vacation on a beach
tide is full out
tide is full in

a warm sunny day
ice cream melts
dogs play

Raisa Zamacona

the boat's wake
we lay on a tube
speeding fast

Alysa Doneske

When reading this kukai, the smell of the water, gasoline from the boats, people barbequing comes to me. The sun is shining and the rays of the sun are heating the water making it easier to be able to see the fish swimming underneath. People are jumping into the water, others are fishing and smoking, you can tell it is a good day. This haiku also reminds me of the summers spent at the lake with my family and friends and how my mom would make the boat go really fast while I was tubing and just flying out as well as when I used to sail competitively. Overall, I would say this kukai brings back a lot of great memories. Raisa Zamacoma, June 2019

musty and bright
a Chopin etude sounds through
padded walls

first day of school
backpack full with books
ready to learn

house at the beach
birds sing songs
to the sound of the waves

Raisa Zamacona

I love the incredibly vivid imagery of this one. The birds singing songs indicate to me that the sun is in full rise, making the house warm. The sand is a bright yellow, reflecting that sunlight. I can smell the salt as I listen to the waves mixing with the chirping birds, the bird call’s high notes mixing with the thunderous crashing of waves. I have never been in a proper beach house, either, which is why I find it so surprising how vivid this image is for me. The implication that the birds are singing to the waves is also interesting, making the sounds more of a call-and-response than a contest to see who can make the most noise. Emily Does, June 2019

I really liked this haiku because it gives me the sense of a calming afternoon on a beach feel. When I read this for the first time, I automatically assumed that I was on the beach at either a beach or lake house sitting in a chair in the sand either laying there tanning or reading a book. Adding in the birds singing and the waves crashing all makes the house at the beach come together to get the full effect of what kind of atmosphere that the writer is in. Alysa Doneske, June 2019

muscles that ache
and breathing is metallic
run . . . boy . . . run

Dan Dolphin

moonlit songbirds
pencils scratch new creations
onto paper

Emily Boes

pop pop pop
the plastic bursts
from dad's bubble wrap

Dan Dolphin

a cold room
the fluorescent light
sings a lullaby

Emily Boes

the sound of the bass fills
my ears . . .
makes me feel alive

Dan Dolphin

wheels spinning
down the driveway
an elbow scrape

Alysa Doneske

crisp autumn air
pumpkin carving
sipping apple cider

grandma’s house
smells of food baking
eating chocolate-chip cookies

tag you're it
from a little girl
running away

Alysa Doneske

damp earth
you emerge from the soil
writhing

Emily Boes

This poem was interesting because you can assume it is a worm even if the words don’t directly say it. The word “writhing” is the key indicator that the subject is a worm, because after reading “you emerge from the soil” you could assume a lot of things. I like the dirtiness to the poem. A lot of poems paint an aesthetic picture or have some deeper meaning but this one is just about a worm coming out of the dirt. It is simply an observation of a worm. Geoff Divers, June 2019

my beautiful mom
     soft smile
her arms are open

Raisa Zamacona

jingle jingle bells
the cat is lying
on top of the couch

winter gathering
the snowmen
come back

Raisa Zamacona

silence
despite the room
filling with laughter

Emily Boes

I find this kukai beautiful. I think it has a lot of meaning behind each word. When reading it, I picture a room that is not too big with tables and food on the side for people to grab. The setting is of course quiet and people are walking in the room and checking the surrounding. Some people know each other very well, others are friends of friends or even acquaintances but regardless as the room starts to fill up the silence starts to die down and the laughing starts. I can picture some people feeling uncomfortable at first but after a few minutes that tension in the room fades. Raisa Zamacoma, June 2019

a wall of names
a child’s mind
unphased

Emily Boes

I related to this poem because when I was young the traveling Vietnam War Memorial came to my town. I was not alive to know any of the names, so they didn’t carry much meaning to me, but my grandma noticed a name and broke into tears. The names did not register in my childish mind but for her older more experienced mind they did. It wasn’t just the one name she recognized that brought her to tears, it was the countless number of people who died in war that shook her. Geoff Divers, June 2019

the smell of beer fill the hall
students cram
for finals

Dan Dolphin

freedom to work
in the art class
the chatter of students

Dan Dolphin

long and tall desk
mom and I check in
at the dentist office

patiently waiting
my name is called
for X-rays

sitting nervously
heavy apron upon me
news blasting

the last one . . . I tell myself
the last time . . . I tell myself
. . . one more won’t hurt

Dan Dolphin

I can relate to this kuaki so well. All I can think of is when I eat a bunch of cookies and I know I should not be eating the last one but I still do, or when I am out running and I am exhausted but I want to run that extra mile. I think this kukai is one that most people can relate to because it is an “open minded” kukai. The tone used in this kukai is sort of funny because in a way you are trying to convince yourself it is okay and everything will be fine but deep down, you know that is not the case but at the same time you are aware you will not get harmed by it. Raisa Zamacoma, June 2019

staring at a blank screen
pretending to walk and talk
. . . a women ventures home

Dan Dolphin

This is one of my favorite haiku of the kukai because it is reflects a very real experience. This is something I have done numerous times to make sure I get home safely. Some of the language is emotionally charged, like the word “ventures” indicating more than just a casual walk home. The way the action is communicated, also, is interesting to me. It starts with the blank screen, then moves into the purpose behind staring at the blank screen, then the entire action is contextualized in the name of a woman’s safety. It’s a powerful haiku that has a fantastic natural progression and strikes a chord with me. Emily Does, June 2019

I really liked this haiku because it is sending a very powerful message. After reading it through a couple times, it is telling the readers that women are scared and nervous to walk home alone. Having that some sort of texting or calling someone while alone gives them some sort of comfort knowing that they are not alone in the moment. Being a women myself I have experienced this in my daily life. I have been in situations where I am walking somewhere alone and I do not feel comfortable so I will pretend to be talking on the phone with someone or texting another just so I have something to occupy myself for the time being. Alysa Doneske, June 2019

rainbows in the blood of a sunken ship

Emily Boes

buttons click
while the TV glows
through darkness

Emily Boes

filtered sunlight
sleeping dog warms up
his favorite spot

Emily Boes