breathe in
breathe out
Why am I here?

Allyson Isenhower (5)

This haiku is my favorite one because this haiku relates to me. Every morning at 7am, I go to the DISC gym to workout. Since the past several months, I made a heavy decision that I will anyhow accomplish my workout goals by the end of 2018. But then sometimes I feel like why am I even here? Sometimes wouldn't even be the right word, but always I feel very lazy to carry myself to the gym. I sometimes think that today I am not going to the gym, instead I will have an extra hour or two to sleep. But life is full of regrets then. Jesal

This haiku was one of my favorites because I found myself following along with the haiku as if it were instructions. This haiku also had a much more somber feel to it than the rest of the haiku. Andrew

running in place
making steps forward
to a better me

Ryan McDonald

This is one of my favorite haiku because it gives me a mental image. It says they're running in place physically, but they're also making steps forward figuratively. I also just like the thought of someone bettering themselves and it is a smooth flowing haiku. Lexi

messy hair
old t shirt
no cares

Katherine Goethals (4)

This haiku was a favorite because it is just super easy to relate to. I think all of us at one time in college have just not cared. Wether it was a hated class, or the repetition of class every day. Deion

I like this poem because the writer seems like they are either defeated or just done for the time being. They don’t think that anything that would take any effort sounds like something they want to do. They have no care and I don’t know if it’s because they are tired or done or just a lazy person. The old T shirt makes me think about a person working on their yard or something and it was windy, so they have messy hair. Travis

a bare stage
warmups hummed under breath
goosebumps

alone
open gym
Yes

Alyssa Rodriguez (3)

I love this haiku, because as someone who works out religiously, this is the absolute best feeling in the world to walk into the gym and be the only one or first one in there. There’s just a sense of nobody holding you back, no distractions, and the only thing between you and hitting those weights is yourself. Be as loud as you want, try any weight. Josh

brand new
matching colors
maybe I'll workout now

jog . . .
1 mile
Not fast enough

40 crunches a day
keeps the
beer belly away

Travis Voorhees (10)

I like this one because it makes me think of the Millikin Men's tennis team. They are currently at the beginning of their season, where they have to do both practice and workouts. During workouts they all make fun of each other's "dad bods". Morgan

This was one of my favorite Haiku from kikai 3. It just a very simple, but very relatable and funny haiku. Deion

I loved the play on “An apple away keeps the doctor away” it was really funny and caught my attention right away. The ending of the haiku was also really fun because beer belly isn't really expected. Andrew

I wrote this one and I like it just because you don’t have to think much about what’s being said . . . it’s kinda self-explanatory. It’s made in honor of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, because my grandma always used to say that. I also hate to get super out of shape so I don’t like to not work out, so I always try to do 40 crunches at least a day. I feel like it’s relatable, even if you don’t do crunches, with anything you try to do in a cycle. Travis

protein shake
shake, shake, shake
lunch

Katherine Goethals

rainbow
on a plate
the food pyramid

“check engine”
but will I break down
again

working out
for me
or for you?

riding a wave
spray over the front
pipe closing in

wind sprints
for no reason
coach grins

Rory Arnold (3)

This haiku is one that I can relate too. As a player who is on the receiving end of these wind sprits it always feels like coach is just doing it because he’s bored. We know deep down it’s because he expects better from us. But in the moment it is the absolute worst thing in the world, your legs are burning lungs at capacity. Just want to quit but you can’t. Josh

colorful fruits
green veggies
the start of something new

open the door and smell
onions
roomate's soup

Morgan Bettner (4)

tearing the flimsy paper
on the doctor’s chair
in anticipation

Rachel Humphrey ( (6)

This haiku gave me a feeling of nervousness. When I was younger I was afraid of the doctors and the paper was always drew my mind away from the pain a shot was going to give me and or the xray results that if I was going to need a cast or not. So it brought back some funny memories. Ryan

I really like this haiku because you can also feel the nervous energy radiating off of the girl as she waits for a the doctor to arrive. I personally hate going to the doctor so I totally understand be jittery with anticipation. I tend to rip things – like napkins at restaurants and playbills at shows – just to have something to do with my hands when I am nervous, so I also really relate to the speaker tearing the sterile paper while waiting. This poem particularly reminds me of the time when I having a physical, so they made me strip and put on the hospital gown thing so I was already incredibly nervous. So that was an extremely anxiety ridden doctor's appointment for me. Nicole

a burning candle
covers up the smell
a messy kitchen

staying in
beside the fireplace
sipping tea

a thirsty dog pushes a bowl
impatiently
demands her water

Andrew Cliatt (7)

I like to think of this impatient dog as a puppy, who is always so helpfully nurtured, but has become impatient at getting what she wants. She isn’t angry or aggressive, she wags her tail and circles the kitchen. Her owner doesn’t scoff or get mad, instead, getting the puppy what she wants. Rory

My family has a little seven year old Chihuahua at home and this is exactly what she does when she needs food or water. Her name is Patches and she is the smallest and most annoying creature on the face of the planet. I love her very much, but she is annoying. Her combo food and water dish is about the size of her body so it is always hilarious to watch her try to push it around the kitchen floor. The perfect word to describe when she does this is demanding so this haiku could totally be written specifically for her. Nicole

This haiku reminds me of my yellow lab. When she would run out of water, she would come up to us and keep hitting her nose on our elbows until we finally got up to get her a refill. She was always so persistent. Morgan

rainstorm
my hero is this one
with an umbrella

Rachel Humphrey (6)

This haiku is sweet to me because of its connectivity to others in such a simple, yet nuisance of a time. It reminds me of the element of empathy. Humans are caring for one another especially in times where one has something that another does not (i.e. an umbrella). This person could be a stranger, or it could be a significant other, either way, a helping hand is granted. Rory

a quick smile
as we pass on the street—
I think I’m in love

Rory Arnold (10)

joy ride
music blaring
he holds my hand

watching a movie
your eyes light up
my favorite part

Rachel Humphrey (7)

I like this haiku because it makes me think of watching a movie with my boyfriend. It is usually his favorite movie, and during his favorite part, he always gets excited. Watching him be excited is definitely my favorite part of the movie, especially when I don’t care one bit about the movie he chooses to watch. Ally

no significant other
but significant friends
Galentine's day

Allyson Isenhower (8)

I like this haiku because of the repetition of the word “significant” in two different contexts. I like how the haiku emphasizes that friends are just as important as relationships. The haiku exudes confidence and love in a simply stated way. Rachel

I really love this haiku because this haiku portrays feminism. I like it because, it says that Valentine's day is not just for couples or lovers. It can also be for a squad of galfriends who love each other a lot. I don't have a significant other, but I have my significant friends who mean to me the most. So why not celebrate Valentines with them! Jesal

I really liked this haiku because it made me think of my cousin and closest friends. Every year my cousin throws a Galentine's day party the weekend before Valentine's day. She always goes all out for this day; she makes mimosas, chocolate covered strawberries, all kinds of sweets, puts together goodie bags, there's really good music, and everyone just comes together and catches up with one another. We don't see each other everyday so it's really nice getting everyone together for one day. Alyssa

February 15
discount chocolate
just for me

Allyson Isenhower (7)

I really liked this haiku because I absolutely love chocolate and I mean how could you turn down clearanced chocolate?? I'm not really the type of person who gets excited over Valentines day, so the 14th definitely gets looked over. However, on the other hand, the 15th is one day I do look forward to because of all of the chocolate that goes on sale. Also, it's not just the leftover chocolate nobody likes to buy either, it's all the good kind of chocolate that goes on sale too! Alyssa

late movie night
only awake
the first five minutes

Katherine Goethals

I liked this haiku because it speaks to me in a way that I am the one who cannot stay awake for any movie if it is late. The TV hypnotizes me and I just fall asleep inadvertently. So this haiku also gives me a scene of a couple in bed and its after a long day and their spending time together but the day wore one of them out so they fall asleep and the other is mad. But its not a serious mad but a funny mad. Ryan

a chunk of hair
clogging the drain
roommate is missing

Rory Arnold (3)

sending Christmas cards
your address crossed out
in pen

Rachel Humphrey (5)

This is one of my favorite haiku because I can picture this happening. I actually see this messy, black pen scribble in this girl's address book. I think she was probably dating or married to a man for a long time and they broke up, so she tried to scribble out his address. Although it is written like it was actually a real pen and paper, I could see it happening in her head too. She could be trying to cross it out of her head and forget it. Lexi

sweat pours down my face
as I think
bye, bitch

Elizabeth Pillow

I liked this haiku first of all because it is relatable. Whenever I get in fights with friends, or frenemies, working out helps me release all my anger in a healthy way. Then I can deal with the situation more effectively. I run on the treadmill or the elliptical with determination and confidence, and that’s the feeling I get from this haiku as well. Rachel

This haiku speaks to me because my haters motivate me. This is particularly true when people say that I cannot do something. Being told I am incapable of doing something in particular only motivates me to succeed. I love proving people wrong. I really like this haiku because I hate working out, but sometimes I have to prove myself wrong and tell the hater in my mind, “bye, bitch.” Ally

an oven beeps
a gentle reminder
its time to eat