When I was small, my mom's side of the family would go up to my great uncle's house on Lake Michigan. All my aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents would go up there for a long weekend, and we would all stay at their house. While this made for a very crowded house, it also made for lots of memories. We would spend all day on the beach collecting shells and going for paddleboat rides with my grandparents. Near the end of the day, the whole family would pile up on the speedboat, and we would go for a quick spin around the lake. At night, we would get cleaned up while my mom, aunts, and grandma made dinner. Then we would all sit down for a huge feast. Some of my greatest memories are from those trips. I can still vividly see the sandy beach and the clothesline. I can picture my grandparents in their lawn chairs watching as my sisters and cousins and I played in the water.

playing in the sand
the sky turns orange
dinner bell!

September 11th, 2001 was a very tragic day for me, and I'm sure for the rest of the world as well. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the first World Trade Center on fire, the airplane crash into the second World Trade Center, and then the final collapse of both buildings. I remember the times when I was standing on top of the World Trade Center, and the joke my cousin and I shared about buying one floor of the World Trade Center to live in …all of these memories crashed with the twin towers.

The most distinct memory of my previous visits to the World Trade Center was in the summer of 2000. That time I was actually old enough to appreciate the scenery standing on top of this magnificent building. I remember getting on the very top of the world trade center looking downwards. The sea looked like a little creek, and all of the buildings where like toy houses not even the size of a matchbox. The best part was observing the busy car traffic from a hundred levels above. They looked like little ants marching beneath. The day when I went, due to it being in an early morning, there was a little fog on the top level. I stood on my toes and try to reach for the sky. When I touched the fog I received the satisfaction of touching the cloud. The experience was so amazing and it was a breathtaking experience to “be on top of the world,” that's how I felt anyways.

miniature artifacts beneath
standing on top of the city
I reach to touch the sky

Xiu Ying Zheng

I enjoyed the place haibun about Sept. 11. Since that day is so vivid in my mind and with the war going on, I felt connected this haibun. It must have been weird to visit the World Trade Center a year before the terrorist attacks. Also, I enjoyed how the author described how he/she was able to touch a cloud. The author was very descriptive of how everything looked from the tall skyscrapers, that the houses looked like toy houses and the people walking looked like ants. I really liked the haiku at the end because it went from miniature artifacts, to tall building, to the sky, which extends to infinity. —Miranda Baker

Clare College, part of Cambridge University in Cambridge, England has exquisite gardens. The gardens actually consist of large grassy areas surrounded by flowers.  The grass is perfectly cut. You can see the rows in which it was cut.  No one could walk on the grass except for fellows (a name for the professors with high status). There is not one weed in sight throughout the area. The diversity of the flowers is amazing in numbers. The colors jump out from the bright green grass and leaves. Yellow, red, blue, purple, and every other color is represented somewhere. There are also other elements to accentuate the garden.  A bench or a pond is often found in the middle of the grass areas. The precision of these gardens is breath taking. 

flowers in bloom
around freshly cut grass
Garden of Eden

Lauren Taylor (2)

Toes dangling over the edge of the canyon, the gentle breeze tickles my face as a drop of sweat slowly creeps down my back, carving its path between my shoulder blades.  Exhausted from the hike, I sigh deeply, inhaling the scent of red clay and dust.  A miniature tree, over one thousand feet below me, clings to the canyon wall with its tiny roots, as if terrified of losing its grip and crashing into the river below.  Faintly in the distance, the rush of water sings a lullaby to the sun as it quietly descends behind a wall of red earth.  A chill night wind replaces the warmth of the desert sun, and a shiver tiptoes up my spine.  As the dark of night slowly devours the beauty of the canyon, the rushing sound of the river seems to grow louder, and I pull my toes away from the edge, tucking them beneath me for warmth. 

old wooden staff
the traveler's home
...on his back

Bri Hill (11)

I wasn't sure what a haibun was until I heard some examples in class on Wednesday, but the author of this haibun had a good idea when they wrote this.  I liked the prose especially in this haibun.  The author used several adjectives to describe the feeling they were experiencing.  It was not a commentary of what was happening, but rather description of the feeling.  This allowed the reader to imagine the feeling and experience the atmosphere of being out in the desert.  We know they are near a canyon, and they are experiencing heat as well, but they take it further yet and describe multiple other events in the canyon. —Aaron Meyer

I think this haibun is the best of the bunch. It covers a lot of the characteristics of a good haibun that were discussed in class. First of all, this haibun creates a vivid picture in the reader's mind. With the use of adjectives and other descriptive words, it is very well written. Also, the author does not share his/her thoughts or feelings. It is simply puts you were the author is in a certain point in time. I especially like all of the verbs used: "carving its path between my shoulder blades," "inhaling the scent of red clay and dust," "devours the beauty of the canyon."  Finally, this haibun reaches all of the senses. That too, is an important characteristic for a haibun. I also thought the haiku at the end of the prose was well written. It added a little more to the story that maybe wasn't apparent to the reader before. —Stacey Orr

Other than nearly mirroring my experience in the southwest last summer I think what I really enjoyed about this haibun is the line, “A miniature tree, over one thousand feet below me, clings to the canyon wall with its tiny roots, as if terrified of losing its grip and crashing into the river below.”  I too noticed that the trees on the insides of canyons usually had their root structures sticking out in places.  I loved the personification that they gave the poor little tree.  I think that the haiku itself is really good too.  It adds to the hiking part of the prose giving the image a little more character.  “Travelers home on his back” is also very good because I’ve had to carry one of those large backpacks that are supposed to carry everything you need to survive a hike that will last a few days. —Amy Soderberg

There used to be a small and simple resort on a lake among the hills and bluffs of the Ozarks.  The road that led to it was narrow and thrilling with all its' hills and unexpected curves; tall rocky bluffs lined one side of the road and miniature waterfalls trickled down the cracks when it rained.  Pulling into the resort was a huge thrill; the boat trailer would bounce behind us as we came to a stop at the owners house.  Dad would hop out of the van to go check in as I sat impatiently in the back seat, already itching to jump in the clear water of the pool.  There was a row of modest but comfortable cabins along a gravel road.  At the end of the row sat a boat dock that rose and fell with the water height.  Huge and intricate spider webs hung in the corners of the dock and would glisten like strands of diamonds in the morning dew.  The air smelled of river fog and fish, but yet clean*somehow lighter in the lungs.  Hot afternoons were spent at the pool or on the boat exploring quiet coves and catching fish for dinner.  My tiny hands would constantly try to catch a shinny minnow or a slimy tadpole*but they'd always slip through my fingers.  Humid evenings were full of Frisbee games, loud bursts of laughter, beer and the smells of grilled fish and potatoes.  My little brother and I were never so happy as when we were free to search the river bank for animal footprints or stay in the pool till we were pruny from the water and rosy with the heat of the sun.  The days always flew by faster then we expected them to and when the day would come to load up the van and head home the weather would always be glorious; teasing us to stay longer or take one last swim or one last boat ride.  Just twenty minutes down the road and the past week of fun would seem like a dream, so distant and unreal.  The thought of home would seem so unappealing that I'd just go to sleep in the back seat with the hope that I could dream myself back our little rented cabin, back to the sparkling lake.  Now our quiet resort is gone; sold and remolded into something else.  The string of summers spent at the lake seem even more unreal now.  I miss those family vacations and carefree summers, so now I go to sleep and hope to dream myself back to childhood. 

on the bluff      
       an eagle's nest,      
dad catches another fish   

cold, clear water
I watch the fish
swim under my toes

Jennifer Griebel

It was amazing to stand on top of this castle that overlooks a city of 2 million people.  The lights extended forever and it wasn't so far up that you couldn't tell what was going on either, so that was nice.  You could also see out into the ocean on the other side of the castle.  This castle was in Lisbon, Portugal and it was amazing to visit an ancient castle such as this one.

enormous ancient castle
elevated atop the mound
miniature city lights

Aaron Meyer

I liked this haibun compared to the others for a few reasons. One, there is no I or me found in the haibun at all, while many others did. I enjoyed being placed on the top of this mountain overlooking a city. In the description, I was able to place myself in a European setting, rather than America. The haiku really captures the image that the description is trying to portray.

Paul Schershel

I have so many childhood memories of Legion Park in my hometown, Watseka, Illinois.  I only lived 3 blocks from the park, so as I was growing up, my parents were comfortable with me walking or riding my bike there.  This park was big for a small town like Watseka.  It had 3 baseball/softball diamonds, a playground area, and the local swimming pool.  When I was younger, I would go there everyday during the summer.  Whether it be for a swim or getting my friends together for a game of softball, I would go to the park from sun-up to sun-down.  Throughout junior high, softball was my life.  I would eat, sleep, and live softball.  So, everyday I would go to the park to either practice or for a game.  I would also go and watch other teams play.  Finally, I was in high school, and although I went to the park for different reason, the park was still the place to be.  Since my town was small and boring, everyone would drive around at night, and then congregate at the park, just to hang out.  The police would come and ask us to leave, but every night, we would come back.  I don't know what it was about this park, but it like my second home. 

afternoon in the park
the cracking sound
my first homerun

My old house was the first, and only, house my parents built together.  I can remember this house from the first day of construction, to the frame of the house, to the final product.  I can remember picking out the colors of carpet and paint for my bedroom and being so excited about the front yard and steep hill in the backyard.  This house gave me many childhood memories from first grade through fifth.  

first family home
new beginnings
with new friends

Every year during the summer, I spent most of my time at my grandfather’s lake.  My family would arrive early afternoon and stay until sundown.  At the lake, we would lay out in the sun, swim, play in the sand.  In the middle of the lake, there was an island.  My friends and I would try to swim to the island but we never did make it.  We would always end up getting to tired and swim back to shore.   

off the dock
landing in
the inner tube

The best time at the lake was on the Fourth of July because my entire immediate family would come to celebrate.  We would have a huge cookout, sit around in lawn chairs, play volleyball, and swim.  At dark, we would pick our spot to watch the fireworks. 

fireworks—
boom, vibrate colors
off the water

I remember sitting with my baby sister Carly, the youngest in my family, while my mother was getting ready to change her, just starring at this little face and wondering what she was going to look like when she grew up, and if she was going to like me. I remember my sister Susie and I where very upset with my mother for having a girl, we wanted a baby brother so bad we could taste it, however sitting with Carly set all of those thoughts aside, and all I could think of was everything that I had to teacher my younger sister, because after all I was, and still am, 7 years older than she is and was much wiser than she! I was upset with the attention she had been receiving because she was only a baby, it wasn't like she could do anything fun, but when I saw her smile in my arms my heart melted, and I didn't want to put her down. She is a clone of her older sister, that being me, and the joy of my life. I couldn't imagine her not being a part of our family or my life. 

the baby
embraced in her arms
smiles
for the first time 

as the clouds clear
the reflection upon the water
is endless . . .

Chrissy Hulse

the baby
embraced in her arms
smiles
for the first time

First of all I think that this haiku is very good on its own, without the haibun paragraph. But, reading the prose that goes with it made it all that much more special.  I too have a sibling that is seven years younger than I, and I can relate to everything the author talks about. I feel that same connection with my little brother and this haiku really captures that feeling for me. It's very simple, but creates a feeling of warmth and love. —Jennifer Griebel

I really liked Chrissy's haibun mostly because I could relate to it.  Even though the prose was not similar to Basho's style, it still conveyed effectively both the actions and the emotions of the story Chrissy was trying to tell.  The following haiku, however, was what really grabbed me.  The word "embraced" is what I like the best, because it carries with it a feeling of both love and protection, which is echoed in the prose.  I also enjoy this haiku because it reminds me of the day my little sister came home, more blankets than anything, and I was the first one to hold her.  Since she was a foster child, she was already three months old, so when I looked into her little monkey face for the first time she already had a smile for me.  Now, of course, I can't stand her, but Chrissy's haiku captures the sentiment that I felt at that time. —Alyson Ludek

Usually during stressful periods of life I, like others, need to release stress. I like to be alone and making all the decisions without conflict or hassles from others. Often I need to drown out my thoughts by the radio. To be on an open road with the wind blowing through my hair without a care in the world can relieve many stresses.   

radio blasting
windows down
a drive to escape

When I was a child my grandparents owned a house on Sunset Lake in Girard, IL. The water of this lake was a deep murky green, so cloudy that you could only see through it for less than a foot before everything dissolved into darkness. Families of ducks would ride the short, choppy waves created by passing fishermen's boats and the longer, deeper waves made by the few pontoon boats that lived on the lake. My sister and I would try to make the creatures of the lake our friends, capturing minnows, soft-shelled turtles, frogs, snails, and tadpoles to be our pets for the weekend. My grandfather would indulge this game, fashioning nets out of hangers and netting and loaning us his big white bait buckets in which to house our little prisoners. Towards the back corner of the lake was a concrete fortress of some kind, near which my father was fabled to have caught an extraordinary amount of fish in his youth. At the other end of the lake was a driftwood forest, filled with ghostly sunken trees and the flapping of crow's wings. My grandparents sold the lake house after I graduated from high school, a somber end to my childhood. 

weathered deck
a snapper's shell
its decoration

Tonight, my boyfriend and I went to the Bourbon Barrel with some friends to play pool.  I don’t play pool, so I usually just sit and watch and get much more drunk than anyone else because I have nothing else to do.  And that happened again tonight: I sat and drank a lot and they played pool, which can get sort of boring when everybody else is evolved in their game.  So I wrote some haiku to pass the time, mostly about the little things I noticed in my boredom.  

full glass of beer
small bubbles race
to the surface

tuesday night
four empty pitchers
i think about homework

mesmerized
by a beer sign
through the bottom of my glass 

A Decatur bar also proves to be a great place to "people watch,"one of my favorite pass times. There were several interesting subjects this evening, all looking like they spend quite a bit of time in the bar. I decided to write some haiku about these people, using my imagination about the reason they are at the bar (and not the real reason, which is probably because they are drunks and this particular bar had the cheapest bottles on Tuesday). 

stood up again
another quarter
in the poker machine

no place else to go
a love novel
read at the bar 

a quick wrist snap
nine ball—corner pocket
Nice Shot! 

A mechanical d.j. changes the song.

Each summer, I would go over to my grandma and grandpa's farm in Indiana.  Since I was young at the time, and too small, I would usually end up being the person driving the tractor or riding along.  We would go up and down the hay fields while all of my grandpa's neighbor's would help put hay on the wagon.  I use to always enjoy riding down the highway at his side.  We would go down the highway until we entered the barn.  Once in the barn, I remember some of the most memorable conversations with my grandpa and cousin.  I had a lot of respect for grandpa after seeing all of those people always willing to help him.

grandpa's rusty tractor
neighbors gather
to collect hay bails

Paul Schershel (4)

I really enjoyed this haiku, and the preceding prose of this haibun.  The reason I enjoyed this one, because it instantly created a scene for the reader, and placed them right out at "grandma and grandpa's" just being outside and helping around with chores. I particularly liked the haiku to follow, it was very comical, and at the same time completely enjoyable.  "grandpa's rusty tractor" really gets me, because my grandpa doesn't own any new tractors, just old ones he likes to repair. This haibun just gives me a great, warm idea of what it was like to help out at grandma and grandpa's house being little. —Julie Forehand

One of my favorite memories with my family, have been family vacations.  One of the most vibrant memories I have, was when we visited the Hawaiian Islands. Even if it was overcast during the day, there would always be a clear, majestic sunset over the ocean at night. I will never forget standing on the front of our cruise ship, not a light around, watching hundreds of shooting stars streaking through the sky.  Just the awe of the sky, and the many wonders it holds, really is amazing*you really don't relate to what really is up there, until you experience firsthand. 

UP in the sky
the only star
the sun

In the gulf of Mexico, half way down Florida's coast is a place I travel to get away from it all. On spring break, or whenever, it is my grandmother's place. A small town full of retired people enjoying life.

slow subtle sunset
a cool night's breeze
sipping a margarita

I live about 25 minutes away from Starved Rock State Park, so I often visit the park with my friends. Starved Rock is a beautiful place to visit. There are many trails with beautiful sites. There are cliffs and waterfalls. When I go there with my friends, there is this one place that we always go to. This place is off the main trails, which you aren't supposed to go off of, but this is our secret place to go to. This place is on a cliff up high above the river. There is a big sandstone rock that is carved out through the middle, which makes a nice shelter. We go here to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. We also bring our instruments along to place music. We all have our names carved into the rocks, along with others that have found this place. I call it our secret sanctuary. I love going here because it is so beautiful and peaceful.

Starved Rock
off-trail…
secret sanctuary

revised version:

Starved Rock State Park is place close to home you can go to get away from city life, and enjoy some very different scenery. Starved Rock is a giant Sandstone rock along the Illinois River, and at the park there is a beautiful lodge and cabins where you can stay. There are many trails to hike that lead to cliffs overlooking the river, and canyons with beautiful waterfalls. In the winter the waterfalls freeze as the water falls to the bottom, and eventually it creates a giant icicle all the way to the top of the canyon. The are wooden paths built into the trails, with stairs going up and down hills, but the most fun is going off the marked trails.   

we cut off
the wooden path
secret sanctuary

Jared Stahl (3)