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These haiku remind me of Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy. He jams out to his Walkman, which always plays '80s tunes. I personally love listening to music when I work out. The moment music starts playing, I am motivated to work myself harder. I smile and dance when I hear a song I like, so I can see myself having a little hop in my step on the treadmill in the second haiku. In the first haiku, "pump me up" makes me think of lifting weights. One more rep is easier to do when there is some music to lose yourself in. Forgetting your stress and the day's anxieties is one reason why I love going to the gym, and when music plays, I feel like I can take on the world! The auditory cues I get from these haiku are wonderful. I feel like I can hear "Walking on Sunshine" right now. Both haiku have happy and lighthearted tones, which I enjoy. Emily Sullins, Fall 2018
I found these two haiku to be a very interesting and fun matched pair. When I read both, it reminded me of how much a workout can be a major chore for some people. A lot of people just don't want to do it. But it is miraculous to see how much music can make an impact and can transform something from a laborious, unwanted chore into a fun, exciting jam session. I wrote the second haiku, stating how much music makes a change for me when I am working out. Jenesi Moore, Fall 2018 |
I liked this matched pair because I think they both deal with confidence and I really appreciated that. In the first one I imagine someone who has just started going to the gym and they are very uncomfortable. They don't want to make a fool out of themselves by performing exercises incorrectly. They might even be doubting going to the gym in the first place. But in the second one they are glancing at themself in the mirror. Maybe they notice small progress and that's what gets them smiling. I just think the two of these haikus match really well together. Naomi Klingbeil, Fall 2018
I loved this pair. I could really relate well to both of these haiku. When I quit playing basketball at Millikin, I was so burnt out from exercising that I had really let myself get out of shape. I was tired and needed a break from sports, because that is what my entire life had revolved around up until this point. I soon began to feel unlike my usual self. I felt lazy, lackadaisical, and unmotivated most of the time. I soon changed this lifestyle, and decided to try out lifting weights and bodybuilding as my new sport. This was a challenge at first—I always lifted more for functionality and athleticism when I was playing sports, but now I was completely lost. I had to learn all of the lifts that targeted each and every body part, because it is important to have a balanced physique and train every muscle. I can remember the feeling of progress and beginning to see my body transform. The haiku on the left really took me back to all of the learning I had to do in the beginning, like acquiring the proper form for lifting and wondering if I was doing it correctly. Now lifting is my absolute favorite hobby, and I am still learning more about nutrition and fitness every day. Logan Bader, Fall 2018
I like both of these haiku a lot independently, and they complement each other quite nicely. It tells kind of a story of someone's insecurities and how they have grown and how self-love is a long and difficult process but it is possible. I went through a really rough time for most of high school and I am now doing much better, and I noticed recently that whenever I catch my reflection I smile at myself. It's usually a goofy smile and it's not in admiration of myself, but more of a greeting to myself. I like that I have grown enough to be able to feel this way about myself, and I'm glad I'm no longer in the place that the first haiku implies. Hannah Ottenfeld, Fall 2018
These two haiku told a progression story, I felt. I can easily relate to the first one, as those are thoughts that go through mine, and pretty much every dancer's head at some point during a class. However, I like the image of the second one. No matter whether the smile is coming from the instructor or the dancer, the smile is a recognition of hard work done and achievement accomplished. It made me feel joy and relief after the feelings of self-doubt and anxiety of the first haiku. Daria Koon, Fall 2018 |
I enjoy these two haiku paired together because of their connection with the mirror. I chose to order these in this specific order because I wanted the story created with the two haiku to have a happy ending. To me, these haiku show the progression of skills and confidence in someone who is perhaps working out to lose weight or become more healthy. At first, the narrator is struggling with self confidence and body image. She may look in the mirror but not actually see the progress that is being made. However, by the end of her journey, she is realizing that there is in fact progress and she is making improvements with both her physical and mental health. Melanie Wilson, Fall 2018
glance in the mirror
a smile
progress
sweat drips
down my face
mirrors still lie
This was a pair that wasn't immediately patched, but came together after some voting. I feel like these are matched so well! The first has quite a bit of hope in it. The subject has been working hard and is seeing it all pay off. This makes me feel all warm and soft and happy. I also like that there is just a glance in the mirror. The subject isn't spending time staring and judging themselves in the mirror, but instead just catches a glimpse and can hardly believe how good they look and feel. The second haiku is the complete opposite of that. I think the subject does spend hours staring at him or herself in the mirror, judging and hating. I imagine that this person has a severe amount of body dysmorphia and probably an eating disorder. Isabella Loutfi, Fall 2018
These two haiku were not originally put next to each other in the first round, but ended up being a pair in the battle of quarter finals. I love how both include mirrors, but have almost completely opposite tones. The first one has a proud and excited tone, like all the hard work you've strove for is now paying off. Whereas the second haiku is someone working very hard, and them not quite seeing it pay off in the mirror. The best part that I just noticed is that if you were to put a mirror in between these two haiku, each line reflects back somehow in the other poem. So the first line of the first haiku and the last line of the second haiku both contain the mirror element. The middle line has to do with facial expressions, and the last line of the first haiku and the first line of the second one both reflect the hard work put in. What a cool coincidence. Alissa Kanturek, Fall 2018 |
