Haiku Kukai 07 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • Summer 2020
1 petals unfolding Sheila Jackman It seems more of a Kuro style haiku. It gives you a gloomy vibe when reading it. It also makes me think of what kind of life did this person live. Being at a grave doesn't always have to be negative. I think you can also associate it with the great person you once knew, and celebrate their life. Samantha Wahl |
2 head in the clouds Sheila Jackman |
3 twenty two chairs |
4 her beautiful nails Sheila Jackman Being a girl, I know this feeling of wanting fake nails all the time. When you get fake nails, you feel like a whole different person and the vibe changes. You use your hands so much that it's something that people notice first on a person. Since they are fake you are able to get them any size you would like with any design. For me personally I like getting my nails done because it makes me have more self confidence in myself. Riley Sawin I like this haiku as most girls are taught that being beautiful is important. This means getting dressed up, doing your hair, nail, and makeup. All of these things are seen physically but no one ever knows if it is all just for show. All the physical may be just fake. Delaney Manning |
5 splash water balloon |
6 inch by inch Sheila Jackman |
7 dog bowls |
8 they suffer Holly Schmidt |
9 old photographs Ally Banks |
10 in the graveyard Ally Banks |
11 trying on my favorite dresses Ally Banks |
12 witness to a death Holly Schmidt This haiku is so relevant to our culture and current events. Reading this haiku I instantly thought of the tragic death of George Floyd. There is so much police brutality and such a lack of compassion for human life within our government that the culture in our country has become filming brutality rather than calling for help so there is a record of what actually has happened. Realistically, the odds of justice being served to a police officer who abuses power is much better if their brutality is caught on tape and cannot be twisted by the officers. This haiku makes me sad because our country has come to a point where we cannot trust the people who are supposed to keep us safe and our instinct has transitioned from help to capture for accountability. It is truly heartbreaking but perfectly encapsulates the culture in our country. Ally Banks This haiku has a large impact in so little words. Today, the news tells outrageous stories and the media is used at great lengths. Many would say that they see people on their phone more than actually communicating face-to-face. It is sad that if a harmful event would occur people would take their phones out first rather than help the situation. Delaney Manning This haiku hits deep in the heart. With everything that has happened so far this year, it really broke my heart reading this piece. Knowing that there are people out there who refuse to jump in and save another human disgusts me. It's even more disgusting when that reasoning is because of the victim's skin color; the recorder would rather have likes and views on the internet than have morals. Although it is convenient to post videos in order to bring awareness, like in George Floyd's case (may he rest in peace). However, there is a fine line between using video as evidence and using it as an excuse not to intervene. Arianna Mergler |
13 dog prints Riley Sawin This haiku has been the epitome of my summer. I moved in with my friend at the Woods at Millikin, who has a dog. I love when I'm in my room and it's quiet, then all of a sudden, I hear “Jazzy, come.” Then footsteps followed by dog nails against the floor and the jingling of her collar. I gives me peace and solidarity knowing that a small furry creature lives here. Not only that, she is an ESA, which allows her to be more patient and willing to be pet, as well as she knows what to do when her owner or I are in distress. Dog cuddles are the best cuddles. Arianna Mergler |
14 dark clouds |
15 bikini season Liz Shipman This haiku explains a lot in what boys look for in a girl. I imagine it being summertime and they are at the pool swimming. A girl has her bikini on, and it is showing a lot of her skin drawing attention to her. Boys not having any respect for the girl watch her while she is swimming, she notices them looking but not at the important of her. There is a lot more that goes into liking someone and being mature enough to handle it. Riley Sawin This haiku is extremely relatable as I am a female myself. I hate how boys our age are only interested in a women's body rather than her personality or any other important characteristic. I imagine a high-school girl who is at the neighborhood pool party with all her friends from her class. Suddenly, all her guy friends start to drool over her. She wonders what caused the sudden attention and flirting going on. Then, she realizes she's half naked. Holly Schmidt |
16 moon |
17 finally working Liz Shipman I like 17. It made me laugh. I think this is someone who gets to go back to work now that things are slowly reopening. You're so eager to get back because being at home can be so boring. Then, once you're finally back, you realize you never liked working in the first place. Samantha Wahl This haiku hits home. I'm back to working at my retail job and to quote line 3, “it sucks”. During the first few months of COVID-19, my store was closed and I was honestly so bored at home that I wished we were open. Now that I'm back at work I'm wishing we were still closed or just doing curbside pickup. Working during a global pandemic is not fun. We wear masks, are constantly cleaning everything, and deal with the most annoying people on planet Earth (I truly believe this is not an exaggeration). I miss the regular days where it sucked a little less because things were at least normal. Ally Banks Upon reading this haiku, I know that the author feels the same kind of pain I currently am in after not doing anything for over 3 months. I'm a server, so I went from doing absolutely nothing to being on my feet and interacting with people for hours on end. It's a great workout, but when dance has ruined your body and you've had 2 knees surgeries, it gets old really quick. Also, I believe I'm introverted for the most part. Because of this, I tend to have a limited amount of time for social interaction before I can't do it anymore. Arianna Mergler |
18 summertime |
19 children giggle Tristan Birt |
20 broken tradition |
21 fashionista Tristan Birt Although I have always had office jobs, I have secretly dreamed of a career in high-end retail. Except for the dealing-with-the-public aspect, it sounds like fun. I do not envy retail workers! My hat is off to them, especially during the holidays. I love to shop, and I love clothes, shoes, and makeup. I would totally be “in” to an employee discount, but I'm afraid I might spend too much of my earnings on goodies from the store. So for those of you who get to do this, keep it up! You're looking good, girl! Sheila Jackman |
22 toes Robin Hodge |
23 rowing by Robin Hodge 23 was one of my favorites I read. It reminds me of when I go to my friends lake house. All of the houses surrounding are huge, one even has a helicopter pad. I can picture my friends and I passing these houses in a boat thinking we want one of these one day. Samantha Wahl |
24 in total darkness Anna Ernst |
25 quick! Arianna Mergler |
26 in the sky |
27 vivid dream Anna Ernst |
28 cold hand |
29 sitting down |
30 hours upon hours Arianna Mergler |
31 on the trampoline xxxxx |
32 tan skin Samantha Wahl I can relate to this haiku because I'm always out in the sun during summer. At the start of summer my skin is not used to being in the sun a lot. The first time after being outside I come home with a sun burn. As my skin starts to heel, it forms little sports where you can start peeling the dead skin off. It's one of the best feelings because you have a new layer of skin coming in and it always comes back tanner. Riley Sawin In this haiku I imagine a hot summers week I have been in the hot sun trying to get a tan. I finally have gotten a tan and my skin is peeling. I then will start to peel my skin until it is raw. Liz Shipman |
33 the calming sound |
34 jetski bouncing on the water |
35 he waves the flag Sheila Jackman This haiku recognizes the hardships freedom offers when relating to independence day. Not everyone is born free, especially if from another country other than America. Immigrants from all over the world come to America to get rights they may never have had. This haiku allows those people to be recognized and the great feeling when they know they are finally free. Delaney Manning |
36 perhaps tomorrow Sheila Jackman I like this haiku because of the cleverness of the words choice. I am so bad about procrastinating, especially when it comes to homework. I honestly feel that I work better under pressure, with a deadline. I often tell myself that I am not going to procrastinate with the next assignment, I may even prepare for it ahead of time but when it comes down to it, it is highly unlikely that I am going to get it completed before the due date. Anna Ernst This haiku makes me laugh at the fact that I relate to it. Once you start procrastinating, there's no going back. I imagine a college student who has homework due tomorrow, but instead of getting it done tonight, they decide to finish it before class in the morning. They lie down in bed wondering if tomorrow will be the day they get their shit together. Holly Schmidt |
37 lemon Robin Hodge This haiku makes me sad since so much of life has been canceled this year. Having grown up in Texas, I had never heard of a shake up until moving here nine years ago. There is nothing more refreshing than a lemon-strawberry shake up! Each time I have attended the Decatur Celebration and the Illinois State Fair, I have enjoyed this cold, sweet delicacy. I'm reminded of hours on end walking around the state fairgrounds, smelling the various foods, people watching, and enjoying life as a Midwesterner. I am really going to miss going this summer. Sheila Jackman |
38 break ups |
39 wake up Arianna Mergler |
40 sweet breeze nestles |
41 misty summer midnight Kathryn Bouxsein |
42 fourth of July Holly Schmidt |
43 small town Holly Schmidt This haiku brings back memories from my hometown. I live in a small town that has a huge firework display that lights up the sky. People come from all directions just to see our little towns fireworks. Liz Shipman |
44 picture on the wall Holly Schmidt This haiku is something I can definitely visualize. It seems that any picture that is uneven draws my attention and I just have to attempt to straighten it up. It amazes me that some pictures hang on the wall perfectly straight for years. Other pictures seem to lean to one side, no matter how many times you try to fix it. It's like the picture's way of showing us that it is supposed to be this way. Anna Ernst I like this haiku because it addresses a mundane concern, yet a common frustration. I'm reminded of times I have hung a picture on the wall, and everything looks fine. Then, once I sit down across the room, I see that it is crooked. Grrr! My husband and I have not always agreed on what is “level,” despite what the carpenter's level says. I have learned not to get too wrapped around the axel about hanging things on the walls. As long as it's not too disproportionate, I'm good. After a while, we don't even really see what is hung on our walls, so it is not a hill to die on. Sheila Jackman |
45 sticky popsicles Ally Banks |
46 new refrigerator box Ally Banks I love the creativity aspect of this haiku. It reminds me of being younger and getting a big box that you could ride around in. It was so much fun decorating it, hiding in it and imagining going places with it. I often think about kids today having too many toys or technology and not using their imaginations like we used to. I was quite pleased when my daughter asked if she could bring some empty boxes in from the back porch to play with. Anna Ernst |
47 hopping between couches Ally Banks I love this haiku because it brings me to back the good ole memories of being a kid. I love how wild our imagination runs as children. I imagine three siblings cooped up inside on a rainy day. They decide to play a game where they can't touch the floor because it's lava. Their mom hears belly laughs all the way upstairs. The movie on the television plays in the background as they jump from couch to couch afraid of the floor. Holly Schmidt |
48 canoeing |
49 Busch Lite Logan Allsup |
50 the night owls |
51 blood on the barbed wire |
52 long white t-shirt Delaney Manning |
53 clouds pass Delaney Manning I love how whimsical this haiku is. I imagine a young girl and her mother are laying on their backs on a picnic blanket watching the clouds. The little girl spots two clouds moving along together and determines they look like elephants doing a funny dance up in the sky. Her and her mother spend the beautiful day trying to find more shapes in the sky and embracing the peaceful quiet. Ally Banks |
54 first time celebrating |
55 long winding road Ally Banks |
56 tan lines |
57 relaxing in the sun |
58 click click click |
59 little chirps Ally Banks |
60 spark of light |
61 gloomy Liz Shipman It's dark outside I can see that it is about to rain. The storm hasn't come through yet but when you look out it just looks gloomy. You just know that the rain will hit soon because it just smells like it and the air feels cooler and different than when it isn't sunny out. Liz Shipman |
62 rude Liz Shipman |
63 driving Arianna Mergler |
64 Junior year |
65 peace— Arianna Mergler |
66 broad shoulders Arianna Mergler |
© 2020, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.