hot summer day
my dog licks the sweat
from a glass

midnight howls
all together
leader of the pack

wet green leaves 
blowing west
I watch from my desk

Kiava Plato

justice
just us
picking up the pieces

Jessica Joyner

I liked the comment that this made about both brokenness and togetherness. Although there are pieces to be picked up, they are together in picking them up and making things right. Lena

clear blue ocean
how do I continue loving something
both beautiful and cold

sweet mint
the chocolate we love
kids running

Daniel Rivera

cat purring
on mother’s stomach
children asleep

hot summer night
what he whispers to her
makes her feel cold

Karmina Gant

magic show
a child filled with doubt
pretends to believe

Karmina Gant

winter storm
looking over the mountains
he finds love

Daniel Rivera

I really thought the last line of this haiku put a very interesting spin on the first two lines. It starts off and seems to be about a stormy winter day in the mountains, like he is looking out into nature—but then it seems that he finds something unexpected, which is love. Lena

always polite
always kind
outside

Kiava Plato

raven
searching for those
without a partner

two boys missing
from the sixth-grade classroom
skipping stones

Karmina Gant

looking at the sky
she always feels so small
when he speaks

Karmina Gant

I also really enjoyed this poem because it made me think on the spiritual side. As I read this poem, I imagined a girl speaking to God, and she hears His still small voice in a powerful way that makes her feel small compared to His greatness. Jessica

her father’s silence
after coming home past curfew
loud and clear

Karmina Gant

dark
light
dark

Matthew Marrero

drips of melanin
chocolate of some sort
the sweetest rain

Jessica Joyner

crossing a street
his hand tightens on mine
i am whole

Lena Rotramel

big red barn
i climb the ladder
new kittens born

Lena Rotramel

my brother's face
a new baby
smiles like him

old woman in bed
my father in scrubs
pulls off her toe

running to mom
tears streaming
a chicken follows close behind

Lena Rotramel

With this haiku I imagine a little girl running to her mother with tears streaming down her face because of a chicken that won’t stop chasing her. What I liked most about this haiku was that when I first started reading it I thought it was going to be a lot more somber but once I read the third line it actually was not as somber as I thought. In my mind I find it a lot cuter because I used to be scared of chickens when I was younger. Karmina

family reunion
grandpa's dog
snaps my tiny hand

Lena Rotramel

a game of tag
my new best friend
the sheep

parked car
sitting on the hood they look out
the sun moves down

play practice
she doesn’t want to be quiet anymore
the girl called shy

with no proof of scars
he doubts
until the hands appear

Jessica Joyner

tired eyes
I want to tell her to rest her head but
she doesn’t trust my driving

Karmina Gant

I feel what I cannot see
rushing winds
of peace

Jessica Joyner

counting breaths
i realize
my thoughts are kind

trying to catch my breath
distances ahead
where my next breath lies

Jessica Joyner

fresh flowers
placed by a stranger
sitting by your grave

Lena Rotramel

I felt this haiku was beautiful. I imagine a fresh arrangement of flowers sat in front of a grave placed by a stranger out of kindness. On the other hand, this could have a twist because maybe the stranger knows the person whose grave it is but I don’t know the stranger. I like this haiku because there could be a lot more story and background with it. Karmina

running fast
in the outdoor breeze
summer is near

one star to freedom
north
where opportunity waits

Jessica Joyner

tree roots of coiled hair
untouchable
for fear of the unknown

traditional
chicken
Buffalo Wild Wings

Matthew Marrero

I liked this poem because it caught me off guard. I was not expecting a description of traditional chicken, but I thought that made the poem stand out because it was a risky move, but also clever. Jessica

surrounded by friends
in leotards
my twisted leg

Lena Rotramel