. It makes me laugh because I sneak and try to do it sometimes. I would try to sneak and go to the bathroom, while he is playing with his toys or something and once I get to my destination and relax he notices that I'm gone and starts to whine. Shaya

It's been a long week, better yet a long month of making ends meet. Stealing from Peter to Paul isn't just a cliché this mother has heard but, a reality in which she lives. Choosing between paying the power bill and feeding her children are decisions that plague this mother's mind every pay period. Being a single mom is not her wish however; life has a funny way of putting you in places that causes you to cry out. No one escapes the hardships that coming along with living. This mom has come to learn that life is about finding strength in our weakest moments, getting up again after we have been knocked down, and moving forward in spite of life's challenges. It's in those moments when we are pushed to expose our vulnerability through cries that our true beauty emerges that can't be seen from looks for what we wear but, this beauty is revealed through patience, faith, and courage to keep living. Sonja

winter wonderland
children's laughter
a snowball to my face

Zacahery Cronister (5)

The heaviest snowfall of the season. No way can school buses can find their way down neighborhood streets to bus stops. No school, like music to children ears; students enjoy a day to play in the snow. Although cold and sometimes makes it impossible for people to leave their homes; snow has a way of bringing out the best in children. It's playfulness and its ability to be cold, wet, and soft all at the same time invites children to explore its complex beauty. Rather building snowmen, making snowballs, or sledding down a large hill of snow- winter has the capacity to take children to another land of playfulness all the while never leaving their backyards. Sonja

Kool-Aid mustache
chalky hopscotch
star wishes

Michelle Hosapple (4)

I really enjoyed this Haiku, because it reminds me of childhood memories. I can fell that sticky Kool-Aid mustache as I am skipping hopscotch. It is really warm outside, as the sun is finally set and the stars are out, I swear I see a shooting star, I close my eyes really tight and make my wish. Mandy

I love this haiku because it reminds me of my carefree childhood. I imagine being a kid again. It is summer break. I am playing with my neighborhood friends. We are drinking grape koolaid out of red solo cups. Chalk is scattered on the road by our ditch. We don't have sidewalks and cars only come down our road if they live here. Hopscotch is laid out in blue chalk. We use a big rock we found in our gravel driveway to toss while we play. We play all evening until the sun goes down. After we put everything up we sit on the front porch looking at the stars, dreaming of what we will be when we grow up. I think I will probably have a husband and two kids living in the country. Then I look down at my hands covered in blue chalk. Bethany

castle in view
we approach on the water
the world behind

Bill Fields (4)

the laughter of children
skipping down the street
school's out

Bethany Wetherholt (4)

The last day of school when I was in grade school, reminds me of how my friends and I would skip most of the way home singing . . . . . school's out. . . . school's out. . . . lalala. . . la. .la. . . ..la school's out. Darla

hot day
with kids at zoo
now milkshakes

late into the night
keyboard clicking away
slowly dozing off

Zacahery Cronister (6)

I personally enjoyed this particular haiku. I found it humorous and relatable. I cannot count the number of times that I have sat at my computer chair, whether that is doing work or playing a game, and have felt my eyes get heavier by the minute. Occasionally even having to wake myself. Bill

morning moon
I walk to work
yawning

Bethany Wetherholt (2)

board flips
I storm out of the room
Monopoly

Bill Fields (6)

This Haiku definitely reminds me of myself. When I was younger me and my family used to try to do family night and play board games. I had a older brother and he used to cheat so bad in games. Somehow our family stopped the tradition because every time we played a game someone would end up getting so mad and flippin either the table or the game board over. Usually that person being me. This haiku is really good to me because it makes me go right to that memory and it is very visual. Shaya

Back when I was little we played monopoly a lot with my family and friends and other games, from cards to risk. It was always fun and games till someone got really upset and flipped the game board or just threw a temper tantrum. It was always frustrating when everything took a turn of events and someone went from the top to the bottom or vice versa. Games were always a source of gatherings for my family as we got together and caught up with cousins and distant family. Zach

paddy cake, hopscotch
double dutch, rhymes
bell rings, till next time

Michelle Hosapple (5)

late evening
ripples in the pond
my pole

the smell of biscuits
sink full
of pots and pans

Marshaya Sangster

Christmas morning the whole family would come home, bringing their family with them. Mama and us daughters up early cooking breakfast for everyone. While the men would retire to the living room and den to visit with one another, the women would be in the kitchen washing dishes, pots and pans that were oiled up in the sink and on the counters. Darla

hot and sticky
geraniums growing
in the greenhouse

steak and shake
chocolate on her face
little ones giggling

Amanda Ferguson (5)

up early
hair done
nowhere to go

Jennifer Tohill (3)

four wheelers
mudding through the deep creeks
boys filled with joy

Darla Laymon (4)

I really liked this Haiku, because it is what I spent the whole weekend doing. We had the four-wheelers and went through the creek, although it was dried up. The boys were so excited and just had a blast. I can still hear the engines roar. Mandy

God
in the spring breeze
I'm reminded of His presence

Sonja Chargois (7)

crunching leaves
walk to the car
to new beginnings

          dimly lit room
     Her hand touches mine
movie night

Zacahery Cronister

a summer night breeze
drinking remy and gin
sitting with old friends

Darla Laymon (6)

staring out the window
tails wagging
momma is home

Bethany Wetherholt (6)

I really enjoyed this haiku because it made me think of my four-legged fur babies at home. I have 3 dogs and a cat and every time I get home, every single one of them go crazy out of excitement. They are barking, meowing, jumping, whining, etc. It makes me feel loved! The haiku is also written from the perspective of the dogs, which to be is interesting. Our fur babies are our children too and they look at us their moms and dads as well. I have also been told its best to at least have a dog in the house especially when you have a teenager, so someone is always happy to see you when you get home. I have a pre-teen and I am beginning to agree! Jennifer

closet full of clothes
nothing to wear
shy . . .

Michelle Hosapple (2)

spring perfume
a child smiles
her mother's scent

Sonja Chargois (6)

cabin bonfire
close friends
down by the river

Darla Laymon (7)

I am 18 again. I am at my friend's cabin by the river. We are having a bonfire to celebrate graduating high school. It's late. I was supposed to be home an hour ago. I call my mom and let her know I won't be home, I am going to stay the night here. While I am on the phone I can hear my friends laughing in the background. I turn to look at them, their faces are glowing by the campfire. I hang up and walk toward the river. I stop by the cooler, grab a beer and go sit on a stump next them. We talk about high school and what we are going to do over the summer. Where we plan on going to college and where we hope to work after we graduate. We talk about all the memories we have made. We sit and talk until the sun comes up. We head back to the cabin to go to bed, finally. Bethany

zoo worker
on a bench with a skunk
she says deskunked

Amanda Ferguson

handprint painting
full of prayer
we are there

cold doctor's office
no heartbeat
awkward silence

Jennifer Tohill

brilliant pink sun ball
hazy fog
covers the beans

music on the radio
a boy questions
the meaning of death

friendly conversation
food and drinks taken care of
no tip

Cristine Lourash (4)

northern lights
dancing across the sky
baby wakes.

Cristine Lourash (5)

moonlight
at the cabin
the fishy smell of the river

Darla Laymon (3)

This reminds me of camping, one of my favorite things to do in the summer. I love the evenings sitting around the camp fire just enjoying one another's company. Even the fishy smell from the river has its own memories of comfort to it. Maybe it is from the memories of that taken fishing excursion or tomorrow's promise of a day full of fishing and adventure. Michelle

crouched in the hallway
a single mom cries out
beautiful woman

Jennifer Tohill (4)

lightning and thunder
beef stew in the pot
the smell of the log cabin

Darla Laymon (6)

soft moonlit night
waters subsiding
clean up time at the cabin

the curb
evening gossip
just us girls

umbrella drink
the cold water rolls
over my feet

Bethany Wetherholt (6)

summer night
glowing skin
firefly butts!

Sonja Chargois (5)

cliffs loom over the river
     to stop and jump
          . . . is an adrenaline rush

Sunday night
close your eyes
BEEP BEEP BEEP!

Marshaya Sangster (8)

I again found this particular haiku as relatable. It is inevitable that as I go down to sleep for that last bit of weekend rest on Sunday night, it feels cut so short by the alarm in the morning. The snooze bar is definitely my friend. Interesting how fleeting the weekend feels compared to the work week. Bill

sweat down my brow
paddling faster
as rapids quickly approach

Zacahery Cronister (3)

red and white
throw the ball
gotta catch em all

Marshaya Sangster (3)

I trust you
wedding bells
I do

mom's hand
the last thing shared
banana popsicle

fireflies
the perfect nightlight
for a dark room

Sonja Chargois (6)

five o'clock shadow
in the waiting room
is that a cry?

a crisp autumn night
the cowbell rings
touchdown

Bethany Wetherholt (5)

I like this haiku because it places us in the stands Friday night at a high school football game. It's getting cold but everyone is warm enough cuddling together and yelling for the team. The cowbell is a real clunker, a very distinct sound, rung with enthusiasm after a touchdown. Go team! Randy b

I really like this haiku. It brings me back to Friday nights with my son at the high school football game. My son is special needs but despite his struggles his passion is sports. The only time I can bond with him the most is through sports. We will go to a football game, no matter how cold or rainy and snuggle on the bleachers. The cowbell is perfect! Every touchdown there is that one parent who rings the cowbell before everyone else at a touchdown and they are always at the very top of the bleachers. This haiku brings me back to some awesome memories and there will be more to make this fall. My son is already excited about homecoming, GO TROJANS! Jennifer

This haiku brought up a lot of memories from my days of high school football. I played through football for about 11 years of my life and remembered several vivid moments from my time. This brought up memories of the cool nights in autumn when playing. When any team scored the fans would go wild with bells, cheers, air horns, and all other sorts of sound makers. It got you so stirred up in the moment. Touchdowns of a team were the peak climax of any game. Zach

morning surprise
trying not to wake anyone
breakfast in bed

that favorite melody
wrong time played
you again

silence
two dribbles
crowd roars

Marshaya Sangster (7)

sun setting
almost over
snuggles under cover

another page turned
another chapter read
two new beginnings

Michelle Hosapple (6)

There have been many changes in my life, divorce being the biggest. I had to tell myself that I have finished a book and it was time to start a new one. When I had decided to take that leap into the dating world, which mind you was almost a year after, I told myself new page in life. It is funny that when people have major changes in life a book reference is used. I can remember when I would ask my dad question after question he would ask me if I was writing a book. Cris

dark country roads
driving with bright lights
           deer

the old cat lady
yells from her porch everyday
crazy old lady

Darla Laymon (9)

gusty winds
metal roof rolling
on a small mobile home

mountain view
within only ten minutes
a string of tail lights

Bill Fields

This poem puts me back in Montana. Our property was 2.5 miles up the side of a mountain and we could see I-90.You had to go through the pass to get to the valley in which we sat over. Driving to our home in Belgrade from our property in Livingston the traffic would thin down somewhat as the drivers approached the pass. When you came through the pass, you would see the line cars entering the city of Bozeman. This poem also reminded me of driving home to Illinois. Coming out of the mountains to more flat land you would see the line of cars and although it was great that we were heading home, it was bittersweet leaving. Living in the mountains was a slower way of life than the rush of the city. Cris

waves slowly rolling in
a warm fire by our side
she sleeps in my arms