tires and children
squeal…
I’m home

This haiku is my favorite from matching contest number one. It reminds me of children’s excitement when their parents come home from work. The haiku impacted me because I used to babysit three kids who would be so excited to see their parents—Mom was a lawyer and Dad was a CEO. I also like how tires and children are cleverly linked through the verb “squeal.” Amy

A parent comes (I was thinking the father) finally arrives home to his wife cooking and preparing dinner and he has the kids with him as they run into the house. A.J.

I really like the play on words here. I’m not sure if that is the right way to say it, but the image of tires and children squealing, and the final line explaining that that is home for someone is very well written. Six simple words, yet such a clear image. This haiku could be in either category of homecoming or special places, but I like that it is in special places, because it gives a small insight this person’s life. Even though those are two things that some people may find annoying, those two things make this person feel extremely comfortable. It is a neat haiku. Missy

first weekend of college
spent at home
drinking coffee with mom

I like this one because it just reminds me of the feeling a new student gets when they first get to college. That first weekend all I wanted to do was go back home because the shock of college classes made me feel like there was no way I would survive four more years of school. Thankfully, I got over that little hump and am finishing up my degree, but it is an obstacle that many, many freshman go through. —Nate

traveling to see grandma—
we are getting too big
for the backseat

I like this haiku because it so true.  It seems like everybody always would ride in the backseat. Depending on who’s in the car, I still sometimes ride in the backseat! Haha, that’s funny. A.J.

looking down
a fallen tree
I planted when I was a child

This haiku stood out from the rest because it didn’t focus on the homecoming dance or football game, etc; it truly captured the spirit of returning home and seeing what has changed. The haiku creates a feeling of nostalgia, possible disappointment, but acceptance of the time that has passed. Goli

It’s a cosmic sort of “I started it, and I’ve seen it end” sort of situation. It makes me think of an old man standing over this not quite mighty tree. He’s sick and he’s dying, and it’s like he’s watching himself die. JP
special places haiku matching contest 2

the familiar has
changed to unfamiliar
How long have I been gone?

I really like this one. It is a very strange feeling to return to a place you once knew like the back of your hand and realize that everything has changed. I recently returned to my old high school…things have been rearranged and the converted…it is som different than what I remember. Even the park where I played as a child has changed so much. The middle school I attended is a Target store. Things change and sometimes the only way to relive memories is to close your eyes and dig deep into the crevices of your mind. Kristen

fall afternoon
with a bowl of soup—
warmth of home

I like this haiku because it incorporates more than one sense. I could feel the warmth of the soup in my hand, and I could see its color in the bowl. I could also smell it, but more than that I could taste it! It made me hungry for some soup. I enjoyed the sensation it gave me. It also really encompasses the homecoming theme, as it makes me think that the subject has gone home for the weekend, and it is a pretty Saturday in fall with leaves changing colors and flying everywhere, the sun is shining, and that person is curled up on the couch with Mom eating a bowl of soup. Yum. Missy

the familiar has
changed to unfamiliar
How long have I been gone?

I like this haiku because it's a feeling that everyone experiences at one point in their life. They return to something that they remember from their past, only to find that it is not the same as when they left it. Things have changed and they will never be the same again. It's a depressing, but all too common, sentiment. John