whispers
look who gained
her freshman twenty
college stress
was too much to handle

hokku by Rachel Mudd
cap by John Spaw

whispers
look who gained
her freshman twenty
she should stay away
from the fries

hokku by Rachel Mudd
cap by Brock Hayden

in college
french fries:
a vegetable
seems adequate
the daily dose

hokku by Brock Hayden
cap by Alex Koulos

the last flower
I can give—
to the coffin
I walk away
with a bigger hole

hokku by Rachel Mudd
cap by Caitlin Husted

the little girl smokes
to be cool
a candy cigarette
tapping the ash
just like her brother

hokku by Codi Gramlich
cap by Mark Gahlback

the little girl smokes
to be cool
a candy cigarette
little boy one up's her
a puff of smarties

hokku by Codi Gramlich
cap by Morgan Oliver

autumn wind blows
the fall colors swirl
leaves sway
everyone else
continues

hokku by Brock Hayden
cap by Rick Trask

playing the piano
my dog
no longer comes
but I still
play for him

hokku by Rachel Mudd
cap by Caitlin Husted

the young puppy
swimming laps
in my bed sheets
gains a victory
but leaves a yellow puddle

hokku by Ryan Hickey
cap by Codi Gramlich

freshman year
we start hanging out
the last month of school
and suddenly
a summer fling begins

hokku by Keila Hamed Ramos
cap by Codi Gramlich

astonished by the hand-drawn
art in a used textbook—
genitals
pen in hand
I make my contributions

hokku by Sarah Mann
cap by John Spaw

the country boy's face
as he learns
the gays aren't so bad
if only dad had been there
with his shotgun

hokku by John Spaw
cap by Morgan Oliver

dance floor
they kiss
not knowing each other's names
sheets fly
screaming each other's names

hokku by Brock Hayden
cap by Mark Gahlback

Dance floor
They kiss
Not knowing each other's names
Morning light
Her head on his chest

hokku by Brock Hayden
cap by Ramey Sola

first kiss
his mouth
tastes like whiskey . . .
tremor down my spine
I'll take it.

hokku by Brock Hayden
cap by Sarah Mann

quick kisses
before I leave for work—
doggie breath
trek to the car accompanied
by forlorn barking

hokku by Caitlin Husted
cap by Rachel Mudd

My hand in yours
Our cold park bench
Replacing you
Out of the question
Back then

cap by Ramey Sola
hokku by Mikayla Mendenhall

four papers later
sleeping atop
her laundry
too exhausted to move
the end of my productivity

hokku by Morgan Oliver
cap by Mikayla Mendenhall

tender thoughts
float away
chimney smoke
caught by a gentle breeze
and carried away

hokku by Ramey Sola
cap by Ryan Hickey

future best friend
we bond by painting
the graveyard fence
if only we knew
what we were in for . . .

hokku by John Spaw
cap by Ryan Hickey

future best friend
we bond by painting
the graveyard fence
making friends unexpectedly
college life?

hokku by John Spaw
cap by Mikayla Mendenhall

your reflection
I see you—
seeing your beauty
applying pink coral lipstick,
your scent dazzles     intoxicating

hokku by John Spaw
cap by Sarah Mann