I asked Ray if his parents are coming to his show and he replied with a shrug. I wondered why he was unsure of their attendance and asked “Aren’t they excited to see your work?” He replied that they were never enthusiastic about his paintings. I thought of my parents and their enthusiasm about seeing my work. I asked him if their apathy bothered him, he said “I’m used to it”.

absent parents
I try
to fill the void

          Rachel Walker (13)

I really liked this haibun because it made my mind go wild with thoughts about Ray's parents and how he must feel and what it must have been like growing up without his parents caring about his work. This haiku was interesting to me and I want to read more about Ray, his life, and even see what his art looks like. It's hard to explain what really pulled me into this haiku but from the way it was written to the way the haiku matched up at the end made me fully enjoy this haibun. Sarah

Of the class haibun, my favorite would have to be the first, "I asked Ray..." This work is very insightful. As the author states, the parents express "apathy" to their son's art show. But what I find most intriguing is the way in which the son responds: because he is used to his parents' behavior, he has also become indifferent. The author is direct and honest in his/her assessment of the situation as he/she captures both the parents' and the son's feelings. Finally, this haibun makes me realize that I should not take my parents' attitudes toward my major for granted. They love everything that I do in art, regardless of whether it can be considered "good" or "bad"; this haibun makes me realize how much they care. Laura

I really liked this one, I am not really sure why, I thought it was just really creative. The Haibun that goes with the Haiku is a cool story, and the haiku fits with it so well. It is sad that someone has to go through that, but it makes the story even better. Brooke

I like this haibun because it gives a good image of the sadness that this boy(which is what I am picturing) to lose his parents. The picture that I get in my head is also that of much sadness with a very dark background. David K

When I was in high school, we would have bonfires in cornfields on Saturday nights, a fun Iowan activity. Before I was dating my boyfriend, I remember watching him at the bonfires. It was always so cold, because it was October or November and we were out there. I could see the fire reflecting in his eyes, always wanting to inch closer to him. I would watch his eyes because they were so dark, and I watched to see if he would see me.

shivering cold
I move close to the fire
watching your eyes

It was my second day of working in a row, and looking forward to tomorrow being my last day wasn’t as promising as it had been. The hours dragged along; the store was slow; I was tired. The clock approached seven, and a certain, special customer came into the video store. He carried a dark plastic bag and urged me to follow him into the back room. He told me to close my eyes as he “set up.”

dingy break room—
dinner, roses, chocolate
and you

          Joanne Weise (7)

This weekend my best friend visited without notice. She placed her hands over my eyes and when I turned around I was struck with the feeling of a dream. We held each other close that night. We rose early and bought food for a picnic. Fried chicken and strawberries as well as some Cokes on top of a small blanket in the park. Oddly enough, there was an Ancient Games contest just down the way, and men adorning kilts were throwing logs and stones as far as they could. We took our cameras and were able to see the world as it should, in all its beauty.

through this viewfinder
the angles and tones
all too perfect

          Dan Simpson (4)

I enjoy the relationship between the prose and the haiku in this author's work. The prose describes a moment in the park, early in the morning, near the competitions. The poem ends mentioning cameras; these devices are created for a purpose almost parallel to that of haiku, that of capturing specific moments of the world. The haiku is a perfect continuation of this prose; the author describes a moment through the eye of the camera. David M

I've been traveling to Marathon, Florida, ever since I was three years old. I can't even begin to total the sheer number of times I have been there. Our first visit was (as I learned 15 years later) actually a plot by my mom and grandma to get my aunt Mary to come back home (she'd moved to Marathon with her current boyfriend). Our first trip was somewhat interesting - we were supposed to stay with Mary and her boyfriend (whose name was either Monty or Steve), but right before we left, they split up and Mary moved into an apartment too small to accommodate the three of us. We spent two nights at The Buccaneer, a somewhat rundown hotel that ultimately burned down, before going elsewhere. Needless to say, my mom and grandma were unsuccessful in their quest to bring Mary home, as she still lives there today and has now started a family. I know that I've never spent more than 8 days at a stretch in Marathon, but for some reason it always has and always will feel like home to me.

seven miles
across the bridge
the island I call home

          Molly Burns

This haibun was great. Not only was the haiku well developed but the story behind it was really entertaining too. I really liked the little details such as the boyfriend’s possible names and the fact that the Buccaneer burnt down. I was able to imagine the Buccaneer as some touristy, over the top place that really ends up being a total dive owned and operated by illegal migrant workers. This really makes me want to go to this island and experience the place. If there is such a magnetic draw on the author it has to have some wonderful appeal. It was also nice to see that everyone ended up happily ever after. Mike

Every summer of my childhood we have driven up to northern Michigan to visit the lake my great-grandfather purchased as a meeting place for his children, grand-children, and the generations to come. The lake, before it was dammed off, used to look like an anchor from an aerial view and so it is called Anchor Lake. As we turn off the main road through town onto a gravel road, my heart begins to pump and the excitement rises in my belly. The dust rises on either side of our small car packed tightly with our things. The gravel makes a crunching sound beneath the wheels that can be heard even above the music. On either side of the road, the trees begin to thicken. On the right is the Lubke’s house. Farther down the road we finally reach the mailbox and the painted sign my grandfather made warning against trespassing in red and black letters. After the slight curve the First Cabin appears on the left and then the New Cabin. Here is where we stop, as we have every summer, as the relatives start appearing through doors, collecting us from our car in a barrage of hugs and conversation.

my heart jumps—
the grind of gravel
beneath the tires

          Nicole Silverman (8)

all to often driving is taken for granted because it is such an everyday thing that we spend so much of our lives doing. But, this normal everyday thing, can turn life changing or even ending, in a matter of a split second. The haibun does well to bring out the feeling of fear before an accident. As a person who has been through a major traffic accident, i would add on something in this haiku where somewhere in that point of fear of the accident, there come a time of realization that it is unavoidable, and the feeling there is more of loss, and what you will loss in the coming instant. it is oddly an comfortable feeling after the fear of the instant rush. Chris

I love haibun because they seem to be much more personal than typical haiku, as you get a certain insight behind what the author was thinking about when the poem was written. With the explanation of this haiku, I can feel the anticipation for the upcoming time to come - in this case, traveling to the family lake. Driving on gravel roads is always a slow process, as there's always the possibility of sliding if you drive too fast. I feel the author's anticipation and the need for the trip to hasten, as he can't wait until he gets to see his family and have such an awesome time with them. The sound of the gravel being crushed under the tires is almost rhythmic, further pounding in the slowness of the trip taking place. The author's heart seems to be jumping because he's close enough to the lake that he's able to see it, but isn't quite close enough to jump out of the car just yet. Joanne

I liked this one a lot because just about every summer my family and I go to a place like that. Except that ours is just a lake resort with some of the best walleye fishing ever. We usually stay a week up there and fish all day from sun up to sun down. It is a blast to get to spend some time with my family. As much as we complain about being stuck with them for a week, it is actually a really good time and I love that time I get to spend with them every year. So this haibun kind of hit home for me, I think that is why I liked it so much. Matt

another sharp moment most recent in my memory is one of the exact opposite of depression, but of pure unadulterated happiness, and it happens at the same time of day, that moment right as you wake up, what I find interesting about trying to attempt haibun is that these moments exist quite frequently but it is when you try haibun you realize the even exist. And these moments really have the ability to set the tone for the day or even the week. To see these moments and capture them is a skill which is not easily achieved. The moment again as I said begins opening my eyes and at first I dont know where I am and I feel alone. With the current situation in my life I have felt that a lot. But I have met someone and it is when I awoke to this person lying next to me I felt this total happiness. Not because there I was a beautiful girl lying next to me, but because I had forgotten she was there and how much she cares for me. This moment lasted again only an instant and I fell back asleep but I think it was this moment that let me fall back asleep and not sit up in my loneliness.

still dark as i awake
focusing my eyes
finding myself loved

My grandmother has had a hard life; however, the specifics are a gray area as she never speaks of the past in concrete terms. Sometimes she will mention it, usually in the form of a regret, and a cloud passes across her eyes. She is the type of person who finds it difficult to be content. She is always very eager when I come to visit. I am always greeted with a hard hug. Her bony frame is neither accommodating nor comforting. Her movements become tense and nervous and her conversation is usually punctuated with apologies. She never answers the phone while I am there. The goodbyes are awkward and there is sadness lurking behind her eyes as I turn my back to walk away.

thin hands
clasping and unclasping
the cup of tea

          Nicole Silverman (13)

This one was my favorite because I really related to the last line of the paragraph about how they are always sad and lonely when you leave from visiting them. My grandma was always that way and so I tried seeing her a lot. I suppose what makes me even sadder is that now all of my grandparents are gone, and I'm mad at myself for not seeing them more often when they were alive. Katie

This haibun gives the reader a sense of loneliness. The word fragile is implied several times throughout this haiku; both the thin hands of the elderly woman and the cup of tea are very delicate and require a great deal of care. The clasping and unclasping of the cup gives me the feeling that the woman is anxious; whether it be the excitement of company or the woman trying everything she can think of to keep her company entertained and with her as long as possible. She fears being left alone again… being left behind again. Angie

By eighth grade I had not slow-danced with a boy. School dances were a time to socialize with friends and sway to the music with big, giggling groups of girlfriends. However, in eighth grade, at the first dance of the school, Zach Boutwell approached me to dance with him. I don’t remember the song because it was not important. I remember how he smelled, very good and very grown up. I am confident I would be able to recognize the cologne today if I came across it. Although, looking back, he was probably wearing far too much. He placed his hands on my hips and I placed my hands on his shoulders. It was the most intimate thing I had done in my life up to that point and my belly was in a knot. We swayed back and forth to the music and, in that moment, I felt absolutely beautiful and special. As the song ended, we danced our way into a brief, awkward hug. I ran into the girl’s room immediately afterward to breathlessly tell all of my friends.

his father’s
suit jacket
the sleeves too long

          Nicole Silverman (6)

I really liked this haibun. It really captured the feelings and emotions that come with the first twinges of love and hormones around the 8th grade. You want so desperately to grow up, but you can't quite make that step. The first time you dance with someone in a romantic way is such a heart-fluttering, palm-sweating, knees-shaking time. You are so afraid you are going to step on their foot, if you could just get closer than two feet apart. I really like how in the paragraph the focus is on the emotions, but the haiku is about the suit jacket, which in itself speaks volumes abou the age and stage of the writer. This haibun really wraps up junior high. Ashlee

I loved the story to go with this. The innocence of it all. The discovery of feelings deep within that you never knew you had. As life goes on these situations come with expectations and complications. but at such a young age we are able to explore and discover ourselves without to much confusion or mistrust. The sleeves to long is what I love most. How could you be afraid of someone who is so vulnerable and out of place. Also what I think is interesting is that later in life would we even take the time to talk to someone who's clothes are a little goofy or who isn't exactly all put together. Its so great that the author could recall this feeling of innocence and discovery and put it into such a wonderful haiku. James

When I went on the southwest trip with the Millikin Art Department, we stayed at a National Park in the desert on the border of Utah and Arizona. My campmates and I went on a night hike to the ruins on the edge of the canyon one night. I remember finding arrowheads that had not been picked up by archaeologists. We were the first ones to discover this little pile in the pitch black night. I sat on the edge of the canyon with the full moon overhead and listened to the silence of the land.

gentle breeze blows my hair
solitary moon highlights
the rough edges of the canyon

          Katie Burke

I like this haibun because I can feel the cool wind, hiking at night by moonlight was always one of my favorite things to do. It is the closest thing to real exploration one can do, in this day and age. Nothing is familiar at night, and the atmosphere is completely different than in the day. I can feel the breeze caressing my neck. The silence of southwestern country is completely different than the mid west. There is a different feeling, a stigma of cowboy myths and coyotes. Though I’ve never been to the canyon, Texas and Arizona feel like different worlds, and at night, they become completely different than in the day time. I like the feel of the moon in this haiku as well, the moon is lonely it seems, and only the edges are slightly illuminated. Smooth and rough images counteract here to make a very interesting scene. Nick

Jenny has always drawn very differently than most individuals. She breaks down images in order to create simple illustrations; her ducks are yellow, her houses flat. Like the great Dubuffet, her work can be described as childlike. Most people believe it to be unsophisticated, and thus perceive her as innocent. But, in truth, Jenny is like the eagle: soaring higher than most birds, she flies alone. I wish that I understood her better.

an eagle’s silhouette
against blue sky
here, she is alone

          Laura Podeschi (7)

I enjoy the simplicity of this haibun. The author has chosen very particular things to describe the person, focusing on their style of drawing. Through the art, I can get a clear idea of the person being described. I enjoy the metaphor of the eagle that carries through into the haiku at the end. I think it provides a very vivid idea of what the person is like. The author uses very simple yet descriptive sentences to paint a picture of Jenny. I also love the last line “I wish that I understood her better.” There is a sense of longing and mystery that are evoked by that sentence. I think it provides a very interesting ending to the haibun. Nicole

Loretta, my cousin and best friend, works hard to be the best. She’s the kind of girl who will get a 102% on a test and still complain that she should have done better. What makes Loretta great is the fact that although she is incredibly smart, she also is one of the most vibrant people I know. She works hard and plays even harder. She is now in her first year of college and has to learn how to adjust to the new life-style.

talking with friends
late into the night
midterm in the morning

          Sarah Bassill

I really liked this particular haibun because it reminded me of my very first semester of college. At first it was very hard to adjust—I was used to going to bed at 10 and now suddenly it was okay to stay up until 2...the freedom was almost intoxicating. I remember one night during First Week, I went over to a friend's room to watch a movie and didn't get back to my own room until one. At the time, it felt like a huge rebellion to stay out so late. I also remember getting to know all of the people who would eventually become my best friends. That first semester, we all still had so much to learn about each other and we really would stay up until the wee hours of morning just talking. I remember one particular night when my friend Maureen was walking me and another friend out of her building and the three of us ended up staying in the Blackburn stairwell talking for another three hours. Though it's nice to have my own space in an apartment now, a small part of me still misses living in the dorms. Molly

I choose this Haibun because I can relate to it. This is my third year in college and I can think of many times were I have been up late talking to my friends, I have a midterm in the morning and I have barley study for it. I’m sure everyone that is in college has experience this before. It doesn’t matter what time your midterm is, you still stay up a talk so you don’t have to study for that midterm. Tony

In Hope Mills, North Carolina, a sense of relaxation filled me to the brim. Every morning last summer, I would rise before the sun and watch my boyfriend get ready for work. Always thinking I was asleep, he wouldn't turn on any lights...the only sounds were his electric razor and the crispness of his camouflage BDUs unfolding as he dressed. For nearly 4 years, the 82nd Airborne division of Fort Bragg was his entire life, and I was there to help him drive his life, packed into a single Uhaul, back to Illinois.  

unlacing his boots
the faint smell of kiwi shine ascends
      he winces in pain

Northern Ontario is the closest I have personally been to perfection. So pure are the waters that given the right circumstances one can see thirty feet straight down in Lake Sturgeon. Having been there various occasions, and seeing its beauty go unscathed despite years, I can attest that every time I have peered down the bay from the docks on a sunny day I can see rocks and healthy fish enjoying their lives in the clearest of waters. People respect this purity, and it is for this reason it is not compromised. This respect is deep and rarely spoken of, but the rewards are the most precious sites anyone might comprehend on this earth. Large blue-gray rocks jut out of the lake, almost at ninety degrees, some shallower angles; all with large patches of lush green moss. To look into the sky on a clear night is to witness all the stars, with clear vision, as if ones own eyes were cleared of dust, and were allowed to truly see for the first time.

clearest Ontario night
single red star
amidst a sea of brilliant black and white

There is an elderly woman, named Leah, who is the sweetest old woman one could ever meet. She can tell you some of the greatest stories, and she will talk to you for hours. Sometimes, she may tell a story or two more then once, but every time it just gets better. Some of these stories are so amazing and it is hard to understand how such a small little lady could go through so much, but then if you look into her eyes you can see. Her eyes are not only filled with experiences but also with undying love. In her stories, if you listen, you can even feel the love that she gives everyone, even if they didn’t give love to her in return. She likes to spread her love to everyone she knows, even to you, the listener.

cushioned rocking chair
indents from endless
story telling

          Brooke DeWall (9)