stuck in the house
too many girls
laughter all night

can’t hold it in
someone peed their pants

final lock-in
senior angels
shedding a tear

not enough beds
where will I sleep?

gossiping girls
a looming gas
who farted?

as we part ways
memories forever

                      Lace and Air

little girl's bedroom
  barbie and ken
the perfect love

    crying on the playground
    he spit in her braids

spin the bottle with friends
   i cut his lip . . .
              I hate my braces!

     finally home from another blind date
     a new message from an old friend

an evening walk
the kiss, good night
possibilities swirl in her head

     thrown rice floats
     in the champaign flute

I liked the Lace and Air rengay.  I think it is fun and "girlie."  The author hit several milestones in a girl's life as she ages.  I remember playing with barbies, spin the bottle, going on dates.  I like how the author connected the rengay by having each link a different memory of this girl's life— from childhood to young adulthood. —Miranda Baker

nearing midnight
a once lonely apartment
begins to fill

    friends enjoy
    last drinks of the night

everyone agrees
late night run
hardee’s french fries

    cramped in the backseat
    in line for the drive-thru
    too long to wait

the immaculate hunger
never met

door is unzipped
dew covers the ground
as the birds sing of morning

       bright sun
       climbing above the trees 

screaming whistle
echoes endlessly
through the sky

       smoke grows
       and fills the air 

smells of bacon
tickle our noses
dad cooks breakfast 

       full day ahead
       nothing to do

I like this rengay because it tells a story that takes little turns yet remains focused on events happening.  I can totally picture a typical morning in the woods after camping.  I like how the scene is cleary set in the first portion by letting us know they're in a tent.  That then helps to paint the full picture of the birds singing and nature all around but still leaves a lot up to the readers' imagination.  The rengay really tugs at the senses.  I can hear the birds, see the smoke, and smell the mixture of smoke and bacon.  It reminds me a lot of going camping with my family as a child and I think that is was really makes it for me. —Courtney Ruffner

I like this rengay because it really appeals to the senses, and it moves in order nicely. I can almost picture waking up in a tent, unzipping the door, and walking out into the fresh morning air in the woods. I love that feeling whenever I go camping. The ground is wet, the birds are chirping in the background, and the fire is still smoking. When you wake up in the morning you know you have nothing to do but relax and enjoy nature. —Jared Stahl

     First Spring Day

first spring day
winter salt
still on the ground

     cool evening
     lovers chat on the porch

lace curtain
flutters
with the wind

     nearby
     a pair of songbirds chirping

hidden—
mating grasshoppers
enjoy their privacy

     love fills the night air
     first spring day

I particularly liked this Rengay because of its variety in links. It didn't concentrate on only one sort of extended scene, but it also managed to come full circle, which I also enjoyed. Although most rengay tend to be more open ended, which can be nice, I still feel that this sort of closure to the poem had a pretty unique effect.

My favorite link from this rengay was the first one. Refering to the winter salt still on the sidewalk, it gave me a sense of excitement and newness with the rebirth and reawakening of the earth. Then, when the link is added to that, I really got a sense that the with the lovers' chat, they experienced a sort of rebirth of their love. Perhaps they had been fighting earlier, and now they are sitting on the porch simply enjoying the beauty of the evening...finally at peace with one another as well. After surviving the fight, they feel even closer to one another now. Additionally, I liked the switch from implied first person narration in the first link to a third person approach.

My second favorite link is the final one. What I really enjoyed about it was the switch from the solely nature based image of grasshoppers mating to an implied human presence with the use of the word "love." After reading about the mating ritual of the grasshoppers, when the word love appears in the following link, my mind immediately brought that same idea of mating and rebirth into the human concept of love...connecting the life of humans closely with their natural surroundings and the universe. —Bri Hill

I liked this rengay because of the word choice and images, except for the last link, which I think is too abstract and almost cliché. However, I enjoy the juxtaposition of the lovers on the porch and the lace curtains fluttering in the wind, as well as the mating grasshoppers. However, I think the initial haiku is the strongest piece of this rengay, as the remaining winter salt on the ground speaks of a past, of a bitterness still present under the shiny patina of spring. I almost wish this were included further in the piece. Again, I enjoyed this rengay. The fourth link is great as well because it is very simple, very explanatory, without metaphoric flair. —Ryan Jones

together
we stare silently
at the sky 

      a cool breeze
      blows across our skin 

we say nothing
yet
we know everything 

      a deep gaze
      into your eyes
      lets me know 

a mist
begins to fall

      slowly
      our hands and hearts
      become one

i really enjoyed this one because of its play with words and the inner-twinning of words that suggest a certain passion between the two suggested in the rengay. the play of words really works out well with this particular rengay..."silently" "cool breeze" "skin" "gaze" "mist"....you can almost feel the night and the slow, nervous actions between the persons. this created a very clear picture that worked out well for the story line of the rengay. —Tricia Scholl

              Indoor Sunshine

rainy Saturday
one puzzle piece
on the living room floor

          rain patters on window
          falls to deaf ears

ignoring the gloom
we make . . .
indoor sunshine

          laughing hard
          as we grow hungry
          crinch crunch of chips

video game muted
Zeppelin instead of Zelda

          rain stops
          lone piece found
          puzzle done

waves crashing
just her and I
watching the sun fade

   laying in the back seat
   sandy beach towels

scenic theater
the graceful dancers
keep the audience in awe

   her head rests comfortably
   on his shoulder

gazing into her eyes
his eyes twinkle
just like the stars above

   blanket in the grass
   plenty of mosquitos

I like how this haiku starts out as a blissful moment between two people on a beach, and ends with two lovers frustrated on a blanket in a pasture.  Many of the links at the beginning are content links that set the scene for us, and the last link is a scent link that allows us to feel emotion of frustration and pain with mosquitoes.  There is also, I think, a deeper message here relating to love.  At times, love can be completely blissful and peaceful while watching a sunset. At other times, love can be full of pain and frustrations that constantly sting and poke at us.  We cannot control the events that occur around us, but can be aware of what is happening.  This haiku did a wonderful job of provoking thought on love. —Paul Schershel

       Ebb and Flow

red checkered blanket
we smile
over watermelon wedges

tiny fingers weave
her dandelion crown

still pond
red salamander
peeking between stones

hollow reeds whistle
rippled water

baby's first swim
two orange floaties
in the surf

dissolving sand
between spread toes

I really like the content of this Rengay.  All the verses go together just enough to unite it as one, but each can easily stand alone.  It gives a very peaceful feeling of simple pleasures and innocent moments.  Without saying so, the Rengay gives a clear feeling of summer as well.  The linking is well down in a way that the reader's train of thought can easily carry over to the next verse, but yet the thought still changes just enough to keep the reader interested.  The last thing I really like about this Rengay is the title.  It's a very appropriate title and yet it captures the imagination so well without giving away the meaning of the Rengay.  I know how hard it is to pick a good title, so I thought I should mention how well this one works. —Jennifer Griebel

I really liked Ebb and Flow. This rengay presented many wonderful images. I especially liked the smile over watermelon wedges. And the dissolving sand between toes image is wonderful too! I really enjoyed this haiku. —Candace Golden

round and silver
diamond ring
sparkles in the sun

under a faux gucci hat
she glowers

she pulls her sweater close
cold wind
breaks through the fabric

she walks down the street
wind blowing through her hair

twirling another’s
eye candy
on her finger

sudden autumn clouds bring
heavy raindrops

         Strolling

Spring day
strolling
through the park

I walk farther
breeze on my back

puffy clouds
Winnie the Pooh
emerging child within

hopscotch
to be 10 again

back to those days
no cares
fond thoughts of yonder

reality
back to work I go...

a sharp pain
two Tylenol
smile about yesterday

an empty case of Bud Light
on the floor

cotton balls
in my mouth
just found my camera

a whippoorwill outside
my window

walking outside
the bright sun
hunger pains

the Taco Bell sign
draws nearer

watching from afar
as children
celebrate summer sun

friends together
in the backyard

fragrant smoke
billows upward
rusted barbeque grill

clinking of ice
in the lemonade glass

squeaky screen door
flies open
summer breeze

playing outside
until the streetlights go on

cobblestone steps
stacked up—
uneven doorway

giant oak tree
cracking foundation
haunted.

damp floorboards
underneath
. . . her picture

precious yearbooks
cast aside
watered by the air conditioner

stained by the blades
of green—
my new jeans!

new rollerblades
worn once
before the fall

playful tug
on the bottom
of her leg…blood

missing paramedics
she smoothes
my hair

crowded hospital
room, full of
all her friends

endless nights
my hand in hers
devoted

face in my pillow
the buzzing
of the clock

   stretch to snooze
   I slap her
   arm . . . instead

drowsy eyes
without waking
he kisses my forehead

   sun on my eyelids
   I jump out of bed
   three hours late

sprinting to every
lab, on campus,
printers . . . ink-less

   muttering a curse
   a girl in Red Shoes
   gives me a dirty look

ready to turn in my paper
I brought
the wrong folder

   Presentation Day—
   everyone gawks
   what was I thinking?

slippery words
snarled & tangled
around my tongue Ring

I liked this rengay the most because I could relate to it, it reminded me of my boyfriend, and it combined humor with reality and love. It followed a story but not so much that each haiku couldn't stand on it's own. The links worked well too, I thought. The second link seems like a content link. First the reader gets the image of a forehead. In the next haiku, the face imagery is continued with eyelids. And even before this link, there is reference to an arm. I like how the rengay takes you over the body, and then through this particular "body's" day of struggling to get things done. —Michele LaBrose

leaving in the car
the window rolls
only half down.

sweatshirt put away
sandals unveiled

rebirth on trees
birds gather twigs
eggs laid.

freshly cut grass
carries with the wind.

freshly squeezed lemonade
poured into cups
just their size.

catching the Frisbee
the wind rolls on down the sand.

I really enjoyed this rengay, because it instantaneously made me think I was on a  beach. Then, as the rengay progressed the visuals just started getting more vivid for me.  I think my favorite haiku was the freshly squeezed lemonade—right away, you can almost see the pulp from the freshly squeezed juice.  Then, right after that line—poured into cups, just their size, I automatically thought of a little person; however, it could have been taken to mean anyone at all.  Overall, I think this is a great haiku with it's linking, and how the visuals play off of each other so well.  Good job! —Julie Forehand

          The Process
 
girlfriend's apartment
i introduce a new world
of haiku
 
       nostrils flared
       i probe him for ideas
 
my fuse shortens
as she floods the air
with questions
 
       no words
       the  tv and the dryer
       distract us
 
10 minutes past tired
she talks to the tv
keeping me from sleep

I really liked this one for its conversational tone.  As I’m reading it, I feel the annoyance of the boyfriend trying to explain haiku as quickly as possible and the confusion of the girlfriend who isn’t getting the information she thinks she needs to write haiku.  I think what I like most about this is that this is exactly how I feel sometimes when I’m trying to explain something to someone.  This is like a calm fight they are having and they’re expressing it through the haiku. —Amy Soderberg

The haiku that I liked the best was “The Process”.  I really enjoyed this haiku because it is exactly what happened when I tried explaining haiku to my rengay partner.  I tried to help him feel comfortable with any ideas he had.  The problem came when I always wanted to edit his suggestions.  He eventually started asking me if it was all right to talk about a certain idea.  He had gotten really frustrated with the process but he kept trying.  The authors of this rengay had a great idea and expressed it really well. —Lauren Taylor

the toddle sneezes
squeezing the fur
of his first kitty

     half eaten cookie sits on the table
     a filmy, empty sippy-cup, its only companion

a firefly
catches eyes
with the cat

     a page turns in the breeze
     the coloring book, his crayola world

coos from the child
the restless cat
breaks free

     a mute t.v. talking about war
     the cat kicks a crayon as it scampers

spring beginning
rainbows in raindrop
falling from her hair

tree blossoms
on the old campus

familiar grey squirrel
under the bench
puddle grows closer

early Saturday afternoon
game of mud football

friendly scuffle
victory
lone white t-shirt

under railroad bridge
car stauls in deep water

        Spring

the sun’s rays . . .
slowly melt
away the snow

mirrored wings flutter
through the air

the barren field
extends for miles
a glimpse of purple

alone in the field
the butterfly rests

finding comfort
six tiny feet
the petal holds . . .

a new season
life awakens

I chose this rengay because I was in a very spring-ish mood.  I like the attention to color in this rengay, for example "a glimpse of purple" and "mirrored wings."  To me, this conjures up images of translucent color and the delicate nature of butterfly wings.   I also like that this rengay depicts an event and the idea of rebirth as opposed to trying to capture an emotion.  I also like the commonality of the subjects; they are all small objects.  For example, the "glimpse" and the butterfly as well as the petal.  I think this is a wonderful rengay for the season; it made me excited for full spring. —Erin Osmus

           Pool Hall

cue ball
colored orbs scatter
across green felt

Arcade games glowing
bets placed

smoke-filled air
amongst friends
a game of cutthroat

suspended lights wobble
a beer is spilled
the young one won the game

excitement of victory
a round of beer on me

the jukebox plays on
table time is over
the next group sets the rack

        Parting Doors

rushing to the platform
hands jerk
along the handrail

small vibrations
human migration to a yellow line

a small headlight
suddenly becomes
a silver speeding wall

parting doors reveal
the face of anticipation

like a fallen pepper shaker
the mass scatters
along the pavement

bodies pass bodies
like bumper cars

under the watchful eye
of a shampoo model…
the long ride home

       The Spring Sun

head slowly falls
on the terry cloth towel
new spring day

       hot pink toe nails
       slip on sandals

blue birds sing
baby oil
my sun soaked skin

       bikini clad girls
       cars honk as they go by

sand between my toes
cool breeze
daiquiri in hand

       sunglasses on
       checking out the boys

giggling with the girls
sun fades away
wait for tomorrow

overcast afternoon
as she walks to class
the first drop lands on her nose

serene lake
interrupted by rain drops

the tulip bends
from the weight
of morning dew

singing in the rain
her yellow raincoat

morning walk
my dog licks
wet grass

the rain lessens enough
to see the rainbow

I would have to say that this rengay is my favorite. It does a nice job or telling a bit of a story, switching between a peaceful scene and a person, and just evoking emotion. I read this poem and can't help but feel “serene” like the lake. It is a good feeling. We usually associate rain with sadness or a bad day, but here, rain is something that is fun, playful, beautiful, and tranquil. All of these emotions are well thought out and well conveyed. Plus, as if there is not enough emotion through the poem, we get a wonderful ending line in which we get to see a rainbow, giving the pessimist a ray of light in the storm, and for those of us who like the wonderful emotional range already given to the storm, the rainbow just helps to reinforce that. —Christopher Bronke