moonlight night
barefoot on the beach
dancing cheek to cheek
 
endless drive
watching the sun
set and rise

Stacey Orr (5)

I like this haiku because I could relate to this experience clearly.  A couple years ago during summer vacation we took a road trip from Decatur to New York City.  The entire drive was about 14 hours.  We left before the sun rise and didn't arrive until after sun set.  We spent so much time in the car that it's unreal.  But when we arrive in New York City, it was all worth it! —Xiu Ying Zheng

This haiku was my favorite because of a couple of things.  One was because I know how this driver must have felt, having done this before myself. My sophomore year in college there was a  huge group of us that took a road trip to Florida. I was one of the main drivers since we were taking my moms mini-van. So I got to see the sun set and rise, on our first leg of the trip. Another reason I liked this is because I didn’t go anywhere this spring break, and I like to laugh at those who did that drive because it was very tiring and all you want to do is sleep because you feel sooooo drained. —Liz Hattan

a dinner cruise
almost lost
my lunch

hauling my luggage
stranger's hand...
on my ass

Bri Hill (4)

midnight bus ride
curious eyes peek
from behind the gray cushion

wooden path
a tiny lizard
darts across my toe

Bri Hill

I like this one because it reminds me of being in florida for the first time of my life and remember seeing lizards for the first time running everywhere and my brothers and i were trying to catch them.  just brought back some old memories. —Nate Carden

night rain
muddy sneakers slip
on wet grass

crowded bus station
a stranger's voice
interrupting her tears

swollen eyes
my t-shirt still stained
with his tears

Bri Hill

swollen eyes
my t-shirt still stained
with his tears
i smell him
on my sleeve

capped by Mary Reed

last night
before we separate
. . . endless kiss

Julie Forehand

I picked this one as my favorite because I think it does a nice job of capturing that moment.  We have all been there before.  Our significant other is leaving us, or we are leaving them and we just don't want to let go.  We just stay in each others arms, holding one another and kissing for what seems to be forever.  Well, this poem does a great job of capturing that and the reason why is the ellipse.  It really helps to make the feeling of endlessness last forever. —Chris Bronke

last night
before we separate
...endless kiss
the floral aromas of spring
fill my head

cap by Candace Golden

deep sleep—
awoken by
a wet, slobbery kiss

fragrant flower shop
I pick something out
. . . this will make him smile

10 different colored pills
each one, taken
for something else

he lays in bed
silently . . .
grandma teary-eyed

spring day
smell of the kiln
all around campus

spring break's end
i catch myself calling
campus home

Jessica May (4)

coffee shop
outside, a newspaper
    turns itself

Jessica May (7)

I really liked this haiku. I like the punctuation in the second line. This image seems to be very quiet and very slow, almost in slow-motion. The colors would seem to be very dull too. I don't get a spring image from this more of a fall image, but I still really enjoy it. —Candace Golden

streetlights...
a mother
calls them home

the child watches
the dog watching
her sandwich

Jessica May (8)

van ride home
the silence
speaks for us

Jessica May

I like this spring break haiku because it really tells the story of my spring break. We had so much fun that we were all dead tired and just lost in the memories of the week. Sometimes you don't need to talk to bond with friends. —Bill Flowers

pounding rain
i watch
his mouth move

Jessica May (5)

This was my favorite from the kukai because personally when I listen to people speak, I cannot usually fully understand or hear them unless I’m looking at their face or mouth.  Especially when I’m in a loud room I use the movement of their mouth paired with the context of what I can hear to get everything that they are saying.  The image that I get from this haiku is a couple sitting on the front porch of a house or underneath an overhang at an outdoor restaurant table watching the rainfall and talking.  Because of the storm being so loud due to heavy rain and thunder she has to watch his mouth move to get all of the words that he’s saying. 

pounding rain
I watch
his mouth move
the waitress
adds coffee to my cup

response & cap by Amy Soderberg

riding off into sunset
i keep count of
the roadkill

showering
 without sandals
  home...

Jessica May (7)

frisbees
           in the air
music fills the background
     spring is here!

sparkling water
peaceful wild ducks
until I pitched in a piece of      bread

Xiu Ying Zheng (3)

stuck indoors     all day
I ask the customer:
how’s the weather outside?

Xiu Ying Zheng (2)

large water spots
covered his jacket
the storm finally came

untouched      textbooks
empty                desk
        spring break

Xiu Ying Zheng (6)

sudden down pour
too late for umbrella
     charge      for the car

rolling over
1 p.m. flashing on the clock
rolling back
         over

an empty house
all to myself
. . . sanity

Chrissy Hulse (3)

the warmth
of the sun
from an artificial bed

waking up
on the cold
porcelain floor
m e m o r y
b
l
u
r
r
e
d

spring morning
I shave my legs
for no one 

Alyson Ludek (10)

long drive home
spring sun warms
only one arm 

Alyson Ludek (8)

This haiku does a wonderful job of setting a scene and allowing the reader to recall an experience or image.  I remember one time when I was real young sitting in the passenger seat with the sun coming through the window to my right knee.  I had been on a fishing trip all weekend and was sun-burnt.  So it really hurt for the sun to constantly be beating down at the one side because it was by the window.  —Paul Schershel

back home
the grass suddenly
green 

Alyson Ludek (3)

alone at night
I sleep with the phone
just in case 

Alyson Ludek (7)

ex-boyfriend
his sideburns
not the only change

Alyson Ludek (4)

7am flight
a talker sits . . .
next to me

Lauren Taylor (3)

This is one of my favorite haiku from the kukai. I picture myself on a plane sitting in my seat next to the window. All of a sudden, an older woman sits down beside me claiming her seat. Although I know she is just trying to be friendly, she will not stop talking and asking me questions. I feel trapped in my seat and this conversation. This is one of my fears every time that I fly alone. I think everyone can relate to this haiku. There is a "talker" on every plane ride!

7 am flight
a talker sits . . .
next to me
I pretend
to fall asleep

response & cap by Stacey Orr

one week apart
the reunion is
awkward

•

lying

           down

     wherever

  the

sun

              reaches

time to go home
my friends—
               gone! 

I ask "what?!"
as you grab
my butt 

first motorcycle ride
I grip him tighter
as the beach flies by

bringing home seashells
for the one
          I left behind

massive waves
crashing down
on the beach

the sun sets
around us
the ocean quietly ripples

Spring break—
40 hour work week
no break at all

wedding day
my niece rises—
a rose for her new mom 

wedding reception
a bad Jerry Springer episode
the bride cries...

Courtney Ruffner (1)

peaceful night sky
safe at home
embraced in love

alone
candles illuminate
her empty side of the bed 

chilled breeze seeps
through the screen
paralyzed by lonely shivers

Chris Bronke (2)

This haiku really evoked my senses when I read it.  I can totally relate to the picture it created in my mind.  There were several times over spring break when I couldn't sleep and would go sit on the floor by the screen door with my cat and just think.  I knew that all of my friends were out having fun and I was at home alone with noone but the cat.  Although it was generally nice outside during the days, it did get chilly at night and I do remember getting the chills while sitting by the door.  Sometimes they would overcome me so much that I actually felt paralyzed.  The subtle descriptiveness of this haiku is what really made it for me and I liked that. —Courtney Ruffner

ice cold beer
i sit and stare
out at nothing 

Chris Bronke (6)

staring in her eyes
we laugh though
the night

crowded beach
beer in my hand
laying out on the towel

bright morning sun
sneaks through the blinds
to wake me up

Nathan Carden (4)

early afternoon nears
I roll out of bed
to start my day

long ride home
thoughts of the good times
play through my head

Nathan Carden (6)

long ride home
thoughts of the good times
play though my head
trying to beat the sunset
I speed a little more

I really liked Nate's haiku about going home for spring break. I really love my family and miss them dearly when I'm at school, so having a whole week to see them is a very happy thought for me. As I'm heading home sometimes the pull to hurry up and get there is so strong that I end up speeding more then I should on the interstate. With thoughts of my boyfriend, good times with my family, an laughing fits with my brother floating through my head it's a wonder that I haven't got a speeding ticket yet!

response & cap by Jennifer Griebel

cloud of smoke
clanging of coins
Vegas casino 

Miranda Baker (1)

two time zones
Arizona and Nevada
Hoover Dam 

up and down the strip
rented car
top down, heater cranked

Miranda Baker (4) 

bright Neon lights
for miles and miles
Las Vegas Blvd

spring
instead of snow
bud casings

first freedoms
on an un-negotiable
contract 

innocent face
high school
raccoon eyes

Amy Soderberg (3)

windshield
     bug splatters
          spring ride home

thunderhead
outlining the sun
I focus my lens

long winter road
my heart j m s!
              u p
. . . a green patch.

new relationship
the phone rings
I st ead y m y br ea th in g.

explosions thundering
I switch it off
. . . lucky.

Erin Osmus(4)

knee high to a grasshopper
I bend down
for a hug

another bowl
collapses
the spring sun
Cccccccaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllssssssss!

over blueberry pie
she gives me
mother’s keepsake

Erin Osmus (2)

       thick smell of Spring
   clings to my skin
tree frogs

           golden moon
breaks through the clouds
        we stop arguing

Jennifer Griebel (3)

old friend
I spill green beer
on my shoe 

dusty sun lines
stream through my blinds
             smell of morning 

I hold my breath
as she cuts off
      14 inches of my hair 

Jennifer Griebel

I think because of the nature of this haiku many people cannot relate, boys especially.  However, I really connected with this haiku because I have been in this similar situation.  It is really a frightening thing to change your appearance this way.  One moment you have these long flowing tresses, the next your hair is sitting on your shoulders and you are a completely different person.  There is a serious amount of tension and anxiety I feel in this poem, but it also makes me smile because I know I have been there too, and now I can relate with someone else. —Erin Osmus

smoky bar
the drunk lady
  misses   her stool

Jennifer Griebel (10)

smoky bar
the drunk lady
misses her stool
an old cigarette glows
in the ash tray

When I first read this poem, I envisioned a small, grungy bar that is completely full of drunken people. The drunken lady has been up dancing to the band's music that is so loud that conversation is completely impossible. Starting to feel somewhat dizzy and fairly thirsty, however, she returns to her seat at the bar to order another drink. As she tries to sit, however, her judgment of the chair's placement is really fuzzy, and she completely misses her chair. Sitting on the floor and laughing, the woman slowly and unsteadily rises to try sitting once again. I really liked this poem because of the humorous scene that it set as well as the clarity of the vision. It engaged my sense of smell with the word “smoky” and a blurring of the senses with the word “drunk.” I really just enjoyed the clear, humorous picture that the poem envoked.

response & cap by Bri Hill

five minutes from home
I miss them,
already

99 proof in my cup
8-ball in corner pocket 

Saturday night
wishing spring break
would never end

Jared Stahl (2) 

I like this haiku because it is so simple yet manages to capture my own feelings so well.  It makes me think of my last night on the beach, dreading the long car ride home and the schoolwork to come. I also hated the fact that I would have to say goodbye to some new friends I had made.  I had been hanging out with them everyday for a week and felt like I had known them forever and now it was almost time to go back to my "old life".  I have never gone on an actual "spring break trip" until this year.  I usually just go home.  On my trip I realized that going on a vacation was not only fun for the obvious reasons—sandy beaches, alcohol, and beautiful people, but because it gives people an opportunity to let loose and be someone completely different from who they are in their day-to-day lives.  When I read this haiku I am back on the beach drinking my last beer of the trip.  Somehow it doesn't taste as good as it has all week.  Perhaps it is because I am sick of it, or maybe just because I know it signifies the end.  This is what I chose to capture in my cap to the existing haiku. 

Saturday night
wishing spring break
would never end
the beer suddenly begins
to taste bitter

response & cap by Michele LaBrose

spring break
Cancun, Mexico
I sit at home

star-gazing
while the surf
washes my feet

Candace Golden

star-gazing
while the surf
washes my feet
his hand
lost in mine

I enjoyed this haiku because it painted a visual, I could see myself starring up at the sky while walking along the beach hand in hand with that one special person sharing that one special moment. I like the phrase “star-gazing” because that is just what it is, gazing, and getting lost in the sky momentarily. In awe of what is above you and how everyone around the world can look up and see that same star, it gives me the chills!

response & cap by Chrissy Hulse

sudden downpour
the only one with an umbrella
is my drink

Candace Golden (13)

I really liked this haiku as soon as I read it.  I know many other people in our class also enjoyed this haiku.  It is a simple haiku, but it is quite clever at the same time.  I can picture someone sitting there with a cold drink.  A storm rolls up from behind the city and no one really sees it coming.  Everyone would like to have an umbrella at this time, but the only one with an umbrella is the cold drink.  I really enjoyed reading this haiku over and over again. —Aaron Meyer

I think this Haiku is very cute.  I imagine a girl who went to a tropical island for break.  Since the weather is usually always sunny and warm, the girl was not prepared for the downpour.  She was caught in the rain.  As she looked down at her drink, she thought is was ironic that she didn't have an umbrella but her drink did. —Miranda Baker

This haiku, by Candace, was my favorite haiku of the Spring Break collection because of the great visual, and unexpected ending that was coming out of the first line.  It really captures some fun-loving people on a spring break trip, that are careless and free, and even when the rain comes, still doesn't seem to mind.  You can also get a visual from this, by imagining a fruity, and expensive drink being held, not just some cheap beer. I absolutely loved this haiku, even though I didn't pick it initially on Monday, I think it is absolutely brilliant.My haiku response: 

completely covered
greasy and shiny
my body soaks up the sun

response & haiku by Julie Forehand

sunbathing topless
the boy can't help
but gawk 

Candace Golden (2)

snorkeling:
tropical fish and
salt water in my mouthpiece

Candace Golden (2)

in the country
   the van overheats
      football toss

Paul Scherschel (3)

road trip caravan
   I speed up
       to follow the leader 

local bar
away from everything
we sing karaoke

Paul Scherschel (6)

The away from everything makes this sentence because then in depicts a small town. The 'local' part let's us know that it is in a town of sorts. This just couldn't more perfectly describe the place that I worked last summer an am fated to work this summer!! Although the theatre there is top quality (which keeps pulling me back to perform there) the town is worse than Mayberry. The ONE thing that every one looks forward to each week is the one night that it is Karaoke night at O’Malleys. We do this really fun thing where we put each others name in with a song that they don’t know their singing until they get up there!! It’s really funny when they don’t know the song at all, but then we help them out. This haiku has only once again reminded me of those few moments of summer entertainment! —Kelly Carruth

I look in the mirror
to notice my mistake
spots of sunburn 

at the beach
for spring break
thunderstorm outside 

illuminated path
over the water
moon light

country car wash
father and son
the spray hose

spring breeze
boxers on the line
dancing

Ryan Jones

I really like this one because it reminds me of when I was younger and my mom would sometimes hang clothes out on the line instead of putting them in the dryer.  I get a visual of a country home with a green, green yard and little kids playing among the flapping clothes.

spring breeze
boxers on the line
dancing
the fragrant smell
of sun-warmed cotton 

response & cap by Alyson Ludek

mom’s clothesline
the billowing sheet
two small feet

Ryan Jones (2)

sweet cake
mom’s 29th birthday . . .
                           again

Ryan Jones (6)

sunny spring day
runny nose, scratchy eyes
at the window

we crack beers
to a half-sunken sun
a wave rolls up to our toes

Bill Flowers (11)

music silenced
as we all watch the television
war

Bill Flowers (4)

late night dare
we jump
into the moonlit ocean

late night
breakfast buffet plate
full

sun set
I wash the sand
from my toes

third hot day
skin flakes
from my forehead