wooden crosses
planted . . .
pets of the past
Norman Mears |
the gray muzzled dog
climbs into the truck
one more hunt
Sean Dial |
handmade duck call
on a cold December morning
always brings them in
Sean Dial |
dad's jackknife
blade much thinner
decades aginst the stone
Thomas Friend |
the gray muzzled dog
climbs into the truck
one more hunt |
dad's jackknife
blade much thinner
decades aginst the stone |
|
the gray muzzled dog
climbs into the truck
one more hunt
top
quarter champion |
|
TOP half Chamption
the gray muzzled dog
climbs into the truck
one more hunt
|
bottom
quarter champion
sixteen years old
Grandpa's old truck
new to me
|
sixteen years old
Grandpa's old truck
new to me
|
in the basement
hidden behind the boxes
grandfather's blackberry wine
|
old red truck
dented and worn
paid for
Jennifer Yeakley |
sixteen years old
Grandpa's old truck
new to me
Hailey Sharp |
old moonshine bottle
holds the good stuff
one more sip
Sean Dial |
in the basement
hidden behind the boxes
grandfather's blackberry wine
Norman Mears |
|
TOP
half champion
the gray muzzled dog
climbs into the truck
one more hunt
|
|
CHAMPION
the gray muzzled dog
climbs into the truck
one more hunt
|
deserted country road
dancing to
our own music
BOTTOM
half champion |
Elvis Presley
record
dancing in the living room
Zachary Dilbeck |
deserted country road
dancing to
our own music
Thomas Friend |
in the mailbox
a name and address
from long ago
Norman Mears |
yellowing yearbook pages
autographs
of not so famous people
Norman Mears |
deserted country road
dancing to
our own music |
yellowing yearbook pages
autographs
of not so famous people |
|
deserted country road
dancing to
our own music
top
quarter champion |
|
BOTTOM
half champion
deserted country road
dancing to
our own music
|
bottom
quarter champion
in the jewelry box
a broken strand of pearls
worn on her wedding day
|
in the jewelry box
a broken strand of pearls
worn on her wedding day
|
rustic chair
on grandma's porch
morning coffee
|
thirty years have passed
mother daughter
wedding dress
Hailey Sharp |
in the jewelry box
a broken strand of pearls
worn on her wedding day
Jennifer Yeakley |
generations
around this table built with love
. . . not quite square
Thomas Friend |
rustic chair
on grandma's porch
morning coffee
Zachary Dilbeck |
© 2017, Randy Brooks • Millikin University. All rights returned to authors upon publication.
one loud thud
crash
we count the rings
Nick Adams |
the breeze pushes
raindrops
on the tire swing
Jennifer Yeakley |
church steeple
peaks out
above the treetops
Jennifer Yeakley |
never taken to church
adding names
to those of the past
Norman Mears |
the breeze pushes
raindrops
on the tire swing |
never taken to church
adding names
to those of the past |
|
the breeze pushes
raindrops
on the tire swing
top
quarter champion |
|
TOP half Chamption
like an old friend
I visit in the fall
my hunting boots
|
bottom
quarter champion
like an old friend
I visit in the fall
my hunting boots
|
crack in the upper pane
baseball
hit 35 years ago
|
like an old friend
I visit in the fall
my hunting boots
|
crack in the upper pane
baseball
hit 35 years ago
Thomas Friend |
neighborhood bar
torn and faded dollar
framed on the wall
Jennifer Yeakley |
hidden
behind the gate
traces of the past
Nick Adams |
like an old friend
I visit in the fall
my hunting boots
Sean Dial |
wooden crosses
planted . . .
pets of the past
Norman Mears |
the gray muzzled dog
climbs into the truck
one more hunt
Sean Dial |
handmade duck call
on a cold December morning
always brings them in
Sean Dial |
dad's jackknife
blade much thinner
decades aginst the stone
Thomas Friend |
I enjoyed this pair because they seemed to almost flow, one into the other. To me, it seemed that the old dog that was climbing into the truck for his last hunt, may be driven out, and added to the multitude of wooden crosses in the not so distant future. It reminds me a little of Old Yeller. When read separately a completely different set of circumstances are pictured. The haiku about the wooden crosses made me thing of Stephen King's Pet Cemetery. The gray muzzled dog gave me the feeling of a hallowed memory with a dear, old friend, that would not be around for much longer. Tom
Crack in the upper pane
Baseball
Hit 35 years ago
This one hits home for me as I grew up and still love the game of baseball. This haiku just talks about the memories that this game has left on so many lives and that there is always one memory that will always stick out. For me it was the chance to step on the mound at Busch Stadium and pitch. As a kid I dreamt of playing in the major leagues, those dreams didn't happen but the opportunity to play a game at a stadium was. This was a memory I will never forget and will hopefully be able to tell my children about it. That is why they call it America's Greatest Pastime. Zach
gray muzzled dog
climbs into the truck
one more time
Like we talked about in class it just reminds you of the last time you were able to take your best friend as a dog out with you to hunt. All those memories made together have come down to this one last time. It personally reminds me of the last day I saw my parents dog and knowing that my father was taking her to the vet and she wasn't coming back home. Her hips were to the point she could no longer walk and it was painful to her and for us to watch. We knew she had one last car ride left but it wasn't to come home. This haiku speaks volumes about how dogs are a man's best friend. Zach
I love this Haiku from the matching contest because it means so much to so many people. Its symbolic in the way of that, good and precious things do eventually end and die. The dog is getting old and it is time for him to past on. Through one more hunting trip with his owner. I hope that one day, when it is my own dog's term to leave, we can go to the park one last time and have a very special day just for him. Brandon |
|
|
old red truck
dented and worn
paid for
Jennifer Yeakley |
sixteen years old
Grandpa's old truck
new to me
Hailey Sharp |
old moonshine bottle
holds the good stuff
one more sip
Sean Dial |
in the basement
hidden behind the boxes
grandfather's blackberry wine
Norman Mears |
These make me think of everying in my family: old, dented, worn. Everything is passed down so it has sentimental value. Joshua |
|
|
Elvis Presley
record
dancing in the living room
Zachary Dilbeck |
deserted country road
dancing to
our own music
Thomas Friend |
in the mailbox
a name and address
from long ago
Norman Mears |
yellowing yearbook pages
autographs
of not so famous people
Norman Mears |
thirty years have passed
mother daughter
wedding dress
Hailey Sharp |
in the jewelry box
a broken strand of pearls
worn on her wedding day
Jennifer Yeakley |
generations
around this table built with love
. . . not quite square
Thomas Friend |
rustic chair
on grandma's porch
morning coffee
Zachary Dilbeck |
I like both of these because they both make me think of my grandma. When I was little my sister and I used to go snooping around my grandma's bedroom and closet and looked at all of her things. She had a jewelry box that was full of old costume jewelry and my mom's wedding dress was also in her closet. We would look at all the different things she had and my sister would try different things on. She would just sit and watch us and let us do whatever we wanted. Nick
This haiku reminded me of a grandmother's jewelry box. Written, it has so many unanswered questions. How was the strand broken ? Who is her? I pictured someone going through the jewelry box after the grandmother had passed away and wondering the same thing I did. This haiku was well paired with the previous one. I like how the writer expressed a wedding day and the passing down of a dress from mother to daughter. Not many now a days get that opportunity. To me, it gave an old fashioned feeling. Norman
Neighborly chat
a young woman serving tea
in a mason jar
In the jewelry box
A broken strand of pearls
worn on her wedding day
For me, these were two of my favorite matching contest haiku's. The first one, paints a very clear picture in my mind. The details are vibrant in the picture is very clear. Most of these are details my mind has added in. Conversely, the second haiku, gives some very concise details that lead you down a path that splits off in many directions. Your mind is left to wonder, what happened to the pearls? Did something happen to the marriage? Was there a tragedy? The ends of the story are loose and ragged. Sean |
|
|
one loud thud
crash
we count the rings
Nick Adams |
the breeze pushes
raindrops
on the tire swing
Jennifer Yeakley |
church steeple
peaks out
above the treetops
Jennifer Yeakley |
never taken to church
adding names
to those of the past
Norman Mears |
|
|
I love the sense of community and family found in the imagery of this haiku pair. In the first poem, I can envision a small village nestled below the trees. At the heart of the town sits a small country church where local couples are married, babies are dedicated, and beloved neighbors are laid to rest. Even to those who pass by at a distance, the steeple reaches above the tree tops laying witness to the lives who dwell here. The second haiku also speaks of family. I envision an old family bible with the pages yellowing over time. Names of each household member are painstakingly written down bearing witness to their life. These same events – birth, marriage, death – are recorded. Jennifer |
crack in the upper pane
baseball
hit 35 years ago
Thomas Friend |
neighborhood bar
torn and faded dollar
framed on the wall
Jennifer Yeakley |
hidden
behind the gate
traces of the past
Nick Adams |
like an old friend
I visit in the fall
my hunting boots
Sean Dial |