heart racing, sweat dripping
I struggle to finish
the last mile
Camryn Wagner |
breathless
screw whoever said
running is fun
Alex Saviano
|
going for a walk
my boots
stuck in concrete
Gwen Klinkey |
go for a run
. . .
no
Mandy Thrasher |
breathless
screw whoever said
running is fun |
go for a run
. . .
no |
|
breathless
screw whoever said
running is fun
top
quarter champion |
|
TOP half Chamption
counting calories
the crinkle
of my protein bar wrapper
|
bottom
quarter champion
counting calories
the crinkle
of my protein bar wrapper
|
on the elliptical
Beyonce has
nothing on me
|
counting calories
the crinkle
of my protein bar wrapper
|
mile 4 on the cyclical path
I hum the same song
to the cornfields
Sydney Sinks |
on the elliptical
Beyonce has
nothing on me
Kelsey Crotz |
she runs and I follow her
she stops I stop
the treadmill: my best friend
Marta Viúdez García |
counting calories
the crinkle
of my protein bar wrapper
Jas Humphrey |
|
TOP
half champion
counting calories
the crinkle
of my protein bar wrapper
|
|
CHAMPIONTOP
perverse glance
do it once more
this weight is getting chucked at your head
|
perverse glance
do it once more
this weight is getting chucked at your head
BOTTOM
half champion |
clinking weights
lift them up
all the way this time
Christian Andrews-Stewart |
a silent prayer
to get through
one more rep
Audrey Button |
the perky fitness instructor’s
“five more reps!”
oh god
Sydney Sinks |
how many was that?
17 . . .
. . . 18
Nicholas Canton |
a silent prayer
to get through
one more rep
|
the perky fitness instructor’s
“five more reps!”
oh god
|
|
a silent prayer
to get through
one more rep
top
quarter champion |
|
BOTTOM
half champion
perverse glance
do it once more
this weight is getting chucked at your head
|
bottom
quarter champion
perverse glance
do it once more
this weight is getting chucked at your head
|
perverse glance
do it once more
this weight is getting chucked at your head
|
dashing through snow
searching for
a summer body
|
getting up at 6 am
dragging myself out of bed
and into the gym
Madyson Fritch |
perverse glance
do it once more
this weight is getting chucked
at your head
Kelsey Crotz |
dashing through snow
searching for
a summer body
Emma Antonelli |
the squirrels
wonder
what is he running from
Geo Tapia |
© 2022, Randy Brooks • Millikin University. All rights returned to authors upon publication.
downward dog . . .
upward dog . . .
Oh no, cramp!
Emma Antonelli |
back stretching in
deep child’s pose I feel myself
come back to my body
Sydney Sinks |
breathe in
breathe out
am i doing this right?
Christian Andrews-Stewart |
with every breath
she feels her shoulders
start to relax
Kelsey Crotz |
downward dog . . .
upward dog . . .
Oh no, cramp!
|
breathe in
breathe out
am i doing this right? |
|
breathe in
breathe out
am i doing this right?
top
quarter champion |
|
TOP half Chamption
stretch
sssstttrrrreeeeettttttcccchhhh
damnitipulledsomething
|
bottom
quarter champion
stretch
sssstttrrrreeeeettttttcccchhhh
damnitipulledsomething
|
motivation?
yeah
i don’t know her.
|
stretch
sssstttrrrreeeeettttttcccchhhh
damnitipulledsomething
|
the mirror doesn’t reflect
it’s the backwards version
of who i am
Alex Saviano
|
motivation?
yeah
i don’t know her.
Isabel Vincent
|
stretch
sssstttrrrreeeeettttttcccchhhh
damnitipulledsomething
Alex Saviano
|
hamstrings
pulled
like a rubber band
Andrew Tufano
|
|
TOP
half champion
stretch
sssstttrrrreeeeettttttcccchhhh
damnitipulledsomething
Alex
|
|
CHAMPIONTOP
i squat
in hopes
of a dump truck ass
Jas!
|
i squat
in hopes
of a dump truck ass
BOTTOM
half champion |
workouts & salads
maybe
I’ll look like her one day
Isabel Vincent
|
eating another salad
I sit here wondering
will i ever be skinny enough . . .
Madyson Fritch |
I peel my cucumber
as the cookies
mock me
Camryn Wagner |
first workout
this calls for celebration
cookie dough
Isabel Vincent
|
workouts & salads
maybe
I’ll look like her one day
|
first workout
this calls for celebration
cookie dough |
|
first workout
this calls for celebration
cookie dough
Isabel
top
quarter champion |
|
BOTTOM
half champion
i squat
in hopes
of a dump truck ass
|
bottom
quarter champion
i squat
in hopes
of a dump truck ass
|
warm, tasty
overflowing with sodium
the wavy noodles
|
i squat
in hopes
of a dump truck ass
|
warm, tasty
overflowing with sodium
the wavy noodles
Chase Nelson |
fast food
ramen
repeat
Jas Humphrey |
i squat
in hopes
of a dump truck ass
Jas Humphrey |
love handles
freckly knees
I want to be friends
Amanda Handegan |
© 2022, Randy Brooks • Millikin University. All rights returned to authors upon publication.
heart racing, sweat dripping
I struggle to finish
the last mile
Camryn Wagner |
breathless
screw whoever said
running is fun
Alex Saviano
|
going for a walk
my boots
stuck in concrete
Gwen Klinkey |
go for a run
. . .
no
Mandy Thrasher |
|
|
I read this haiku two ways. The first one was a more literal; I thought about going for a walk in early spring when the ground is so wet and muddy and how if you take a step anywhere other than the concrete or gravel, your foot is immediately stuck in the ground. It can be so frustrating trying to get your foot out and having mud all over your feet when you walk back and then having to clean them off. The second way that I read this was like when you make plans to go for a walk and you sit down to put your shoes on, and you suddenly cannot move at all. It’s like you suddenly strapped on concrete blocks onto your feet and all motivation has disappeared. If you really do not want to walk, it can be so difficult to get yourself to go outside. Audrey Button, Spring 2022 |
Literally so true. As someone with sports induced asthma, running is my natural enemy. I stay far away. I would find every excuse in the book to avoid running the mile in PE in high school. Running is EVIL! No one wants to sweat and be out of breath. An absolute waste of my time. Jasmine-Kalei Humphrey, Spring 2022 |
|
|
What I enjoy about this pair is how similar the first two lines are between them. Honestly, if you just read the first line of the first haiku and then the first line of the second haiku, that in itself would seem like a story. I don’t know if this is going to be the right phrasing, but it feels like they both have a sense of “denial” when it comes to these exercises. The second one is more obvious about having a large silence before saying “no” in response to the concept of a run. The first haiku, on the other hand, uses “my boots stuck” which creates an image of motionless contrasting the first line. I do also love the irony then to the point I just made how the second haiku is in denial about wanting to move and be on a run, yet the line spacing literally moves and visually moves like it in and of itself is on the run. Alex Saviano, Spring 2022 |
mile 4 on the cyclical path
I hum the same song
to the cornfields
Sydney Sinks |
on the elliptical
Beyonce has
nothing on me
Kelsey Crotz |
she runs and I follow her
she stops I stop
the treadmill: my best friend
Marta Viúdez García |
counting calories
the crinkle
of my protein bar wrapper
Jas Humphrey |
|
I know I just said I hate running HOWEVER when I do go to the gym, I love the elliptical. Beyonce is such a powerful woman I love listening to her when I’m at the gym. Plus, she totally works exercise into her training regime to be able to sing and perform the house down. She is an absolute icon. Jasmine-Kalei Humphrey, Spring 2022 |
|
Reading this haiku, I picture myself during that period of my life when I used to count calories every time. I had a toxic relationship with food and some aliments such as fries, candies or ice cream were banned to eat for me. Marta Viudez Garcia, Spring |
|
|
|
|
clinking weights
lift them up
all the way this time
Christian Andrews-Stewart |
a silent prayer
to get through
one more rep
Audrey Button |
the perky fitness instructor’s
“five more reps!”
oh god
Sydney Sinks |
how many was that?
17 . . .
. . . 18
Nicholas Canton |
|
This matchup is fun to see because they just seem like such crowd pleasers. I love the first haiku because of its subtle comical aspect. I especially like how the first two lines could lead to anything really, but then you get that last line, which really makes it more relatable. The second haiku is something that probably resonates with so many people whether you go to a gym yourself or watch it on TV. The last line especially is funny to me. I just love both of these haiku and their realness. Christian Andrews-Stewart, Spring 2022 |
|
|
|
|
|
getting up at 6 am
dragging myself out of bed
and into the gym
Madyson Fritch |
perverse glance
do it once more
this weight is getting chucked
at your head
Kelsey Crotz |
dashing through snow
searching for
a summer body
Emma Antonelli |
the squirrels
wonder
what is he running from
Geo Tapia |
|
I loved this haiku because I have felt this exact feeling at the gym on multiple occasions. There have been so many times when men have watched me or followed me in the gym and I wish I could go crazy on them. This haiku reminded me of a day at the gym where a man came up to me and asked if he could put my weights away for me and it made me so angry because I do not go to the gym to flirt, I go to the gym to lift the weight that he wants to lift for me. The anger and frustration in this haiku are all too familiar. Amanda Handegan, Spring 2022 |
These match because they are both light, airy, and comedic. Although the first haiku has a note of seriousness at the end, it starts off with a lively, popular Christmas song that is upbeat and positive for the holidays. It’s about putting the work in during the colder months to look good when it’s warm. It also made me immediately picture a dedicated runner, taking heavy steps over snow covered sidewalks, wind blowing, ice cold outside. The second haiku is just cute and funny, start to finish. I perfectly pictured a woman running briskly, and all these squirrels just standing up on their two back legs, looking perplexed and alarmed – waiting for the danger that they should be running from, too. But there isn’t any – so they’re all stuck there, waiting, not knowing. So cute. Mandy Thrasher, Spring 2022
This haiku is wayyyy too relatable. As soon as New Years is over, we’re bombarded with weight loss ads and expensive exercise programs that claim they’ll help you get ready for summer and swimsuit season, but it feels so strange to be in that mindset and working toward that goal when there’s still snow on the ground and it’s freezing out. Also, the whole “get a summer body” tactic is such diet culture bullshit where advertisers convince you to hate your body and spend a ton of money fixing flaws that aren’t actually flaws--and yet, it’s effective, even when you know that’s what’s happening. In just three lines, this haiku really just highlighted for me how strange the whole situation is (and it made me laugh, which was also nice!). Sydney Sinks, Spring 2022 |
breathless
screw whoever said
running is fun
Alex Saviano |
go for a run
. . .
no
Mandy Thrasher |
|
the squirrels
wonder
what is he running from
Geo Tapia |
I think these two are a good match because they share the running theme. I also feel like chronologically they make a sort of comedic sense. Sometimes I’ll be in a terrible mood and not wanna run or go to the gym, but I’ll drag myself there. On those days, I’M the one who “said running is fun”. It’s kinda like me talking to my earlier self. I can feel the reluctance of the first haiku in the second still. Geo Tapia, Spring 2022 |
|
I liked this haiku because whenever I walk of run outside, I love to look at all the nature around me. Since squirrels are everywhere, they are often one of the most entertaining things to look at. I like how this haiku make the squirrels the active character and how you look through their point of view. I often wonder what goes on in their heads and if they see us and wonder what we are. I also like how they wonder what the runner is running from. We know that we just run for pleasure, but to a squirrel who is prey for other animals, they often run away from things so to them, I can imagine that us running would be ridiculous. Audrey Button, Spring 2022 |
downward dog . . .
upward dog . . .
Oh no, cramp!
Emma Antonelli |
back stretching in
deep child’s pose I feel myself
come back to my body
Sydney Sinks |
breathe in
breathe out
am i doing this right?
Christian Andrews-Stewart |
with every breath
she feels her shoulders
start to relax
Kelsey Crotz |
|
|
I have chosen this haiku particularly because it reminds me of one of the songs I love to listen to at the gym, the lyrics are "breath in breath out"and it refers to those moments during your workout when you do not do more and you are exhausted, but still, you question yourself if you are “doing this right”. Marta Viudez Garcia, Spring 2022
One of my favorites from the matching contest made me think about the number of times I go into a gym and think that I know exactly what to do. It is like a child in a toy store for me. I just go try all these machines and then I think to myself, “am I doing this right?” This haiku really made me laugh because I always tell myself I have this master plan but when I get to the gym, I just go for it. I can guarantee you that I am not doing these exercises correctly and I may need a trainer to teach me. This one really stuck out to me because it is just so true. Andrew Tufano, Spring 2022 |
|
|
|
|
|
the mirror doesn’t reflect
it’s the backwards version
of who i am
Alex Saviano
|
motivation?
yeah
i don’t know her.
Isabel Vincent
|
stretch
sssstttrrrreeeeettttttcccchhhh
damnitipulledsomething
Alex Saviano
|
hamstrings
pulled
like a rubber band
Andrew Tufano
|
I love this match because even though they don't connect as much regarding the words being used, they both have this sense of thought and motivation. There is a strong self-love type of aspect in the first haiku, while the second haiku is funny, comical, and an honest thought I myself have had several times. These haiku are relatable and reflect human nature, which make them a great matchup. Christian Andrews-Stewart, Spring 2022
I really love this haiku because of the double entendre. I thought it was so clever to take the literal mechanics of how a mirror works and apply it to how we sometimes judge ourselves in the mirror. Not only does a mirror actually flip your reflection, but we have been trained to see ourselves in a negative light and strip away humanity when it comes to image. I also really love the wording of “who I am”, because it makes me really warm to remind myself that who I am at my core is not solely based on what I see in the mirror. Amanda Handegan, Spring 2022 |
I really like these two together because they both talk about the way a stretch can feel within your body. With Alex’s haiku, you literally feel the stretch of the muscles of your body when you are stretching. The way the letters are repeated more to express the long pull and stretch helps the reader feel the depth of the pull. With the last line having no repeated letters, but no spaces in between the words make it seem short as if the person is over the fact, they pulled a muscle. It is also as if it happens a lot to that person, but they know that it’ll get better quick. In Andrew’s haiku, you get the imagery of the action of your muscles as they are being stretched whereas Alex’s shows the body on the exterior. I like the idea of the rubber band because pulling your muscle feels like the sting of a rubber band when it snaps in your hand. With a pull of a muscle, the stretchy and moldable muscle while in motion completes the picture usage with a rubber band. Together, these haiku share a well-rounded sense of imagery through the sense of the sound of the body when stretching and warming up the muscles, and the feeling of what the muscles does while being stretched and moved around. Chase Nelson, Spring 2022 |
|
This haiku took the popular “I don’t know her” format and made it incredibly relatable. Especially at this point in the semester, when motivation can feel so far out of reach, this haiku speaks to that need to stop procrastinating and commit to a task (whether that’s exercise or something else) but still stalling because you just can’t find it in you at that particular moment. I enjoyed this one because it made me laugh, and it made a situation that can feel kind of overwhelming seem funny and lighthearted instead. While I don’t know motivation, here’s hoping I get to meet her soon enough. Sydney Sinks, Spring 2022 |
|
|
workouts & salads
maybe
I’ll look like her one day
Isabel Vincent
|
eating another salad
I sit here wondering
will i ever be skinny enough . . .
Madyson Fritch |
I peel my cucumber
as the cookies
mock me
Camryn Wagner |
first workout
this calls for celebration
cookie dough
Isabel Vincent
|
|
|
I like this match for similar reasons to the previous. I like that these focused less on fitness, even though that was the prompt. Having a difficult relationship with food is something that I think many people can unfortunately relate to. I really relate to the struggle of making good decisions, or at least trying to, and not being able to or barely being able to curb your impulses. Gwen Klinkey, Spring 2022 |
|
|
|
|
warm, tasty
overflowing with sodium
the wavy noodles
Chase Nelson |
fast food
ramen
repeat
Jas Humphrey |
i squat
in hopes
of a dump truck ass
Jas Humphrey |
love handles
freckly knees
I want to be friends
Amanda Handegan |
I wasn’t really vibing with the prompt for this matching contest because my mental health makes it really hard for me to get out of bed and even feed myself, let alone leave my room or even the house. Because of that, these two really stuck out to me because of my inability to convince myself to eat many days. I like the match of topics between these two haiku, but what really stands out, I think, is that they take two very different approaches. The first one really focuses on the sensations and experience of eating ramen, the second one is just short and to the point and is something that I think encapsulates the state of mind when you’re in a place where that kind of eating is the only option. Gwen Klinkey, Spring 2022
Another one of my favorites from the haiku class was so good because it was super realistic and short. It didn’t need many words or fancy indentations for me to get an understanding of what it was about. The college routine can be so exhausting and repetitive. I look back into the past 4 years and think about the number of times that I chose to eat out at a fast-food restaurant or all I had left in my pantry was ramen noodles. I love eating out too or eating ramen and I have no shame in saying that. College kids thrive off ramen and so many of my friends eat a pack of ramen at least once a day. Sometimes it’s all you have time to make and it’s so efficient. Fast-food can be a trap, but it is so efficient as well. It’s a vicious cycle that I have tried to break this semester and I’m doing great so far. But sometimes I will treat myself to some fast-food and ramen. Andrew Tufano, Spring 2022
I really enjoyed this pairing because they both talk about food, ramen specifically, but in such drastically different ways. The first one talks about it like ramen is a friend, something that is warm and will always be there for you. Even though it’s “overflowing with sodium”, it’s still something great and delicious, yet it is never explicitly stated that it is ramen. It’s left up to the reader to decipher. The second one talks about what I said in class is the “average college student diet”. Almost everyone can relate to the idea that college students eat mostly fast food and ramen and repeat that indefinitely. In this second haiku, it almost makes ramen seem like it’s not necessarily a good thing, and that it’s almost tragic how much of someone’s life it is a part of. Alex Saviano, Spring 2022 |
Everyone liked the first haiku. Funny, unexpected, unapologetic. Never thought I’d hear a professor of mine say “dump truck ass”, but I did! More than once! Sometimes I forget that poems don’t have to be serious – and that’s okay. When we’re hurting, light words can be far more powerful than wise words. The second haiku takes what someone may see as flaws on themselves, and flips it around to admirable traits – something we could all use, as well. We think people will look at our flaws and judge us; instead, the response is “I want to be friends.” This is something we should all do. Beauty comes in many forms. Mandy Thrasher, Spring 2022 |
warm, tasty
overflowing with sodium
the wavy noodles
Chase Nelson |
i squat
in hopes
of a dump truck ass
Jas Humphrey |
motivation?
yeah
i don’t know her.
Isabel Vincent |
stretch
sssstttrrrreeeeettttttcccchhhh
damnitipulledsomething
Alex Saviano |
I thought this was a really interesting match, and it honestly just made me giggle. Both had a very whimsical, silly sense about them, and they did a great job of encompassing the more lighthearted side of going on a fitness journey. The “ramen noodle” haiku reflected the longing for an unhealthy treat every so often. I totally relate to daydreaming about a certain kind of food. It feels almost like a whole-body experience. You smell the food, feel the heat rising from the noodles, see the wavy pattern of the noodles, hear the slurping, etc. Something as simple as ramen noodles can seem like a gourmet meal when you really crave it. The other poem makes the whole idea of working out much more appealing. The end goal, “having a dump truck ass” is so fun and bold, you can’t help but feel confident in it. It serves as a fun source of motivation and make the whole fitness journey seem less challenging. Kelsey Crotz, Spring 2022 |
This match does a great job of bringing humor into the more negative side of a fitness journey. There are definitely days that I completely lack the motivation to go to the gym, especially after days where I go too hard and end up pulling a muscle. Those issues are sometimes very powerful in keeping me from progressing. I find that pushing myself through with humor is most helpful in trying to overcome those obstacles. These haiku reminded me not to take myself too seriously. It’s okay to laugh at yourself throughout the process, and it’s okay to ease into it. The important thing is to keep trying. While there will be several moments of pushback, and strife, the payoff is worth it in the end. Kelsey Crotz, Spring 2022 |