Haiku Kkuai 5 Favorites

Global Haiku • Millikin University • Spring 2016

roaring
          the waterfall
drowns our quarrel

Whitney Gray

Sometime fights can get really loud, and the worst ones seem to happen when I'm least expecting it. In this Haiku, I imagine a couple taking a hike that's supposed to be romantic and fun, but instead turns into a giant argument. In the middle of all of the yelling, the waterfall screams to be heard as well, and if the couple would only listen to the nature around them instead of focusing on their own issues, the hike may have ended more peacefully. Taryn

petrified wood
the look in her eyes
feels the same

Tyler Trzcinski (7)

I see my notes
hanging on her wall
well loved

Taryn Pepping (9)

sea glass
sitting in a cup
a pen standing up

Taryn Pepping (3)

waking up
can’t remember putting on
(t)his shirt

Taryn Pepping (7)

reminiscing the spring dew
all the lies
were told here

baguette falls
into a puddle
they'll always have Paris

different             tongues
friendship found
through the language of d                      e
                                         a           c
                                                n

billions of light years away
the stars
and you

Whitney Gray (10)

I really liked the openness of this haiku. The first time I read it in class, I thought of it from an “admiration from afar” angle, as if someone is crushing on someone who doesn’t know they exist. However, rereading it today, I took a vengeful view. I read it as you being small, far away, and utterly unimportant to my life, just like the most distant of stars. No one would miss it if one star were to disappear for a night, and I would be just fine without you. Another way to interpret it is as if I were a concerned friend, noticing you’ve just been staring at the stars, but not really looking. It is as if I can see the preoccupation in your eyes, though you’d never admit it. I really appreciate the different lenses that you can take on reading this haiku, depending on how you’re feeling each reaching. Cori

runningtobeatthetrainlateforclass

Whitney Gray (7)

I really like this poem, not only because I relate to it, but because it gives a really good picture. The poem itself looks like a train; if each word is a train car, they are all connected and moving very much like a train. When I read it out loud, it even has a rhythm similar to a train. Because the structure helps out, I can add more to the mental image I create while reading. I have also experienced this a few times, so it makes me chuckle. Taryn

hawk changes course
to snag a starling's neck
. . . friends no more

Genevieve Breitbach (7)

hungover
I tell my parents
I have the flu

Taryn Pepping (10)

I like this haiku because it made me laugh. How hungover was this person to be able to convince their parents that they had the flu? The thought of this is comical. It could only be for a day too, and then you would have to be just as hungover the next day to able to convince them that you were actually ill. It's just a poor lie all around that would eventually lead to the person being caught and I like it. Jacob

she puts on her
tie-dye shirt
to display her personality

Joseph Pegura (10)

illegible tombstone
fresh flowers
someone remembers

Tyler Trzcinski (10)

I really liked this haiku because it reminded me of the graveyard that the majority of my family is buried in. There are so many stones that their names have worn away, some even grown up in weeds. But every memorial day, there are always flowers on every stone. Showing that no matter how old the stone, there is always someone left that cares. Whitney

resting on his shoulder
won't this moment
last forever?

yellow duckling—
I want to be
standing by your side

Erica Forbes (8)

one paddle
holds all the memories
we will make

sea dragon
the sand castle topples
he starts another

Tyler Trzcinski (2)

glancing at my watch
still a bit of time
for procrastination

Joseph Pegura (10)

little artist
drawing in the dust
a home run missed

Taryn Pepping (8)

crab fisherman
watches his life
go under

brothers gather
around a large
wobbly table

three grown men
uncomfortably squashed
a small back seat

my cup of coffee
and I
both Irish

Whitney Gray (8)

spring breeze—
walking along the quiet creek
she remembers

Erica Forbes (4)

bedtime kisses
dad tells me
what to dream

Whitney Gray (10)

Christmas lights line
the backyard
he cooks his wife a meal

he drowns
the bland sandwich
in ranch dressing

Jacob Hamilton (3)

This haiku reminds me of an event that happened at a subway a few years ago. A man comes in and orders a salad bowl (presumably trying to be healthy) and he proceeds to ask the attendant pour ranch into the bowl until he told her to stop. The attendant went through the entire bottle before the man told her to stop. The healthiness, was completely annihilated by the shear amount of ranch dressing he poured in. The response the attendant had was, “would you want some lettuce with that ranch?” and I could not stop laughing. Noah

car races by
loud bass
N-bomb dropped

annoying fly
I swat it
another whizzes by

Alice in Wonderland
she cries through the
mirror

Erica Forbes (6)

we pass by
the Mississippi river
down below

xylophones
the bass drum
the whole band in front of me

Joseph Pegura (3)

castle in front of me
ears perched on my head
home

Lauren Montesano (6)

feet
tripping over each other
just keep smiling

Lauren Montesano (7)

I liked this haiku because it reminds me of simple everyday life. I am always laughing at my self when I trip or stumble because it is such a normal human thing. This makes it very personal yet relatable. Lexi

chrome rims
LED lights
showtime

I stand motionless
my dream car
passes by

sun flower seeds
all over the floor
strike three!

Emilio Tejada

steady cool stream—
they find themselves
falling into place

Erica Forbes (5)

 

 

 

 

riviera night
light springs from the water
to your eyes

cherry berry
study break
man begs for a dollar

Genevieve Breitbach (4)

an awkward conversation
to break the silence
I didn't know was there

Corrin Littlefield (7)

ditched—
for the chance of a date
with his dream girl

hula hoop contest
free throw competition
driveway covered in chalk

sticking to your side
I blame it on the
scary movie

no thigh gap
one-inch closer
to being part of their world

back
to the way things were
is this what I wanted?

Lauren Montesano (5)

one bite penetrates
   | the juicy fruit |
        (mango)

the best
free medicine
haiku

Katherine Viviano (3)

So simple, but speaks volumes; a haiku about haiku—how "meta!" I love this haiku because it is always such a joy to sit down to just let myself, and my week, spill onto the page in small bites. I truly think writing can be a deep medicine for the soul that connects to the body's health as well. Genevieve

 
Mirror | forever displeased | rorriM

Katherine Viviano (7)

road blocks
the entire neighborhood
lawnmower races

Noah Klumpe (4)

kids trying
trampoline dismounts
one biffs it

Noah Klumpe (3)

sharing the sink
talking through the mirror
foamy toothpaste grin

Marah Kittelson (8)

I really liked this haiku. It reminded me of my sister and I. When we were younger, we would share the sink when we got ready for bed, which didn't always end well. But we have plenty of happy memories from that. Whenever we share the sink now, we still stay on our designated sides from when we were younger. We always end up talking in the mirror too. Sometimes I'll hang out in the bathroom with her when she's getting ready and we talk through the mirror. We are less than 5 feet away from each other but we still talk through the mirror. This haiku just showed that it's not so weird that we do that. It also kind of reminded me that we do do that, that's how we talk and it's funny but it works. It just reminded me of my sister and I are growing up and having real conversations through the mirror, not arguments on who is going to brush their teeth longer. Corrin

the granddaughter
whispers
her last goodbyes

laying in bed
no more small talk
I love you

Katherine Viviano (8)

with much love
mom does the dishes
again.

Michael Barber (4)

imprint on my arm
feeling the sting
of the soccer ball

by herself on a tire swing
mom's car stops
"get in"

her ratty stuffed animal
finally
one that cuddles back

Marah Kittelson (3)

bottom of the sixth
fenced inside the field
sore feet

sitting in the shade
best friends shit talk
old best friends

Natalie Smith (12)

pushing the baby swing
trying to see the world
like he does

Natalie Smith (4)

This haiku reminds me of the many days I spent swinging in my backyard on the swing set. I appreciate the fat the the person pushing them wants to see the world as thy do. Every time I get on a swing now I get sick from the motion and I can never enjoy as I did when I was younger. Also, I can relate it to the person wanting to see the fun and the joy in life as the child does. Seeing life in such a carefree way. Grace

sipping her water
the mare
stares at herself

doing my laundry
yet another
awkward encounter

Michael Barber

the ocean
a warm breeze
keeping my heart warm

Sunday morning rain
red solo cup floats alone
U-Dog's parking lot

Marah Kittelson (6)

mud on my thigh
sitting criss cross applesauce
after the rain

Marah Kittelson (3)

catch in the park
a new friend
feels old

Marah Kittelson (4)

I liked this haiku because it made me think of how quickly a person one of your closest friends. When I first came to school, I was able to tell these people I had never met before, everything about my life. It didn't matter how long I had known them, it felt like I had known them my entire life. I especially connected this haiku with Whitney since we are best friends and also occasionally play catch in the park. I cannot imagine my life without her and we have the connection that is talked about in the haiku. Erica

This is one of my favorite haiku I’ve read yet this semester. When we first arrived at school, almost everybody was a stranger. Now, I feel as though I’ve known them my entire life. After going to school with people for twelve years back home, I feel like I hardly know them anymore. The friends I’ve made here at Millikin I have only known for a little over a year and a half, but I feel like I’ve known them since birth, and I am thankful every day for meeting them! Whitney

girls bathroom
she carefully creates
a perfect careless bun

Natalie Smith (7)

two sidewalks
one in the sun
I take a longer walk

Noah Klumpe (8)

This haiku was very popular in class today and is my favorite from this round of kukai. I very often find myself doing this or even if there is a way that I prefer to walk over a different way I take it just because I enjoy it. This haiku also sparks thoughts of "taking the higher road" concept and just makes me think about making decisions in life. Also, since one sidewalk is in the sun and one is not, it makes me think of a street or some sort of divider that would put space between the sidewalks causing one to be sunny and one to not be. In my mind, there is a street and a building on one side creating a shadow over the sidewalk. Michael

dodgeball tournament
trying his hardest
to be invisible

cigarette burns
a drunken reminder
to stop smoking

Benjamin Brawner

I really like this haiku because of the broad variety of topics it can be applied to. Even though many people struggle with trying to stop smoking and many people often smoke more when they are drunk. But, nearly everyone has some bad habit when they are drunk and are always in some way trying to stop and have reminders from that habit for the next few days. The first line of this haiku is also very effective because I can almost feel the burns and I like the way that the word burns functions as the last word of the sentence. Michael

skinny white boy
crooning Louis Armstrong
uncomfortable silence

Benjamin Brawner (4)

I burst out laughing upon first reading this, and it sounds even better when read in Ben's signature deep drawl. It holds such a sensitive quality of a well-meaning kid just wanting to groove but not quite looking the part. With just a few words, the author manages to grasp a total scene—sight, sound, emotion and all. The order of the information is also really nice: you see the skinny guy, perhaps on a stage or in a karaoke bar (or even more relatably in an audition) then you hear him struggling to sound like his hero, then the awkward lack of clapping from an unsure audience. Genevieve

spring cleaning
in the attic sun
tap shoes gather dust

everything I know pours out
the last dribble
from the vodka bottle

Alexis Dockins (8)

sunrise
we strip down
splash into the lake

Alexis Dockins (5)

smile nice
Mom said
don't say anything

Alexis Dockins (4)

I really like this haiku, because of the fact that every family has been there. Every family has had to go to an event that the children obviously loathe going to. Every time, the parents sit the kids down and essentially say the same thing. “Look like you are happy to be there, and if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Even though my parents have pulled that speech multiple times, it very rarely works out well. Noah

all together
then
one single drop

first car out of the cemetery
speeding past
loved ones

Natalie Smith (5)

baby shower
I realize
the clock is ticking

Grace Ganley (11)

another bend
now      at last     the moon
and all the stars

Grace Ganley (5)

all that is left
is your ghost
sleeping in my bed

slowly caressing
each little rock
the smooth creek

crescent moon
her words linger
on my cracked lips

Tyler Trzcinski (6)

I guess I liked more hurtful haiku today. I liked this one because the scenario I imagine is centered on someone who has just experienced a huge, rough loss. A few days after the fight, you still haven’t moved on in your mind, repeating the stabs that really do ring true. You’ve given up on the simple things, not even caring if your lips begin to bleed as you repeat her hurtful words endlessly. It is all you can do to stare at the hopeless moon, seeing as you can’t focus on anything else. Even the moon is at its low point, providing a grim outlook for you. Cori

smokers cough
heart attack
on my wedding day

dreaming . . .
dust
on the window

Grace Ganley (5)

painted wood ponies
rear their heads
and gallop off into the night

soft clucking
hens dream of keeping
their eggs safe

one part sand
one part sea
worries drift away

Grace Ganley

beer foam
lonely eyes
across the bar

blue eyes peeking out
          from under his ball cap
hitching my breath

Whitney Gray (8)

This haiku created a strong feeling for me and that is what I liked most about it. I can just imagine seeing this and feeling like I need to stop and catch my breath like in this haiku. Lexi

I enjoyed this haiku because it gave a sweet image of a little boy looking up at his mother and she is just so proud of her son that it hitches her breath. I also like it because it can give another image of a girl looking at her crush's blue eyes underneath his baseball hat and his eyes are so beautiful that it hitches her breath. I like how both images produce a different feeling. Whether it's a child or a crush, when I read the haiku I can feel my breath catching. Erica

squealing in delight
spaghetti face
tiny handprints

Whitney Gray (3)

a forgotten glass
filled to the brim
stars and moonshine

Cori Grzenia (5)

black roses
all over
her body

Alexis Dockins (6)

I loved the ambiguity of this haiku. I love how it can be taken as tattoos or something sadder. I first took it as tattoos and then other people were talking about death and that made sense too. The idea of someone dead being covered in black roses is very sad. Black roses seem morbid and lonely. But the idea of black roses as tattoos has a sense of beauty and depth. The tattoos have a meaning and are important to the person. The idea of black roses also seems old and basic, but in a good way. I can picture someone getting a rose for each person she has loved who she has lost, which is very sad but that's one way to remember them. I can also see someone who loves roses getting more and more as time goes by. Either way, they have depth and importance. I also think it painted a beautiful picture. Corrin

I love the image this paints with the roses being black. First I take it as possibly tattoos. I know several people who have black roses tattooed on their body. It is something usually so soft, bright and innocent but is represented in a dark way. It is could be to represent something so sweet that might not be innocent anymore. Grace

two hearts on the wall
a loving couple
making their mark

bamboo hut
the hermit brews
hot tea

Tyler Trzcinski (4)

spoon party
the little boy hides
in a dusty closet

Tyler Trzcinski (4)

empty koi pond
somebody's daughter
left alone

new house
new furniture
old ghosts

Cori Grzenia (6)

I have only moved once and I was only 4. When I moved into my house it was a brand new house we built and everything in it was also brand new. I remember the new smell of everything but I still had memories of my old house and every time I go past my old house I can remember things that happened in it based on stories I had been told. This haiku reminds me of accepting change but still remembering those old memories. Tyler

sex jokes on the screen
mom freezes
I melt into the couch

Cori Grzenia (8)

We have all been through this as children, we sit down to watch a movie with our parents, and the most awkward part of the movie comes on with a sex scene. In this moment, you would rather be anywhere else than in the silent, awkward room. The worst is when what is happening in the movie is funny, but you're afraid to laugh in fear of getting into trouble. Which is a completely irrational fear, but for some reason all rational thoughts go out the window during this moment. jacob

refusing to be forgotten
faint moon
in the sun's sky

Alexis Dockins (11)

I enjoyed this haiku a lot. The image of the moon in the sky is one of my favorite images in nature. I hike a lot and I always enjoy hikes when both the moon and sun can be seen. I feel as if the world is in harmony during that time so it gives me a great sense of peace. Tyler

© 2016, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.