skinning knees
on loose gravel
bike in the lake

Ryne Inman

I like this haiku because it reminded me of some of the crazy things my friends and I would do when we were younger. Specifically this haiku reminded me of when my friend Stephanie and I were riding our bikes around town and the peddles and handle bars of the older bike that I was on, fell off. We couldn’t get the parts back together so we figured that we were going to have to ask the older boys who lived across the street to fix it for us. Now we simple couldn’t just say that the bike started to fall apart. We needed a good story, but it had to be believable. So we decided to get really muddy and dirty and slide on the gravel so our jeans we all scraped. We skinned our knees on accident when we were trying to slide on mud and gravel. It was pretty convincing. Corinne

the letter R
on my hot pink handlebars
means right

Faith Martin (5)

I adore this haiku. From the first line, it is obvious that it is being written from the view of a small child because of it?s simplicity and obvious, unquestioned acceptance of something. Following shortly is the realization that the speaker is a young girl, possibly peddling on her first real bike. The mental image I get is one of pure excitement, from a little pig-tailed girl, who lets absolutely nothing cloud the exhilaration of her first bike ride. The haiku also flows very nicely from one image to the next. Erin

all my friends
outside without me
piano lesson

Brian Blankenship

I liked this haiku because it reminded me a lot of my childhood. Every night during the summer, my mother would make my siblings and me go to bed really early while all the neighbor kids would still be outside playing. We would be able to see the kids outside playing while we were lying in our beds trying to sleep. The sun would still be shining and we would be in our beds mad because we can hear all the kids outside playing and screaming and yelling and having a good time. To this day, my siblings and I still get made fun of by our neighbors because we were always in bed while they were always outside having a good time. Elizabeth

I loved the image that this one gave me. I could picture a little girl sitting at the piano, her teacher droning on in the background, but she’s not paying attention. She’s staring out the window watching everyone else having a good time. When you’re little you don’t really understand why you have to practice, you just want to do whatever is fun and a lot of times, the same repetitive lesson is not exactly exciting. But I still get this same feeling today and I do understand why I should practice. There have been so many times when I wanted to skip running or lifting or practicing skills, but it’s the times when you can be the strongest and resist temptation that will pay off. I love that this haiku captures that feeling, whether it be a little girl or anyone else. Rachel

“Pumpkinhead,
do you need help?”
Daddy lifts his little girl
into the cab

little girl jumping
on auntie’s bed--
slip!

cerulean blue
clean, sharp tip
of my favorite crayon

Natalie Perfetti (5)

This may be the most universally effective haiku I've ever read. There is not one person on this earth who had a more favorite color crayon than cerulean blue. If you find a man who claims otherwise, do not trust him, for he is not an honest man. Not only was cerulean blue everyone's favorite color, it was also the color that everyone tried to keep as long as they could. That's why I really like the description of the clean sharp tip. This person obviously knew how to pace him or herself so as to not destroy the crayon too quickly. Either that orit is the first day of school and the author is preparing to wear the crayon down to nothing in five drawings or less. Fantastic. Brian R

rise ‘n shine puddin—
a peck for the
office?

caught by mom
two plastic dolls
kissing naked

stumbling
in 4 sizes too big--
mom’s high heels

crouching alone
under the crab apples
swallowing backyard bacon bone

break the bread
a feast—
for ducks

Liz Ciaccio (9)

I loved this haiku because it first reminded me of Jesus feeding the five thousand by breaking the five loaves of break over and over again. The last line completely changed the image, however, as I was suddenly taken to the zoo. I remember going to the zoo with my mom as a child, and she would give us quarters to buy food to feed the ducks. These ducks were not very shy. In fact, they would practically eat the food right out of our hands! Faith

I really like the way this haiku is structured. The first two lines make it seem very much like a formal dinner, or perhaps even the last supper! The last line, however, turns it into a quiet, almost Norman Rockwell-esque scene – someone sitting by a pond feeding the ducks. This was one of my favorite things to do when I wasn’t old enough to go to school yet. My mom would walk me to the park near our house, and I would feed the ducks. It’s a very peaceful thing to do, even today, and though I know full well that the ducks are completely capable of finding sustenance on their own, I feel good having provided them with a good meal. Sarah

the dresses Mom made
before she died
growing short on me

Randy Brooks (5)

I found it surprising that I enjoyed this one as much as I did. Generally, poems that express sorrows that I can’t relate to make me uncomfortable. Despite the fact that I’ve never had to deal with the death of a parent, however, there is something in this haiku that I can relate to: the feeling of desperately trying to keep a memory alive when life continues to go on anyway. That feeling of desperation, trying to continue to honor a memory and keep it strong in your mind when, despite your best efforts, you’re growing and getting on with life without them. I was that way when my high school sweetheart dumped me, and did a lot of stupid things to try and keep the sorrow strong in my heart, when I was actually getting over him. I like the fact that even though I haven’t had the exact same experiences as the author, I can still relate to this haiku. Stephanie

running in the snow
my glasses frosted
hot soup

Adam Stefo

This haiku was a vivid reminder of my childhood winters. Although I don't wear glasses, I can remember being bundled up in a cumbersome snowsuit while rolling youthfully in the snow. After hours outdoors my nose would be running, my fingers would be numb, and snow would have crept in past my scarf and socks. I'd come inside, hang my dripping garments by the door, and warm up with some hot cocoa or soup. This poem also inspired the image of the Campell's soup commericals in which a red-nosed kid would spoon mouthfuls of warm noodles into his smiling face. Either experience suggests a sense of impetuous abandon, of wonderful neglect. Natalie

packing again
pushing my boxes along
new home

Alisha Goebel

The line "packing again," automatically takes me back to my childhood, giving me a deep connection to this haiku. My dad is in the military, and I have never lived in one place for more than three years. A majority of my life has been spent living in suitcases, unpacking rooms, and becoming comfortable in a new environment. These three lines completely encompass the experiences I have had in a general, yet specific arrangement. I also like how the second line seems to extend so much farther than the first and third. I don?t know if that is important, but that small detail also drew more of my attention to this haiku. Again, while I've been able to connect on some level to several haiku we have read and written, this is one of the few that fully encompasses a huge part of my life. Erin

an addiction
with no support group--
Facebook

Allison Lingren

This haiku really almost doesn’t need an analysis. Seriously, sometimes I wonder if I really am addicted! Facebook can be used for so many things and I find myself checking it all the time! There isn’t a support group because there are a great deal of people who look down on Facebookers – like they are stalkers or creeps. I can’t say that I disagree with that, but I can’t stop! It seems so stupid, but I love this haiku because everyone can relate to the feeling of being obsessed with something, whether it be TV, food or a slightly creepy personal information website. Rachel

a strong woman walks
with dark glasses
to cover the truth

Corinne Cullina

I’m not sure if this was intentional or not, but this haiku reminded me of a book I recently read, Milan Kundera’s Immortality. The first line didn’t necessarily make me imagine the novel; I read it and imagined a woman walking down the street in New York City while it rains. She has just gotten into a fight of some type. The second line of the haiku reminded me of Immortality. In it, the protagonist’s sister Laura wears dark sunglasses to hide the fact that she cries often. Her husband Paul has recently left her, and she has made an attempt at suicide. Later in the novel, the Laura symbolically gives the sunglasses to Agnes (her sister). The third line of the haiku made me think of poor Laura again, as the purpose of wearing the sunglasses was to hide the fact that she has been crying—to hide the truth of her feelings. Pat

a strong woman walks
with dark glasses
to cover the truth
Wow. This particular haiku brought tears to my eyes. The words and images it holds are very specific and strong. The emotion behind these three lines is staggering. While it could apply to almost any heart wrenching situation a child or even college student could possibly go through, I picture a young mother, trying desperately to create a fun-filled, anxiety free life for her children, while settling for a time of misery herself. I also like the first line because it shows the strength of the woman behind the glasses and immediately shows her mental resolve to prevail. I love it! Erin

in the bathroom stall
a mousey girl unhooks
her first kmart bondage

smeared tears on your shirt
rubbing my back
Mom

Natalie Perfetti

I very clearly see this scene in my head. A young girl cries, from her first break-up or the teasing of cruel kids at school, while her mother rubs her back slowly in an attempt to comfort her. Unbeknownst to the girl, her mom sheds a tear or two as she realizes she can no longer protect her daughter from the world. It’s a depressing image that is used often used in “chick flicks” and “girl power” movies (in slow-mo)when the protagonist hits her lowest point, and it’s effectively captured in this haiku. Ryne

substitute teacher
a suggestive glance
at fifty years old

Brian Blankenship

This was my favorite haiku from this kukai. The image that it captures is absolutely hilarious. As a reader, I’m not sure what age of students the teacher is substituting, but I have to assume that it’s not a college class. It actually reminds me of a certain substitute from my high school who was entirely too old to be making flirtatious gestures at the students but she did nonetheless. Anyway, this haiku is well written and absolutely hilarious. Rick

swimming pool
they take the plunge
forever

Elizabeth Braden (3)

I like that this haiku attempts to capture a feeling that is so familiar to so many of us. A feeling like that of holding your breath after a dive into a swimming pool and remaining submerged for an extended period of time – the feeling of time slowing down because of a wait for something, in this case, the chance to resurface. This feeling is similar to that we may feel while waiting for a loved one to return from a long journey or the final seconds of an intense football game. I like that water is introduced in the haiku however, because it adds to the feeling of slow motion. I can see the seconds slowly tick away beneath the surface of the water as the swimmers hair dances slow and majestically as if it were suspended in a moment. Brian B

piles of homework
but the boy calls—
priorities

Rachel Cook

As I was writing the responses to my favorite haiku today, my boyfriend calls me. It made me chuckle because I knew that this haiku was coming up and that it was incredibly accurate. Anytime that he calls me, I always stop what I am doing so that I can chat with him no matter how much homework or things that I need to get done. I have never once told him, “Hey can I call you back later when I get all my homework done?” It cracks me up that I become at the mercy of my phone and my boyfriend when I hear him calling. Elizabeth

This haiku is definitely describes my boyfriend and I to a T. I use to always do my homework late at night and it always takes me a while, especially if I’m studying for a big test. However, lately I’m always talking to my boyfriend after 9pm. We usually talk during this time because it’s free and we like to talk a lot because we in a long distance relationship. So I’m beginning to adjust when I do my homework. But, never before would I stop doing my homework to talk on the phone. Corinne

true feelings
kept from their true path
a dried out riverbed

Brian Rhode (6)

Not only do I love the creative imagery given to this haiku, but it also has a great message. It makes me think of a young beauty queen, looking into a mirror, studying herself. She is gorgeous. On the outside, the mirror reflects back to her the image of a girl, perfectly capable of accomplishing anything the wants. Mirrors can only show so much, though. Inside she could be desperately hurting. Something is missing, out of whack, crying out for help… but you’d never know it by just looking at her. She is perfect on the outside, and that’s what people want to see. Liz

I really liked this haiku, for a couple reasons. First of all, it’s really well written, when I read the first line I visualize just this state of intense frustration due to the fact that is makes me wonder about what the rest of the poem could be about, especially due to the fact that it’s backward and that in itself is confusion. The second line still stubbornly refuses to divulge the true intention of this poem whose nature still seems to be nothing but its first line. Finally the last line explains the words and the image. Overall it is an incredibly effective, brilliant haiku with a great use of both visuals and writing. Andrew

the party guests sing
with their beer glasses high
here comes the fuzz

foreign femininity
lumps in my throat
and on my chest

two girls swing
braiding locks
of a weeping willow

Melanie McLay

If I could ever respond to a haiku I thought epitomized the essence of the perfect childhood, this would be it. Reading about being a little girl, swinging in such a safe and magical environment along side of one of my best friends almost transcends me to this fictional place. I picture the girls with a slow and easy momentum, perfectly braiding these wisps of nature, and a parent watching from the kitchen window while doing the dishes.   While the tree's title implies sadness, I think these trees are very beautiful, and the girls are trying to fix it's "hair" and give it so much attention and care that it could no longer be upset. Traci

There’s a clever little combination of the first and last lines through the middle line in this haiku. The braided locks directly following the image of the two girls on the swing immediately lead us to believe that the braids belong to them. And why not? Two girls on a swing is an archetype of complete innocence and youth, the only thing that would make the picture more innocent and more youthful would be to assume that as the two girls swing, so do their long, pigtail braids comprised of fresh, clean hair, like that of babies, untainted and uncorrupted by the yanks and pulls that no doubt lie in adulthood stress. But when the line is followed by an image of weeping willows, we are drawn to believe that the braids reference the gangly branches of the trees. I really enjoy how the application to both images is neither definite nor confusing, but playful, like the lush picture of childhood bliss that has painted for us in this haiku. Brian B

playing make-believe
in her dollhouse
alone

a whole new day
bowling and sisters galore…
a tragedy forgotten

watching rain hit
the Bronze Man’s face
I cry too

the music pulsing
through thin walls—
exhausted in the morning

favorite TV show—
memories abound
of her past

a good book . . .
over my shoulder
Abe reads along

reading at recess
transported
to all the places
she’d rather be

Allison Lingren

I was a readaholic right out of the womb, and loved having the ability to escape any situation. This haiku rings very ironically with me. One day in sixth grade, I was sent to the principal’s office because the teacher found me reading a deeply engrossing fiction novel that I had placed inside of the one that we were reading out loud as a class. I had already finished that one and was not about to follow along with Mr. Slow Reader of 1998. When I talked with the principal, I was only given one day with indoor recess. And what did I do? I read and transported myself anywhere I wanted. That was one punishment I completely deserved;). Traci

Daddy has a
glow-in-the-dark band-aid
oops . . .

Faith Martin (2)

This haiku made me smile – it’s reminiscent of life at home. Living with an eight-year-old means a complete lack of normal, flesh-colored band-aids in the house. This usually resulted in me having a variety of interesting (well, interesting to a small child, at least) band-aids to choose from. This was added to by the fact that I am extremely clumsy, and require band-aids fairly often for miscellaneous mishaps around the house. On any given day, I might come to school sporting medical treatment featuring Barbie, Elmo, Blue and his Clues, Arthur, or Dora the Explorer. Since coming to college, however, my band-aids have become much more mature and normal – they have Bart Simpson on them. Sarah

ball of dirt
under the marigold roots
rollie pollie

Corinne Cullina

I can just picture a tiny toddler holding a mass of flowers—roots and all—in her tiny little fist. From across the yard, her mom notices and comes running, shouting “honey honey no no no don’t pick the flowers!” Although her garden is now a mess, how can this mother resist her daughter’s adorable curiosity? I think this haiku gives such a candid image of nature—fresh and full of life, but a bit sloppy. The diction gives just the perfect images—a “ball of dirt” and a “rollie pollie”. Melanie

painted surface
never seen for what it is
peels

black and brown runt
comes to lick my other shoe
I’ll take you

lying in bed
eyes clenched shut
awake

Elizabeth Braden (10)

I really like this haiku because it’s so deliciously generic. Without any effort at all, I can imagine at least three different “stories,” if you will, to go with this haiku. It doesn’t tell you how to think, it doesn’t tell you what you should feel when reading this haiku. It simply presents some circumstances and lets you run with it. I like this because so many times poets (especially myself) feel as if they need to express not only the physical circumstances surrounding the moment, but also exactly what the reader should be reading and thinking. And while some haiku do this, and do it well, it’s by no means a requirement. This haiku isn’t trying to express any deep profound meaning. It’s just here for me to enjoy. And I like that.
Stephanie

This haiku brings me to my own bedroom. I hate scary movies because they give me nightmares for weeks. I remember being tricked into seeing some scary movie like “The House on Haunted Hill” (or something like that) in about sixth grade. Every night for weeks I would lay in bed scared out of my mind that the house was going to attack me, and that the windows were going to shatter and the ceiling was going to cave in and leave my trapped. So I would lay in bed with my eyes shut for what seemed like hours until my body finally got too tired and I fell asleep. Faith

This haiku caught my eye because of the vividness of the feeling it gives me. So many nights I have gotten into bed, and unable to sleep, squeeze my eyes shut in an attempt to forget I’m still awake. I love all the directions this haiku can go in, also. They could be in this position because of a tragic event that they just can’t stop thinking about. Maybe they have a huge final exam tomorrow, or maybe they’re going to Disney World tomorrow and they’re too excited to sleep. It’s possible that their roommates or something outside is being too loud and keeping them from sleeping. When I first read the haiku, I was in kind of a sour mood, so I took it in a negative connotation. I picture a girl lying in bed with too much on her mind. She has a million tangled thoughts occurring at the same time, and all she can do is clench her eyes and try to forget until the morning. Liz

I saw myself in this haiku, or at least how I imagine myself in this same situation. The author has captured the frustration of a quiet moment very well. Clenched adds to the image and gives the emotional connotation of frustration, but also brings the person’s teeth to mind, dually enhancing the image. Another scene that flashed in my mind is of a child trying to shut out something scaring them; shadows, a storm, strange sounds in the house, or even pretending to fool an intruder. The tense mood still applies and the image is still strong. Ryne

careening birds
make daddy smile
in his flight suit

forever gone
lured by falseness
lone leaf falling

the velvet box open,
a sparkling diamond
changes two lives

Sarah Corso

I cannot connect with this haiku as readily because I've never been engaged or married. The reason I chose "the velvet box open" was not because it evoked a treasured memory, but because I really enjoyed the imagery employed to engage me in the experience. I can actually picture a marroon, crushed velvet box. I can feel the plush fabric against my fingertips and hear the sudden *snap* as it closes. Inside I imagine a sparkling ring that holds the promise of two lovers. The imagery allowed me into the perspective of an unknown experience. Natalie

his sweet words
washed away by alcohol—
but I remember

Stephanie Dietrich

In my experiences with relationships, I have often been disappointed, and this haiku takes me back to those times. One specific time I remember was last year when I was talking to a guy I liked at a party on Saturday night. He was three sheets to the wind, and I was sober. He was telling me everything I wanted to hear, and I remember being so happy even though I knew it was probably just the alcohol in his system doing the talking. The next day when I saw him, he remembered nothing of the conversation we had had the previous night. I remembered, though. Being the naïve freshman girl I was, I had made myself believe in the possibility that he might have meant those “sweet words.” Nevertheless, I was crushed, but learned an important lesson… and this haiku reminds me of it. Liz

I really liked this haiku because the author used imagery and emotion to create its effect. It’s a situation that happens quite frequently in college life, but somehow this haiku seemed to put it in a new, different light. The speaker holds on to some of the sweetness of that night, even though she is probably still bitter. Allison

little boy
behind the curtain
picks his nose

Corinne Cullina (9)

I love this haiku! It really captures the ups and downs of being backstage with a bunch of kids! When it’s five minutes until the curtain opens, it still feels like an eternity to the kids, and they often get extremely fidgety waiting to begin performing. If you’re not one of the people responsible for keeping the kids in line, it’s fun to hide your face and snicker at the fact that they’re misbehaving. I enjoyed the way this haiku includes picking a nose – it’s a surprisingly common and funny little-boy thing to do! Sarah

This is another hilarious haiku. It reminds me of the mischievous little kid who would be behind a curtain and pick his nose just for the sake of doing something he’s not supposed to be doing. I really appreciate that other people are beginning to write these types of funny, awkward haiku. I enjoy reading other authors’ takes on the funny situations of life. Rick

I don't like this haiku becuase it's incriminating, but I must admit that, as far as creating an image goes, this one does a great job of vividly describing so many childhood situations in which I tried to conceal my habit. Brian R

sprinkling waterfall
toy soldiers drowning . . .
with my rubber duckie

green porcelain seat
throne-sitter reads
my initials

an early morning run
guiding me
a secret sunrise

midnight prayers
across the room
bring us back to peace

Jamie Devitt (3)

This brought forth the idea that one shouldn’t go to bed mad at someone else, because you never know in the morning if one of you will still be there. Yes, it is extremely depressing but I can vouch that some of my biggest fights were successfully ended after toiling with this fear. My little sister and I would often get into huge arguments and this tended to complicate our living situation because we shared a room. The very simple acts of climbing off the bunk bed, getting pajamas on, or turning off the light were their own mini-war. I would lie in my bed just seething at the little turd below, until we said our bedtime prayers. Of course then I would loose the internal battle to guild and love (mainly guilt), and climb down to apologize, spreading peace across the bunk bed land. Traci

three a.m.
three friends
fit

Liz Ciaccio (2)

horse manure
after a rainy day
turns to Michelangelo

Jamie Devitt (2)

the lawyer comes home
with estee lauder
on his collar

Corinne Cullina (4)

This haiku just gave me the chills! It’s so secretive and sleezy, for lack of a better word. We know the Estee Lauder on that shirt is not from his wife. This haiku lets you in on a little secret that this lawyer has and then it sends your mind whirling for what that fourth line would be! Clearly, cheating on your wife is wrong, but there is that adrenaline rush wanting to know if you can continue to get away with it. I really liked that they chose Estee Lauder; it sort of rhymes with collar so it has a nice rhythm. I also liked it because Estee Lauder is a very sophisticated and classy brand, which adds to the sleeziness! This is a very wealthy affair and proves that the grass isn’t always greener! Rachel

I loved this haiku for one reason, and one alone; the fact that the author chose to use Estee Lauder instead of lipstick. My assumption is that this poem is about a man cheating on his wife. Of course, it could also be that the man is secretly gay, and was trying on perfume today, but that seems a little far-fetched to me. So let’s assume that he’s cheating. Just about every other poem, song, movie, TV show, etc uses either a long hair on his shirt or, more commonly, lipstick on his collar. It would have been so easy to pop that in. But instead they used Estee Lauder. Brilliant! Not only does it tell us more about who this man is cheating on his wife with (this is not just some cheap secretary), but it gives the haiku a more sophisticated feel to it, and flows much nicer. I love it! Stephanie

vicious dog fight
bloody outcome
they are us

drying off
on the sunny creek bank
leeches!

Allison Lingren (3)

I really like this haiku. It didn't really spark any immediate memory for me, but I really like the element of surprise in it. I also like that the first two lines sound like generic, boring haiku and create an incredible contrast with the last line. Brian R

the captive caterpillar
set free
crawls in circles

Melanie McLay (4)

I like this haiku because it makes me think of our society. How our country is supposed to be free, but we aren’t really free, we are still crawling in circles. We are all confined to a certain ways of thinking and reacting. I can visualize the previously contained bright green caterpillar being let out of a jar and still so confused from the roundness of the jar that he is still crawling in circles. I can smell the summer and fresh grass. I can feel the caterpillar on my hand as I let him go. Alisha

I’m not entirely sure what it was that drew me to this haiku, but I really like it. Maybe it’s just the simplicity of the jar and the caterpillar. I also like the idea that freedom to the caterpillar isn’t an especially big issue since it just continues to walk in circles after it has been granted freedom. I think this haiku captures an interesting concept with a very simple approach. Very nice. Rick

This was a very clever haiku which effectively describes the nature of existence. The poem brings thoughts of how unpredictable life is and how everything in the end even freedom, can encage us. The caterpillar, once in bondage, ii now set free to do what it feels. And yet it chooses to go in circles effectively doing nothing. This also can be seen as a commentary of man wasting away his freedom, lie how those with true freedom never fully appreciate it. Andrew

scaredy cat!
flips and twists
into the moonlight

chocolate pudding
skins peeled by Mom
still warm

eyes downcast
silence builds
in the classroom

anxiously awaiting
the test
room with no windows

Pat Steadman (4)

after the fight,
I sob--
because you love me

Sarah Corso

This is a great poem of contrasts and passion. You can feel the frustration of the person speaking. They want to be angry at the person that they had a fight with and they can’t, because the other loves them too much. Whether it’s because they love them back, or they realize that they don’t love the person back and know they have to hurt the person, it has this sense of being trapped either for good or bad reasons by something usually considered really good. Again really great, they really hit an emotion chord with this. Andrew

sheets flung in the dark
with words he doesn’t mean—
he thinks I’m his

Stephanie Dietrich (3)

she cries
she loves me
with a knife in her hand

Ryne Inman

This haiku is so true. That is about all I have to say about it. Most people have some experience with this and it is so ironic how these situations play out.I can picture this balling and squalling girl who is screaming that she loves him and if she can’t have him no one can. Alisha

crowded party
the two of you together
alone

balmy summer day
fishing in silence
with a boy

midnight rain
whispering secrets
in my ear

Jamie Devitt

I kind of enjoy the friendly connotation of the rain in this particular haiku. Usually, rain and storms tend to give someone – especially a reader when this image is applied to literature – a feeling of desolation and loneliness. But this piece gives me the feeling that although the narrator may be the only human being in the small section of time that has been framed by this haiku, he or she is not alone. The rain, with the help of the personification of whispering secrets, is given a very human-like quality, allowing the narrator and the audience of the poem to relate to it as a confidante. Brian B

friday night
asleep on the couch
next to grandpa

the sequins
on her black dress
dance all night

Corinne Cullina

Because of its creative use of diction, this is another haiku which galvanized a clear mental image. I picture the flashing of sequins on the curve of a swaying dress in a strobing light; a sleek figure in heels among a crowd of revelry. As well as a visual, "the sequins" left me with specific emotive impressions. The word "sequins" invokes a sense of frivolity and fun. The color of the dress being black lends it an air of sophistication and freedom. The final line, "dance all night," infuses the haiku with a youthful energy. Natalie

Sunday morning
curled up on the couch
the stained blanket

Rick Bearce

This haiku makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside! It’s hard to imagine that one could think of a stained blanket (or a stained anything) in a good way, but it is apparently possible. I can see myself back at home, curled up on my family room couch on a cold winter weekend. My dog is at the other end of the couch, sitting and watching TV with me. I would be wrapped up in the fleece blanket we keep on our couch; although it is covered with dog fur and muddy paw prints, nothing could be cozier. Melanie

munching stuffed french toast
Chamber lovers sing
an Ode to Soy

remembering her gas stove
she opens the microwave--
instant mashed potatoes

five minutes on high
season and stir
dorm-made ramen

radio voices
drift into the summer night
me and dad

silent child
shutting the van door
a man with a mustache

barely late
the door, already locked
push, not pull

Saturday night
walking past our house
the transvestite

Rick Bearce (2)

snuggling
into the hotel bed
a condom wrapper

Rick Bearce (4)

alone at a party
dried vomit on my shirt
still stone sober

gentle breeze
on sun-kissed skin
turning the pages

resenting her tears
she drowns me in her sorrows
as I stroke her hair

longing to connect,
I try too hard      my voice
goes on without me

Allison Lingren

This haiku reminds me of when I met my boyfriend’s grandparents. I was so nervous about making a good impression that I didn’t realize that I was talking too much. Most of the time it wasn’t anything important, but I just wanted them to like me. I really was trying to hard to impress them and was being ridiculous. Corinne

sticky day
Stephan drowns me with the hose
it means he likes me

child gripping
a popsicle stick—
sticky fingers

lazy Monday
leaving for school
I resent the dog

Brian Blankenship

I love this haiku because I joke all the time with my friends and family that I’m mad at the cat because she didn’t fold the clothes or do my homework and that I am just going to lay around all day and have no responsibilities. It makes me laugh that I am not alone in feeling this. Alisha

This haiku is just fun. It really captures the mindset of a child who has better things to do than go to school. Allison

wearing a tiara
the strange girl stares back-–
from the mirror

Sarah Corso (2)

Yesterday evening I went to David’s Bridal in Champaign with my future sister-in-law so that she could get a final fitting of her dress. As I was waiting for her to come out of the dressing room, I was trying on all the veils and tiaras they had lying around. Every time I looked at myself in the mirror I thought about how strange and unfamiliar that I looked. Obviously I have never been in the situation of getting married before, so the more I looked at myself and the more that I thought about getting married at this point in my life, the more that I got scared and didn’t want to see myself wearing the tiara or veil. Elizabeth

watching the kids play
punished for a messy room--
pulling weeds

Stephanie Dietrich (3)

As we grow up, our parents all had their unique ways of punishing us for our youthful misdeeds. Like the speaker of this haiku, I had the unpleasant experience of pulling weeds as a child when I misbehaved. We used to have this massive garden at our house that could not be tamed, no matter how hard we tried. We hired people to maintain the garden; we worked every Saturday and Sunday ourselves to do it. However, it could never look quite acceptable (hence its nickname “the jungle”). Anyway, I would often be punished by spending the day in the jungle. I would have to attempt to clean the jungle, and my efforts were often moot. Also like the speaker of this haiku, I often had a messy room and was punished for it. This haiku made me recall similar scenes from my childhood. Pat

he’s prayin for a miracle
usin teeth
damn Bra

Traci Rapp (5)

dorm room odor
across the hall
garbage jenga

Rick Bearce (6)

This haiku definitely captures college life. The reason I really enjoyed it, though, is because of the last line. What a clever way to describe the garbage! I cannot think of any other word that could do justice to a pile of garbage the way “jenga” does. I can just imagine the overflowing pile: it’s the day before garbage day, and everyone is trying to cram in their last bits of trash. Empty paper bags, leftover pizzas in half-open boxes, wads of notebook paper, rotting apple cores—what will make the tower topple? Melanie

I like this haiku because it appealed to sight and smell. Also, “garbage jenga” is just a really great way to describe a dorm floor’s garbage area. It’s a very creative image. Allison

five weeks later
the pile overtakes my floor
laundry day

two pounds to go
she struggles to ignore
the vending machine sweets

my roommate talks
with the radio on
. . . all I want is sleep

Friday madness
new best friends
running from the cops

Alisha Goebel (4)

Everyone has at least one run-in with the police during his or her college career; it’s inevitable, and something would be missing from the college experience without it. The first line of this haiku immediately placed my mind in a college setting. The word madness simply takes me to a party at an off-campus house. I truly believe that you make your best friends in college. I remember that feeling during the first week of school. For this reason, the second line made me think of my current group of friends, and the thought was even more complete after reading the third line. During the first week of my freshman year, we were walking home from a party on Prairie Street off of Main Street when I police car drove very slowly by us. Now, without getting into specifics about some of my friends’ states of mind, some of them were quite terrified about this. This haiku brought me back to a time when friendships were a little more innocent. Pat

the wind in my hair
no one else is near
the mulch