leaves fall
and I find myself
missing no one

Alexsenia Ralat

walk in the park
kicking leaf piles
as I go

Owen Pulver

the Monarch
lands softly on my shoulder
sensing I need a friend

Alyssa Becker

my cat purrs on my lap
I pet her
and continue to read

Alexsenia Ralat

leaves fall
and I find myself
missing no one

the Monarch
lands softly on my shoulder
sensing I need a friend

leaves fall
and I find myself
missing no one

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

leaves fall
and I find myself
missing no one

bottom quarter champion

steady beat of
rap upstairs
faucet drips

steady beat of
rap upstairs
faucet drips

the next morning
sticky cards
scattered on the table

steady beat of
rap upstairs
faucet drips

Jordan Comish

facing the dark doorway
into the kitchen
colder

Jordan Comish

the next morning
sticky cards
scattered on the table

Anna Harmon

the dishwasher stops
I can hear
a car drive by

Jordan Comish

TOP half champion

leaves fall
and I find myself
missing no one

CHAMPION

bar at Christmas
dark and warm
jazz band

bar at Christmas
dark and warm
jazz band

BOTTOM half champion

popcorn and a movie
isn't the same
without you

Morgan Vogels

can't watch a rom-com anymore
without feeling like
a Loser

Alyssa Becker

you brush back my hair
I brush off the dirt
date reads 2013

Savannah Riestenberg

my brother tells me
about his girlfriend
I feel old

Alexsenia Ralat

popcorn and a movie
isn't the same
without you

you brush back my hair
I brush off the dirt
date reads 2013

you brush back my hair
I brush off the dirt
date reads 2013

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

bar at Christmas
dark and warm
jazz band

bottom quarter champion

bar at Christmas
dark and warm
jazz band

bar at Christmas
dark and warm
jazz band

hiding
from people I know
Walmart

bar at Christmas
dark and warm
jazz band

Caroline Lodovisi

closing down the bar
no where to go
but home

Shannon Netemeyer

Standing, I startle
the barista. I empty
the cafe.

Kaia Ball

hiding
from people I know
Walmart

Matthew Vangunten

stones weathered
names read
over and over

Savannah Riestenberg

seeing you at the door
I remember
your funeral

Shannon Netemeyer

looking in the mirror
I see a reflection
not mine

Shannon Netemeyer

through the looking glass
someone
I don't recognize

Caroline Lodovisi

seeing you at the door
I remember
your funeral

through the looking glass
someone
I don't recognize

through the looking glass
someone
I don't recognize

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

through the looking glass
someone
I don't recognize

bottom quarter champion

wicked monster
just a shadow
of my teddy bear

third floor
the house ghost
follows me there

wicked monster
just a shadow
of my teddy bear

emptying a pumpkin
to make room
for the candle

Matthew Vangunten

third floor
the house ghost
follows me there

Caroline Lodovisi

new betta fish
Are you dead or sleeping?

Anna Harmon

wicked monster
just a shadow
of my teddy bear

Ryan Sikora

TOP half champion

through the looking glass
someone
I don't recognize

CHAMPION & GRAND CHAMPION
 

through the looking glass
someone
I don't recognize

the crow
looks me in the eye
I shiver

BOTTOM half champion

alone
gravel crunching
who's there?

Douglas Sherrill

old house up the road
I start running
when I pass by

Owen Pulver

eyes forced open
the tv glow flickers
in the dark

Renee Sample

scary movie ends
we leave
the lights on

Morgan Vogels

alone
gravel crunching
who's there?

eyes forced open
the tv glow flickers
in the dark

alone
gravel crunching
who's there?

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

the crow
looks me in the eye
I shiver

bottom quarter champion

the crow
looks me in the eye
I shiver

the crow
looks me in the eye
I shiver

red pool
under the door
it slowly opens

Douglas Sherrill

washing her hands
of her sister's blood
trick or treat

Jordan Comish

in the old barn
a black crow
stares down at me

Shannon Netemeyer

the crow
looks me in the eye
I shiver

Owen Pulver

leaves fall
and I find myself
missing no one

Alexsenia Ralat

walk in the park
kicking leaf piles
as I go

Owen Pulver

the Monarch
lands softly on my shoulder
sensing I need a friend

Alyssa Becker

my cat purrs on my lap
I pet her
and continue to read

Alexsenia Ralat

I love this haiku because of the accompanying spirit it embodies. The soft touch of the butterfly brings companionship to the narrator who is clearly in need of such compassion. Also, the specificity of the Monarch butterfly brings a warm, orange image to the haiku. Caroline

steady beat of
rap upstairs
faucet drips

Jordan Comish

facing the dark doorway
into the kitchen
colder

Jordan Comish

the next morning
sticky cards
scattered on the table

Anna Harmon

the dishwasher stops
I can hear
a car drive by

Jordan Comish

popcorn and a movie
isn't the same
without you

Morgan Vogels

can't watch a rom-com anymore
without feeling like
a Loser

Alyssa Becker

you brush back my hair
I brush off the dirt
date reads 2013

Savannah Riestenberg

my brother tells me
about his girlfriend
I feel old

Alexsenia Ralat

bar at Christmas
dark and warm
jazz band

Caroline Lodovisi

closing down the bar
no where to go
but home

Shannon Netemeyer

Standing, I startle
the barista. I empty
the cafe.

Kaia Ball

hiding
from people I know
Walmart

Matthew Vangunten

stones weathered
names read
over and over

Savannah Riestenberg

seeing you at the door
I remember
your funeral

Shannon Netemeyer

looking in the mirror
I see a reflection
not mine

Shannon Netemeyer

through the looking glass
someone
I don't recognize

Caroline Lodovisi

emptying a pumpkin
to make room
for the candle

Matthew Vangunten

third floor
the house ghost
follows me there

Caroline Lodovisi

new betta fish
Are you dead or sleeping?

Anna Harmon

wicked monster
just a shadow
of my teddy bear

Ryan Sikora

I know that the author who wrote this was writing about the Pi Beta Phi house and how it is haunted. Sometimes, when you are walking up to the third floor, it feels like something is walking up there with you. Whether there is actually something there or my mind is playing tricks on me, it can be a really spooky walk up to the third floor, and I love how she wrote a haiku about it.

alone
gravel crunching
who's there?

Douglas Sherrill

I get the chills when I read this haiku because these thoughts have run through my mind a few times in my life. I live in a rural area so my friends and I would go out riding on the country roads at night and explore some areas out in the country just for fun. At least, it was just for fun until we all got creeped out When I hear gravel crunching behind me I get the eerie feeling that someone is following me. Then I get a rush of courage and look behind me to find nothing—even creepier. These experiences happened often when I went night-exploring with my friends. This haiku makes me think of someone being stalked by an unwanted visitor that slips behind the bushes to watch and continue to follow their obsession from behind. Alyssa

old house up the road
I start running
when I pass by

Owen Pulver

eyes forced open
the tv glow flickers
in the dark

Renee Sample

scary movie ends
we leave
the lights on

Morgan Vogels

As a lover of scary movies, I could relate to this haiku on a personal level. Sometimes the movies can be quite scary, but, if you're a true scary movie lover, you can't bear to look away. I imagined sitting with some friends watching a scary movie: all terrified but unable to even glance away. Caroline

red pool
under the door
it slowly opens

Douglas Sherrill

washing her hands
of her sister's blood
trick or treat

Jordan Comish

in the old barn
a black crow
stares down at me

Shannon Netemeyer

the crow
looks me in the eye
I shiver

Owen Pulver