funeral
your favorite flowers
on the altar

Katie Steimann

crackling fire
the ghost appears
in the smoke

Alida Duff

stars above
one blanket
bitterly cold

Alison Burns

winter night
the dog refusing
to come back in

Ann Anderson

Students liked both haiku, but more chose to advanced the crackling fire haiku. It has vivid sensory images and a mystery element with the ghost appearing. One group suggested a re-arranging edit:

crackling fire
in the smoke
a ghost appears

The funeral haiku was a favorite, even grand champion, by other groups who thought it captured the emotions well, especially the personalizing word "your" in the second line.

crackling fire
the ghost appears
in the smoke

Both haiku were popular from different groups and became grand champions by one group each. The stars above seems so expansive, reaching beyond the place and the first two lines read well together. There seems to be not enough blanket, but an amazing sky attracting the people to stay outside despite the cold.

The dog in the second haiku is also attracted by the winter night, or something out there which keeps it from wanting to go back inside. Students related to the image of standing with the door open, trying to call the dog back in. The dog has a fine winter coat and is perfectly comfortable out there in the interesting winter night.

winter night
the dog refusing
to come back in

crackling fire
the ghost appears
in the smoke

The crackling fire is noisy and boisterous. Maybe too much so for the ghost to appear? Maybe as the fire dies down, the ghost appears. But we love the sense invoked here—the sound of the fire, the smell of the smoke, the people gathered around the fire telling stories and chatting in the night. The ghost appears during a lull in the conversation . . . is it really there? Who is being remembered? Why do we want them in the conversation, still? The haiku starts with clear crackling and ends with mystery and questions. Yes, this is the grand champion of this matching contest.