wind rustles
the yellow leaves
autumn symphony

Bethany Tabb (3)

This haiku has brilliant color in it. I very much enjoy the imagery and usage of senses, i.e. the sound of the leaves and of the wind, the colors of the leaves and the feel of autumn in the air. This haiku describes fall in such a beautiful way. It's a very peaceful read, and I enjoy the placement of wind, leaves, and the overall season of fall. It's just a sweet little poem that inspires one to feel at ease for the moment. —Allisha

alone on the stoop
late afternoon sun
writing summer memories

Jenny Schultz (1)

This haiku is great because its peaceful simplicity. It brings to my mind two things, one of them being the image of a young person, carefully writing in his or her diary during the warm, quiet and relaxing summer months. The other is the concept of the "afternoon sun" crafting these newfound "memories" as if the sun itself enjoyed shimmering brilliantly in the sky, enjoyed watching the young women pick flowers day after day, and enjoyed watching young men lazily fish in a local pond. As if the sun wished that summer could last forever… —Aaron

trestle overhead
i begin to wade
was that a fish?

Jenna Roberts (2)

on top of the grass
a mountain sits
penetrating endless skies

twinkling stars
         me
mountain top

Sarah Matherly (2)

her cold hands
become warm
in his

Travis Meisenheimer (6)

I find that simple actions can oftentimes make the best haiku. Here, the warming of a woman’s hands is such a lovely scene. It seems that there is no need for any sound at all, much less there need to be any words spoken. There is no hurry, and yet neither is there any hesitancy. —Aaron

I really enjoyed this one because I see a man and a woman walking through a downtown area sometime before Christmas. It's beginning to snow and they're window shopping. Of course, the woman forgot her gloves and her boyfriend/husband is keeping her hands warm. I thought this haiku was very tender and sweet. —Sarah

I like this one because it is so simple, but extremely beautiful. It shows us one of those moments that couples share, letting the other know that they are cared about. Her hands are safe in his clasp, warming to the heat they provide as well as to the love that this simple gesture symbolizes. It's the little things that truly matter —the fact that he will take a moment to help her feel better - that show how he truly feels. —Jenny

alone at the game
he watches
the past.

Travis Meisenheimer (4)

This haiku made me think of the football games in my hometown. Every time I went to a game, I would see one of our old football players who had graduated in years past. Many of them didn’t go to college or do much of anything with their lives. They went to the games to remember the glory days of high school when they were football stars. This haiku really captures the feeling of being lost in the present and wishing for the past. —Bethany

With sleepy eyes
we watch together.
—northern lights

walking, I listen
someone’s speaking softly
but not to me

Sean Keller (2)
Dr. Brooks award

"Walking, I listen" brings an everyday event to life. How many times have we been walking along and thought someone was calling our name or talking to us and they weren't. This haiku almost makes one wonder if this person is wanting to hear from someone specific. I'm not sure why, but that's what I get. —Travis

fallen leaves
beneath my imitation Docs
my tan legs were toned!

drop by drop
the color turns
a sigh of relief

Alicia Scott (2)

This haiku is wonderful because it can instantly get the reader to use their imagination. Sighing of relief, I think, is like a blossoming rainbow. Something so grand that had originally started out so simple. A sigh is a multihued band of emotions wrapped around our hearts. And it is everything we do, every sentiment we consider that is the many "drops" which develop into "a sigh of relief." —Aaron

I like "drop by drop" the best because of the rhyme and sound involved. It reminds me of the "cris cross apple sause" haiku a few weeks ago and I'd wager the samer person wrote it. I really like how it sounds when you read it aloud and the sense of childness it gives out. Halloween is a kid's holiday and this sounds like a kid's rhyme song. —Travis

looking down the cliff
morning mist rolling in
my visible breath becomes unseen

campground payphone
a five minute call
more lonely than before

Emily Evans (4)

I really like this haiku because it makes me remember that sometimes when you miss someone, calling them will only make it worse. Earlier this year when I was sick, I called my mom because I had never been on my own and sick before. She comforted me, but after I hung up, I felt worse than I ever did. I like the phrase “campground payphone” because it gives us the picture of someone at camp calling a loved one. Being at a camp can sometimes make you feel completely alone, and this haiku gives me that image. —Bethany

so many piles
of leaves raked onto the curb
i destroy them all

October sleet
the hits
feel even harder

alone with her book
the leaves
as if she had fallen in that spot

James Hartnett (4)

walking home again
bitter wind in the trees
leaves attack

moments before
I fall asleep
perfect peace

This one was very serene and peaceful. There's a period of time before you fall asleep that is so quiet and you feel as if you are flaoting on clouds. It's also a period of time to reflect on your day. It's just so peaceful and that peace is portrayed in this haiku. —Sarah

wind blowing
the smell of smoke
ah, autumn!

standing still in the grass
sun in my eyes and hair
a butterfly lands

a man and his guitar
a room of suspicious cats
i rock on the inside

chowing down on the terrace
well past dinnertime
i love you, sweet pickle!

worn cotton afghan
the hours she spent
weaving under the light

Sarah Matherly (4)

This haiku shows the benefits one reaps from accomplishing a huge undertaking; the results of hard work. I envision an older woman, rocking in her chair at night with the afghan covering her, remembering the time and effort she put into that same project many years ago. It's old and worn now, but still provides the same heat and comfort (probably even more comfort) as it did when she had newly finished it. I know firsthand that creating an afghan is a very involved project—I made one for my boyfriend last year and it took months to complete. But it was well worth it, and it still keeps him warm at night and reminds him that I care. —Jenny

miles between us
no one heals me
like you do

Jenna Roberts (2)

It's a metaphor for the relationship. They don't want to be away so they are ripped away. The only way he can heal is by being with someone he loves and he loves no other like he loves this one. It's great. —Andrew

Halloween.
My tricks will be
your treats.

crunching leaves
first-grade feet on pavement
waiting for Halloween

it always rains on Halloween
every year
I'm an unhappy witch

Alissha Komala (1)

tick tock
lollipop
Halloween shouldn't stop

Andrew Fay (2)

a light flickers out
the window glare fades to show
an unfamiliar face

Sean Keller (4)

I enjoy this haiku because it has the theme of someone who doesn't know himself, and that is always interesting. This haiku is not necessarily an autumn haiku, but I don't care! I imagine someone (gender doesn't matter) coming home from an exhausting day at work and catching a glimpse of him/herself in the window. It's like when you walk past the mirrors in the department store and don't recognize yourself! For me, I always wondered what it would be like to view myself from another's perspective. —Allisha

an old house
the floor creaks
telling stories of old

Alicia Scott (1)