Haiku Kukai 02 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • Spring 2021
1 ripstick tricks Courtney Klein ••• |
2 schoolyard talk Courtney Klein ••••• • I loved this haiku because I read into the innocence of queer youth. That first time you notice someone and you develop feelings for someone that goes against heteronormativity and worrying that what you're feeling is wrong. I deeply resonated with this haiku, and it really took me back to that headspace. Colin McGonagle, Spring 2021 Replace the word girl with boy and this haiku takes me back to the elementary school playground. I picture myself running to my closest friend and telling her I had a crush on some boy. I had butterflies in my stomach and a sense of anxious energy in my voice. In the last line, I can quite literally hear myself whisper, please don't tell. Although, I am a bad whisperer, so I am sure many kids heard me say it in the first place. There is a sense of hushed urgency in the last line that really brings about that energetic childish vibe. Also knowing young kids, that secret would be out by the time we made it back to the classroom. Jeana Pierson, Spring 2021 I took this two ways. I imagine a group of kids, mainly male, huddled around the swings, and talking. Someone asks if they had any crushes, and one of the guys says they do. He then panics and says not to tell anyone. However, these are middle school kids, so they all giggle and tell whoever they can. By the end of recess, it's gotten to everyone in their grade and then people come up and ask him about it. The second way I took this was a young girl starting to explore her sexuality. She is talking with one of her closest friends, trying to figure things out. They talk about crushes, and she says that she has a crush on another girl. She panics and tells her friend not to tell anyone because it's a huge secret and she's not even sure if it's an imagined crush or real. Brooke Oitker, Spring 2021 I really like this haiku because it is very nostalgic. It takes me back to elementary school and that feeling of having your first crush. I like the ending, “please don't tell,” because I can feel the butterflies that come with this little secret. I definitely remember saying these exact words to my friends when I told them who my crush was and then, before I knew it, the whole grade knew about my secret. Sarah Barter, Spring 2021 |
3 phone rings Danni Beard ••••• ••• After reading this haiku, I pictured my younger self sitting by the phone waiting on it to ring. As I looked out the window, I could see the bright moon reflecting off of the snow covered roads. Feelings of anticipation could be felt, as we hoped that it would be enough for a day off from school. The sounds of our phone ringing, followed by cheers filled my childhood home. I could smell the fresh baked cookies that my mom, sister, and I would bake together every snow day. This haiku evokes feelings of excitement and happiness, as I always looked forward to spending these days making memories with my family. Chloe Herbert, Spring 2021 |
4 toys everywhere Danni Beard •• This haiku reminds me of childhood friends. I imagine that they played on a swing set together in a backyard with their toys. Over the years , I imagine that the two friends have grown apart. However, I feel like this is a reflection of those times. Maybe they aren't as close anymore, which happens in life. However the memories on the swing set, surrounded by toys remain. It may even draw them back together one day. Kionah Flowers, Spring 2021 I was the first grandchild of the first child in my family, making my mother's parents officially grandparents. Because of this, I was pampered by them. They bought me anything I wanted. The backyard had a swing set and one of those small houses for kids. I just recently lost my grandmother and I've been thinking back to these moments of pure fun and bliss with her. Piper Charlton, Spring 2021 |
5 strangers |
6 cool winter night Courtney Klein •• |
7 nemo fish Alyson Robbins ••• When I was a child, I remember how exciting it was to go to a place that had a fish tank and just stare through the glass, leaving fingerprints all over, while pointing out the different fish from Finding Nemo (one of my favorite movies from childhood). I did not have a fish tank at my local library, but I remember there being one at the doctor's office and always loving to look at it. Reading this haiku brought back those memories of the fish tanks while also bringing back different memories from going to the library as a kid. I remember loving going to the library over the summer everyday because we had summer reading programs, and I loved getting prizes after finishing books. This haiku was able to take me back to so many different memories from my childhood with just three simple lines, and I think that's incredible. Linnea Nordstrom, Spring 2021 When I was younger, I was a huge reader. I was a regular Matilda and the library was my favorite place. The library I went to didn't have an aquarium, but that nemo fish line made me think of the Pixar movie Finding Nemo. When I wasn't reading, I was watching Disney/Pixar movies. This combined the best of both of my worlds when I was younger and gave me a nice blast from the past. Piper Charlton, Spring 2021
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8 cold basement Savanna Prasun ••••• •• From this haiku, I pictured an unfinished basement surrounded by tall concrete walls. Around the edges of the room, I can see several stacks of cardboard boxes marked with differing labels. Feelings of the cold air contrast the warm feelings felt inside my heart, as I remember the significance behind these items. As we sort through the items, I can hear the sounds of my mother's voice telling stories. This haiku evokes feelings of peace, as it is comforting to see the things that I have since forgotten about. For myself, my mom kept all of our childhood awards and schoolwork. It was nice to look back at those items and see how far I have come since then. Chloe Herbert, Spring 2021 This haiku brings back and recalls many memories. In my old house, which I lived in from birth until sophomore year of college, our cold and unfinished basement held every single piece of Bayer family history. This was the same basement my brother lived in and when he got married, the room was passed onto me. Right outside the finished and structured room are giant stacks of tubs under the staircase, holding decades of family memories. Each box was neatly organized with labels by year and name. There is one tub in particular that is labeled “Bryce's Box” and it holds every single major memory and/or event in my life. I very much resembles a treasure chest for me because every time I would look in it, I would always find something new and ask my mom about it, especially when I started to get a lot older. I lived in this cold basement full of memories for nearly 9 years. It has so much history. Bryce Bayer, Spring 2021 When I read this poem, I also think of my grandma's house again. They have an unfinished basement with concrete freezing cold floors. We used to grab our plates from upstairs during any family occasion or get together and take it downstairs to eat. All of our toys and games were downstairs which allowed for us to be off on our own and spend time with just us. Paige Hockman, Spring 2021 |
9 I wish I was elsewhere Savanna Prasun ••••• •• When I read this, I thought of books. The power of words is astounding. It's able to transport you to Hogwarts, or into the Hunger Games, or back to the 1800s. Books are an escape from the real world, and sometimes leave me wishing I was anywhere else in the world, real or fictional. However, there's little time to read every book I want to read. Brooke Oitker, Spring 2021 This haiku reminded me how much I'm itching to travel somewhere this summer. My friends and I want to celebrate our 21st birthdays this summer, so we have talked about different trips we could take, and where we would want to go. However, with covid, I do not know how possible this will be because of travel restrictions and keeping the health of the public in mind. With it being such an important birthday to me, it does hurt to think I will probably have to wait a few more years and by then it won't be the same. So, sometimes I think about how things were just a year ago and the different things I took for granted before. Simple things like going out to eat or going through the Steak ‘n Shake drive thru at 2am with my friends. Camryn Skundberg, Spring 2021 I love this one because it embodies a sense of fatigue yet beauty that few other haikus much less sayings express. There is a certain sense of escapism to this piece that makes it so relatable and endearing. What really sticks out and draws you in from the very first moment is the implication of wishing one was elsewhere. All of a sudden questions are filling my mind about where that elsewhere is. It is going to be different for every person who reads this, but each one is going to be equally and beautifully significant to that specific reader. Much more personally, it goes into the feeling of the tireless wanderer trope that I so heavily enjoy. There is nothing more beautiful to me than imagining some kind of world-hopping poet making art wherever he goes. This fills that little Hoid hole in my heart and I love it for that. Elliot Mahon, Spring 2021 |
10 fairies in the garden Savanna Prasun ••••• • This haiku takes me back to me in middle school or late elementary school with my cousins. My cousins are a few years younger than me, and this brought back a distant memory. I remember playing in their yard while we looked for the “fairies”. They had little houses set up for them and were telling me all about them and where they live and what they eat. I was too old for this at that point, but I remember playing with them and it making me so happy to see them so excited. Carly Clo, Spring 2021 This haiku reminds me of my grandma. My grandma has always had a love/mild obsession with fairies. She has collector fairy dolls, fairy decor, and an entire fairy themed bathroom. As a little kid, my grandma would tell me stories about fairies, and we would play dress up as fairies. She actually has a picture of me as a fairy in her fairy themed bathroom. Fairies are whimsical, dreamy, and playful and this haiku reminds me of that feeling I would get playing fairy as a child with my grandma. Jeana Pierson, Spring 2021 I love this haiku because of its magical imagery. I imagine this garden being an enchanted place, similar to the forest in A Midsummer Night's Dream. I imagine that these fairies are what keep the garden growing. They hide among the flowers and make sure that everything stays alive. Kionah Flowers, Spring 2021 |
11 one drink too many Alyson Robbins •••• I felt like I was watching a scene from my own life. My mom always says that drunk talk is sober thoughts, and this is very prevalent within this haiku. I saw two people who were drinking together, drinking a little too much. Then once the “one drink too many” comes to fruition, the two over share their true feelings. It brought me back to certain situations that I have been in through my life. Marissa Garcia-Kaliner, Spring 2021 |
12 build-a-bear Alyson Robbins • |
13 light up pacifier Jeana Pierson ••• The local roller rink was THE place to have your birthday party when my friends and I were turning about nine or ten. It was also a popular place to go on the weekends. My friends and I were always there. We'd skate for a while and then play the arcade games to get prizes. I had completely forgotten about that part of my life until I read this monologue. It all came flooding back to me and my smile could not be bigger. Piper Charlton, Spring 2021 |
14 sweat soaked shirt Colin McGonagle •••• When I read this one, I thought of a statue. There are certain statues that look like that they are wearing clothes or have cloth on them. The statues are so detailed that it makes the cloth look real. To me, human figures, no matter what shape, are works of art. They are statues to be marveled at and appreciated. When people sweat through their clothes or get soaked in the rain, you can see their figure and can take the time to appreciate them the way that they deserve. Savanna Prasun, Spring 2021 |
15 alone at recess Colin McGonagle ••••• ••••• This haiku made me smile. I want to be a high school teacher, but when I read this haiku like it was a grade school student asking the questions, not high school. The questions I think the student would ask could range from life questions to what they are going to learn in language arts later. In class we discussed how this student was probably matured faster than the other students or did not really care to play with their classmates, and I really liked that point of view. I was the opposite when I was younger, either playing four square or on the monkey bars, but I do remember maybe that one kid on the playground talking to the supervisor or bringing their book out to read. Camryn Skundberg, Spring 2021 I felt a genuine sweet connection between teacher and student in this. To me, this is the student that isn't as athletic or competitive as the other students. It reminded me of the Matilda – Miss Honey bond in the Matilda book/movie. It also reminded me of my relationship with teachers and adults as a kid. I always had mentors in classes and related more with them. Alyson Robbins, Spring 2021 I liked this haiku because it makes me think about the labels that we receive. Specifically, when you become a parent, you're known as mom or dad you're known by that label. I think the same thing applies to educators too. People outside of their sphere put them into this role and forget that they're also people with hopes and emotions. I imagine the teacher in this haiku being touched that a student would inquire about her in this way. Kionah Flowers, Spring 2021 This haiku also takes me back to elementary school days. Recess was my favorite subject and I definitely wasn't the kid who sat with the teacher at recess to ask them about their dreams. However, I do remember that one kid that would always be with the teacher. I always wondered why and my friends and I probably even laughed at it at the time. Thinking about it now, that child could've had major social anxiety or a hard at-home life and maybe they just felt safe with the teacher. Sarah Barter, Spring 2021 Reading this haiku, I am brought back to elementary school. I can see myself sitting on a curb nest to one of the staff monitors talking about my favorite books or what I am doing after school. I wanted to know everything about my teacher, so asking what her dreams or favorite activities were was so common for me. There is such an initial sense of loneliness and abandonment in this haiku, which is rectified by the deep conversation had with a teacher who clearly cares for her student. Courtney Klein, Spring 2021 |
16 fight or flight |
17 board game Jeana Pierson •• This haiku reminded me of rainy days at my cabin when my whole family would play board games together. The cabinet had games from my father's childhood, and whenever it was my turn to choose the game, I would always look for one I knew was his. The fact that the name described was not just written on the box but carved into it makes it even more sentimental. Not only was the game from the parent's childhood, but it was specifically theirs and likely important to them if they felt the need to carve their name into the actual box. Courtney Klein, Spring 2021 |
18 family holiday Jeana Pierson ••••• When I read this haiku, I immediately pictured my sister, my cousin, and I as children. At every family dinner, we would perform some sort of dance or cheer. I could see the smiles on our faces, as we were proud of each of our routines. The sounds of laughter and clapping filled my grandma's living room. Faint smells of leftover holiday dinner lingered in the background. This haiku evokes feelings of happiness, as it reminds me of simple times spent with family. More specifically, this haiku takes me back to a Christmas when we all received matching cheerleading uniforms to perform in. While this may seem trivial, I enjoy looking back on these memories as an adult. Chloe Herbert, Spring 2021 |
19 running side by side Kionah Flowers ••• |
20 jazz hands Linnea Nordstrom •••• This haiku very much resonates with my dance studio and competition days. When I was younger and started to pick up dance, I was so hyper focused on being the best and sometimes it would hinder my performance. My dance ensemble used to travel, take class, and compete at dance conventions, working with some of the best choreographers in the mainstream industry. During every class, these very well-known choreographers would call dancers to the front or up on the stage who were executing the combination flawlessly. I can distinctly remember this happening to me every now and then when taking classes at these dance conventions. I remember feeling so desperate to have those moments that it most definitely manifested in my face. I wanted to be noticed by these choreographers I would see on T.V. My dance teacher pulled me aside when I first started going to these conventions and said the key is to not look TOO desperate. I always applied that advice and when I did, those were the times I would get called onto the stage. Bryce Bayer, Spring 2021 This one reminded me of my high school days. I was always the one chosen, so I just got use to raising my hand. Then, when the teacher was tired of always picking on me, my hand would be stuck in the air for goodness knows how long. This reminded me of how I am a “ex-gifted child”. That meaning that I was great in high school, but now that I'm in college I am at the level I should be and it's exhausting. Savanna Prasun, Spring 2021 |
21 cracked sidewalk Linnea Nordstrom ••••• ••••• • This haiku brings me back to the saying everyone says as a kid. “You jump on a crack and break your mothers back” This made me feel happy when I read it because I felt a sense of joy and playfulness in my heart that you don't feel every day when you are an adult, so it is a fun reminder and flashback when reading this do they games and laughs I would have with my friends on the playground in elementary school. This haiku is also funny because it takes a look at the darker side of the rhyme, we would always say it and laugh, but we don't think about what we are actually saying. What if that were true? What if we actually hurt our moms when we stepped on a crack? Such an interesting and different way to look at the childish rhyme. Carly Clo, Spring 2021 It wasn't until i was much older that I learned that abuse is not always physical. My dad is a very sick person, and now that I'm older, I am a lot more aware of all the subtle things my dad would do to my mom, my brother, and I. I remember sitting in the car with my mom and having a 6 hour conversation about all the things he said to her and about her to other people. It puts into perspective all the decisions that had to be made when you were younger, and you understand how hard those decisions had to be to make. Colin McGonagle, Spring 2021 I felt so sad reading this. I saw the superstition that we all know; “step on a crack, you break your mother's back”. It was so clear with the wording. When I read the words “deserves better”, I saw a wife and mother arguing with her husband. A teen was watching near by, knowing that their mother was not happy within her life. I see the teen wanting her mother to find happiness and that the teen blames herself for the arguing. Marissa Garcia-Kaliner, Spring 2021 |
22 cobblestone road Linnea Nordstrom •• |
23 garage sale Kionah Flowers •• I have this innate love of going through old stuff. To be more specific, I really like going through other people's old stuff. You can always learn something new about a person, or their life, by seeing what they have. Is it invasive? Yes, yes, it is, but it is so much fun. Older stuff always has this air about it that draws you to it. I feel that draw all the time. I think it is influenced by my love of history. Savanna Prasun, Spring 2021 |
24 church bell rings |
25 mom leaving her daughter |
26 new polly pocket Sarah Barter •• I used to LOVE Polly Pocket as a child. I'm not sure why, but I really enjoyed how tiny she was and her big head and her squishy clothes. However, I remember that among my toys she was the most fragile. This haiku took me back to this memory that I had forgotten about, and I enjoyed the opportunity to travel back in time. Jamie Gamonez, Spring 2021 This haiku reminded me so much of my childhood. I remember having polly pockets and always losing the parts of the dolls. I would be so frustrated when I wanted to dress the doll a certain way and couldn't because I had lost the pieces needed for the outfit. I would sometimes even blame my sister on losing pieces when it was usually me who was responsible. Kaitlin Hathaway, Spring 2021 |
27 joint custody Sarah Barter ••••• I am not a child of divorce but I know some people who are. Some people hate it and some people love the double holidays and having step siblings. I enjoy the vagueness of this haiku because you don't how the author feels, so this leaves room for the reader to form their own opinion. Jamie Gamonez, Spring 2021 When reading this haiku, it brought me back to middle school when my mom and stepdad split up. My siblings and I would go back and forth from one house to the other on weeks depending on who had us this weekend. I remember always being frustrated when I would forget something at my mom's or stepdad's house that I would need when I was at the other's house. Kaitlin Hathaway, Spring 2021 As someone who has had parents divorce at a very early age, I can relate to this Haiku. Every weekend I would have to pack my bags so I can get picked up by my dad and turn around and go back to my moms during the week. I always felt that I was living through my bag as the weeks went by so fast. I also struggled when it came to hanging out with friends from school since I would be at my dads for the weekend. Either way, I feel that any person whose parents are divorced can understand the feeling that this Haiku gives. Katelynn Watkins, Spring 2021 |
28 fairview pool Sarah Barter • |
29 crunchy woodchips Marissa Garcia-Kaliner ••• At my elementary school growing up, the playground had wood chips, so this haiku brought me memories of my childhood. I could definitely hear the exact sound of walking through the wood chips, and I could smell them as well. When I read this haiku, I pictured a young student on a playground who was probably one of the shy kids in their class. I could see them walking around through the wood chips, not really in the mood to play with everyone else. I could see how someone with a big imagination but quiet personality might have just kept to themselves during recess time and enjoyed the quietness, while getting lost in daydreaming. Linnea Nordstrom, Spring 2021 |
30 clear ocean sky Marissa Garcia-Kaliner •• This haiku had really great imagery. I could hear the sound of the ocean early in the morning before there are any voices to distract from the sound. I could smell the salt in the air from being on a beach. And I could also picture a person on a swing over the ocean that I feel like I always see in travel photos from fancy places in Bali. Overall, I enjoyed this haiku a lot because it created a sense of peace, and it was very calming to imagine how it would feel to have a moment alone in such a beautiful and relaxing space. Linnea Nordstrom, Spring 2021 |
31 holes in my pants Jordan Hildebrand ••• |
32 colors of the rainbow |
33 after school rush |
34 I skip to the bar Katelynn Watkins ••• My dad owned a bar when i was a really young kid. After school, i would always hang out at the bar and the bartender, this old man that I would call "Uncle Bob" would always give me my drink of ginger ale and grenadine, and all of the guys at the bar would be nice to me because they knew i was the owner's kid. I have such fond memories of that place. Colin McGonagle, Spring 2021 |
35 turning to dusk |
36 wine Wednesday Jordan Hildebrand •••• I really enjoyed this haiku a lot because it reminded me of the good times with my friends. I could feel the expression of happiness and contentment of just spending time away from school. My friends and I used to just come together every Wednesday and just tell each other stories or events that are happening in our lives. It's a great opportunity to sit back and relax with one another. I like how the reader analyzed it be a more chill vibe and time to be with one another. I was able to relate a lot to this haiku and it made it more enjoyable. Danni Beard, Spring 2021 I loved this haiku because it made me think about my current roommates and how we have “Bachelor nights” every Wednesday night. We usually go to the corner store by campus and get the cheap wine to drink while watching the week's episode. We love to get wine tipsy and yell at the screen when the women are being shady. It is just our way to spend time together away from school, work, boyfriends, and sports. Kaitlin Hathaway, Spring 2021 I liked this poem a lot because I love my wine. It reminds me of getting together with my fellow nurses or friends on my days off and wine tasting. The winery in Pana is one of my favorite places to go especially during the warmer seasons. Paige Hockman, Spring 2021 |
37 late drive to the airport |
38 lonely house Camryn Skundberg •••• In this piece I see my grandparents' old house with most of their belongings moved out because they're moving to a new house. All that remains are a few butterscotch candies on the kitchen table. They meant to grab them but let a few slip out of moving bags while bustling about. Butterscotch candies always remind me of my grandparents. Alyson Robbins, Spring 2021 |
39 eyes flutter shut Camryn Skundberg • |
40 mom and dad work Camryn Skundberg • |
41 early morning Carly Clo ••••• • I related to this one quite a bit. Growing up my grandma used to love to go to garage sales and thrift store shopping. We would get up early Saturday mornings and drive to the gas station and buy a newspaper so we could circle which ones we wanted to go to. We still do this to this day. My grandma and I also volunteer at a local thrift store back home as well as donating clothes to different stores around the community. I think that thrift stores hold so much more meaning than what is on the surface. For some people it's being able to afford to put a decent piece of clothing on their back. For other people it's owning something that already has a story to it. You might not know where it came from but to think about where that certain item has been and the thought of it having a story behind it is very neat to think about. You are more so likely to get the story from a garage sale than a thrift store. Jordan Hildebrand, Spring 2021 This haiku is very reminiscent of the weekends when I was a kid. My grandma always came over on Saturday or after church on Sunday and we would always go thrift shopping or to the nearest garage sale. This was something we did in the morning so we would always get breakfast whilst making a shopping plan. We loved going to Goodwill and finding new items on the racks every weekend to repurpose. The best parts of these weekend shopping trips were my mom and grandma's stories of when my mom was younger. I always learned something new about them both while sharing these funny stories and memories with me. Bryce Bayer, Spring 2021 This haiku reminds me of an old hobby I used to have, which is thrifting! I used to always go thrifting in free time and I even had a few friends who would join me. It was always so fun looking at all the graphic tees that were probably from concerts, family vacations, sport's games, etc. All of the items in a thrift store always tell a story. I think it is fun to make a new story with a thrifted item. Sarah Barter, Spring 2021 |
42 quiet girl Carly Clo ••••• ••• I really like this haiku because it reminded me of myself. I think everyone has their different stage. For example, I would say my stage is the softball field whereas another person's stage could be the ER nightshift. I would describe myself to be introvert around strangers, but when I'm comfortable, that's where I come out of my shell. On the softball field I am comfortable and show a different side of myself to other people rather than when I'm in class. I think this haiku can relate to anyone because everyone has that different side of them come out when they're passionate about something. Camryn Skundberg, Spring 2021 I can relate to this haiku on a personal leave except in the opposite way. I am a very personable person and very outgoing in my everyday life. I make a conversation with anyone and I can sometimes talk your ear off. I wouldn't say I am a very shy person and most times I don't care what people think about me. But when it comes to giving a speech in front of people, I can't do it. I get so nervous and talk so fast. I also struggle with getting my thoughts out when I am put on the spot to talk in front of a small group of people. Jordan Hildebrand, Spring 2021 I related to his haiku because it reminded me on when I was in high school. During my younger years I tried out for the play because my mom wanted me to. I didn't end up liking it because I was always an athletic girl who never wanted to put myself in front of an audience for people to see me fail. Being the quiet girl on the stage was awfully hard for me because I wasn't like the theatre kids, whose passion was to be on stage. I would come home from school and cry to my parents because I didn't like rehearsal. So, this haiku relates to me in terms of my experiences I had way back when. Danni Beard, Spring 2021 Almost every person has an “alternate” personality when the situation called for it. This is another one I took two ways. The first is, as a video game streamer, I'm a very different person in front of what little audience I have versus when I'm just playing games recreationally with friends. The second is much more personal. Before last week, I wasn't out to my family about many things; my anxiety, depression, and sexuality were among them. I had to step onto a stage, so to speak, and pretend to be someone I didn't feel like I was. I'm quiet, I'm depressed, and I wasn't everything my parents thought I was. That's what I got when reading that. Brooke Oitker, Spring 2021 I really liked this Haiku since I thought about the time that I was in orchestra. I always found myself to be quiet in school and it was not until I was able to play violin that I felt that I could break out of my shell. Even though I played violin for a while, I still had bad anxiety when it came to performing on stage. It was always strange to me how the nervousness would completely change once I was stage, it felt as if I did not have the anxiety anymore as I was able to trust my practicing and remember to myself that I know the music. Though I feel that this is more for acting, I still feel like this Haiku can count when it comes to all types of performance. Katelynn Watkins, Spring 2021 |
43 pool water Kaitlin Hathaway •••• This one didn't originally stick out to me much, but I was reading through these with a friend after class and she jumped out of her seat and yelled that this was her exact childhood. I feel like I need to give this haiku credit for eliciting such a strong reaction from someone I care about. I love that energy that it makes others feel and even though I personally don't relate to it, I find it so powerful that so many other people do. Elliot Mahon, Spring 2021 I liked this Haiku because I was able to imagine a bunch of kids at a pool birthday party. I have only been to a few pool birthday parties as a kid, but I can imagine how the cold air feels as I was reading this Haiku. It seems odd that eating Doritos while at a pool is comforting and seems like a part of my childhood that I have never really thought about. I feel like I always was alone in the thought that chips always tasted better at the pool, but now after this Haiku I know that I am not alone in this feeling. Katelynn Watkins, Spring 2021 |
44 mason jar Kaitlin Hathaway •• |
45 dirt under my nails |
46 backyard kickball Paige Hockman • |
47 held hands in the wood Elliot Mahon ••••• • Wow I love the mixed messages this haiku gives. Clear visuals present is a woman remember her teenage love. She and her partner are walking together through the woods, like on a nature walk. They are holding hands and quietly speaking to one another. Sharing that they love each other, we will be together forever, you are my everything, etc. The visuals end with the woman shading one tear accepting that those words of affirmation were nothing but small talk. She realizes that she did not understand what love truly is. Marissa Garcia-Kaliner, Spring 2021 |
48 little green house Elliot Mahon • |
49 Catholic school |
50 little ballerina |
51 mangoes xxxxx • |
52 mud covered feet Chloe Herbert ••• This poem makes me imagine my grandma's backyard where they dug a large pond when I was growing up. The bottom of it is muddy and all around the edges. It makes me think of the long warm summer days I spent with family and friends swimming or fishing in the pond. You couldn't get out of the pond without having muddy feet. You would wash them, but then had to step somewhere else where mud was piled up. Paige Hockman, Spring 2021 |
53 inch Chloe Herbert • This one is so deliberate with its words and exactly how many its using that you can't help but be drawn in. The simplistic verbiage mixed with the brevity of text supplies this feeling of inescapable drudergy that can only come with watching snow falling. This is the first haiku I've seen in this class so far that READS the same exact way it FEELS. While the text itself is miniscule, the whole thing seems so drawn out to me because there is no way to read it quickly. I can only let this set in on me with all the haste of a falling snowflake. This one is beautiful and written very well. Elliot Mahon, Spring 2021 |
54 raindrop Linnea Nordstrom ••••• ••• I am a very competitive person with everything I do. When I read this haiku, I was brought back to riding in the back of my family's minivan with my older brother on the way to town. Every time it rained; we would always have little races with the raindrops racing across the back window. I would always get so mad when my raindrop broke off or never made it to the end. This was a very thought-out haiku. I forgot about this childhood memory until I read this haiku. Jordan Hildebrand, Spring 2021 I see this haiku in both the literal sense and perhaps something more. Initially, I imagined the long car rides on a rainy day when you would pick a raindrop on the window and watch to see if it would make it to the bottom first. I also think about people who a transparent with their emotions. No matter how much I may want to hide my tears, I know they will fall faster than I can control them. I will never win trying to hold my emotions inside. Courtney Klein, Spring 2021 |
55 pretty dress Jamie Gamonez ••••• As someone who has dealt with body image issues, this piece reminded me of my middle school years specifically. I remember going into stores and finding such cute outfits and hating the way my body looked – resulting in me putting it back on the rack. It was a hard phase of life, but it was a part of me growing into who I am. Alyson Robbins, Spring 2021 |
56 hungry Jamie Gamonez ••••• • |
57 can't think of anything Randy Brooks ••••• • I like this haiku a lot because it brings me back to my childhood. When I was little my mom used to take me to McDonalds and the only thing, I wanted from there was a toy. If my mom didn't get me that I would cry and wine my tears away. I was never a big fan of the food, but the toy was what excite my happiness. I would jump for joy when I was told we were going to McDonald's because that's all my brain was reading, the reader expressed contentment and happiness to know that somebody was only thinking about one particular thing. Overall, I like this haiku because it makes me go in the past and remember my childhood and how fun it was. Danni Beard, Spring 2021 As a kid, I loved going to McDonald's. Anytime we got McDonald's, it was a special occasion. I also remember that we (my siblings and I) were never able to open our happy meal toy until after we had eaten all our food. We could not even tear the packaging of the toy without being scolded. I remember scarfing down my food just so I could open my tiny little beanie baby toy, a toy I would probably lose within the week. Reading this haiku, I can perfectly visualize that childish need to have my happy meal toy asap. Jeana Pierson, Spring 2021 Even though McDonalds is not healthy, I secretly love McDonald's and since my parents were both really busy, there were many McDonald runs in my childhood. I loved the box it came in and the toys were always such a great addition to my toy collection. I remember making specific requests for my happy meal toy and felt so happy when the McDonald's worker would hand me my new best friend. I loved how this haiku brought back this memory for me. Jamie Gamonez, Spring 2021 |
© 2021, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
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