Christmas party
this new sweater
is itchy
Alissa Kanturek |
Christmas party
dodging
the mistletoe
Emily Sullins |
champagne glasses
bubble over
counting down from ten
Rachel Pevehouse |
New Year’s Eve
hiding from the party
under mom’s bed
Haley Vemmer |
Christmas party
dodging
the mistletoe |
champagne glasses
bubble over
counting down from ten |
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champagne glasses
bubble over
counting down from ten
top
quarter champion |
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TOP half Chamption
new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead
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bottom
quarter champion
new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead
|
new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead
|
grandpa’s ninetieth
birthday party
his last good day
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new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead
Emily Sullins |
after the birthday party
she whispers over a pillow
I miss Mom
Randy Brooks |
dad's 50th birthday
he tells everyone
he's turning 29
Sydney Rudny |
grandpa’s ninetieth
birthday party
his last good day
Haley Vemmer |
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TOP
half champion
new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead |
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CHAMPION
new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead
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dinner party
could you pass
the wine, mom?
BOTTOM
half champion |
baking him
a princess cake
mom will always love her son
Isabella Loutfi |
turning 20
no cake
at this birthday party
Isabella Loutfi |
21st birthday
drinking Dr. Pepper
outside the Thunder circle
Alissa Kanturek |
2 hours to go
I won’t shut up about
my birthday
Zachary McReynolds |
baking him
a princess cake
mom will always love her son |
21st birthday
drinking Dr. Pepper
outside the Thunder circle |
|
baking him
a princess cake
mom will always love her son
top
quarter champion |
|
BOTTOM
half champion
dinner party
could you pass
the wine, mom?
|
bottom
quarter champion
dinner party
could you pass
the wine, mom?
|
feeling alone and
thinking everyone forgot—
SURPRISE!
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dinner party
could you pass
the wine, mom?
|
the hush of hidden giggles
halt as she enters
SURPRISE!
Daria Koon |
feeling alone and
thinking everyone forgot—
SURPRISE!
Haley Vemmer |
dinner party
could you pass
the wine, mom?
Naomi Klingbeil |
pool party
all of the moms know
the YMCA
Randy Brooks |
© 2018, Randy Brooks • Millikin University. All rights returned to authors upon publication.
packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun?
Hannah Haedike |
crowded party
she uses her friends
as a shield
Haley Vemmer |
does anyone
even like this music?
college party
Isabella Spiritoso |
bottles clinking
smoke clouds
talking way too loudly
Rachel Pevehouse |
packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun? |
does anyone
even like this music?
college party |
|
packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun?
top
quarter champion |
|
TOP half Chamption
packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun?
|
bottom
quarter champion
beer bongs
and hard liquor
i drink my melted snowman
|
hiding in the bathroom
trying to stall
for the surprise party
|
beer bongs
and hard liquor
i drink my melted snowman
|
muffled music
I fix my hair
in the restroom mirror
Sydney Rudny |
hiding in the bathroom
trying to stall
for the surprise party
Haley Vemmer |
a swig of a water bottle
and then a wince—
straight vodka
Logan Bader |
beer bongs
and hard liquor
i drink my melted snowman
Naomi Klingbeil |
|
TOP
half champion
packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun?
|
|
CHAMPION
packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun?
|
BOTTOM
half champion |
halloween party
losing the other half
of the couple's costume
Sophie Kibiger |
Halloween party
finally
couples costumes
Emily Sullins |
lit in rainbow
she dances
no one's watching
Hannah Ottenfeld |
friday night
i’d rather stay in
with you
Isabella Loutfi |
halloween party
losing the other half
of the couple's costume |
friday night
i’d rather stay in
with you |
|
friday night
i’d rather stay in
with you
top
quarter champion |
|
BOTTOM
half champion
friday night
i’d rather stay in
with you
|
bottom
quarter champion
stairs spin
and spin
focus on your feet
|
in too deep
his puke
in my hair
|
stairs spin
and spin
focus on your feet
|
in too deep
his puke
in my hair
Mary Callaghan |
house party
someone grabs my ass
and sends me home crying
Sophie Kibiger |
new white tennis shoes
drunk,
i step in mud.
Melanie Wilson |
stairs spin
and spin
focus on your feet
Mary Callaghan |
© 2018, Randy Brooks • Millikin University. All rights returned to authors upon publication.
Christmas party
this new sweater
is itchy
Alissa Kanturek |
Christmas party
dodging
the mistletoe
Emily Sullins |
champagne glasses
bubble over
counting down from ten
Rachel Pevehouse |
New Year’s Eve
hiding from the party
under mom’s bed
Haley Vemmer |
I like these two poems as a matched pair. Christmas is a joyous and happy time for most, but, realistically, not all of the traditions are ones that everyone looks forward to. In the first poem, she complains about the itchy tradition of Christmas sweaters. In the second poem, she makes a point of avoiding the mistletoe, another tradition, altogether. Though I do love Christmas, I think it is funny to poke fun at some of these traditions. Isabella Spiritoso, Fall 2018 |
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new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead
Emily Sullins |
after the birthday party
she whispers over a pillow
I miss Mom
Randy Brooks |
dad's 50th birthday
he tells everyone
he's turning 29
Sydney Rudny |
grandpa’s ninetieth
birthday party
his last good day
Haley Vemmer |
I liked this haiku because it was very simple but it still invokes of a feeling of being loved by someone. The person kissing the narrator could be a love interest or even possibly a father figure. Overall this haiku was very heart warming and reminded me of the good times the holidays bring. Sydney Rudny, Fall 2018 |
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champagne glasses
bubble over
counting down from ten
Rachel Pevehouse |
new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead
Emily Sullins |
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I enjoyed this match a lot because the champagne haiku seemed to prelude the new year’s eve kiss haiku. I thought that the second haiku could be a great way to “fill” in the image that is created by the champagne haiku. I also like how joyful both of the haiku were. Both of them were based off of what seemed to be an amazing beginning to the new year, and both were relatable experiences that I have had within my own life. Logan Bader, Fall 2018
Even these two were not a matched pair, they were matched up later and I thought they went together nicely. They were both about New Year’s Eve, and they both told me about the joys of the holiday. It’s almost like a bubbling excitement, and it can be seen in both of these haiku. Even though they kind of are about different things, they contain the same tone and feeling, and it really puts me in the setting and gets me feeling very happy, which I appreciate. Alissa Kanturek, Fall 2018
I really like this pair, I think it's fun that they happen to be matched together when they're about the same holiday. I think they both channel the excitement and anticipation of the New Year's holiday, and they almost tell a story chronologically. They don't match up structually very well or anything, but I think they're just fun and make me smile. Hannah Ottenfeld, Fall 2018 |
baking him
a princess cake
mom will always love her son
Isabella Loutfi |
turning 20
no cake
at this birthday party
Isabella Loutfi |
21st birthday
drinking Dr. Pepper
outside the Thunder circle
Alissa Kanturek |
2 hours to go
I won’t shut up about
my birthday
Zachary McReynolds |
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I really liked the irony in this haiku. Most people, on their 21st birthday, would be downing alcoholic drinks and love to participate, legally, in a classic game such as Thunder. It almost isolates the reader because they are not taking part of the social norm and they are also outside the circle, so metaphorically and physically they are alone. I was also beginning to think that Dr. Pepper could be a euphemism for something else but I felt that the author genuinely just meant Dr. Pepper. Mary Callaghan, Fall 2018 |
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the hush of hidden giggles
halt as she enters
SURPRISE!
Daria Koon |
feeling alone and
thinking everyone forgot—
SURPRISE!
Haley Vemmer |
dinner party
could you pass
the wine, mom?
Naomi Klingbeil |
pool party
all of the moms know
the YMCA
Randy Brooks |
I really enjoyed these two haiku because they were on opposite sides of the event. It almost seems like they were meant to be read together (because of the last line being identical). When I first saw this in class I was surprised because they literally end the same. Daria Koon, Fall 2018
I love these two haiku together because they show the surprise party from both sides. The first shows the point of view of the friends. They planned this party weeks in advance, have been trying to make sure the secret doesn’t get out and ensure that everything is in order. The second haiku is from the point of view of the birthday girl. She thinks that everyone forgot all about her and of course doesn’t want to say anything to anyone, not to bother them. But walking into the surprise party she instantly feels overcome with love and appreciation. I also love that they both end with the same line. Naomi Klingbeil, Fall 2018 |
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packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun?
Hannah Haedike |
crowded party
she uses her friends
as a shield
Haley Vemmer |
does anyone
even like this music?
college party
Isabella Spiritoso |
bottles clinking
smoke clouds
talking way too loudly
Rachel Pevehouse |
I actually have never been to a college party before, but I can only imagine. Being in a crowded room with strangers does not appeal to me. If the parties were calm and the only crazy thing was dancing at parties, I would be game. In the first haiku, the image of no one dancing sounds horrible. Then, the people at this party are like cattle in a herd being corralled, so I could understand the feelings of this author. The last line gives it a sarcastic and comedic tone, which I enjoy. I can imagine myself in this haiku. The second haiku presents a similar situation. If I were at the same party as the one in the first haiku, I would use my friends as a shield. I do not want to be smushed next to strangers, and the situation would be worse if I felt like the only one who did not know another person. If my friends were the only ones I knew, I would hide behind them as well. These two haiku were some of my favorites because they are relatable. Emily Sullins, Fall 2018 |
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packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun?
Hannah Haedike |
friday night
i’d rather stay in
with you
Isabella Loutfi |
packed sardines
nobody dancing
. . . and this is fun?
Hannah Haedike |
does anyone
even like this music?
college party
Isabella Spiritoso |
I liked these two as a matched pair because they sounded like a before and after. The first one tells the story of a person who probably just went to their first college party, and they didn’t enjoy the experience at all. Too crowded, too loud, too much. Maybe they went out to try to meet or impress someone. If they did, it didn’t work out how they planned. The next haiku could be the same person a week later. Do they want to try again? Or should they just give up? No, they shouldn’t do either. Instead, maybe they decide to text that person they were looking for and ask if they want to spend a night in together. They’d rather be comfortable at home with them anyways. Sophie Kibiger, Fall 2018
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These two haiku weren’t an original match, but I love them together. They were a second round match and it’s almost like the sardines haiku can be considered as a response to the music haiku. They play off each other and both of them have to do with the discomfort and lack of joy found when attending a college/house party. A lot of people hype up the experience of college parties, when in reality, all of the fun things that people can do at clubs, don’t occur at college parties. People want to dance and hear good music. They want to socialize and meet new people and yeah you can meet new people at any party, but the dancing to good music is a rare occasion, especially on this Millikin campus. Most parties here end up being a bunch of people packed into one house and every just standing around doing dumb things, like shot gunning beers or doing beer bongs, or spilling beer everywhere. They’re not fun. They’re overrated and I truly feel bad for any sober person at a Millikin party because they’re barely fun when you’re drunk, let alone sober. Hannah Haedike, Fall 2018 |
muffled music
I fix my hair
in the restroom mirror
Sydney Rudny |
hiding in the bathroom
trying to stall
for the surprise party
Haley Vemmer |
a swig of a water bottle
and then a wince—
straight vodka
Logan Bader |
beer bongs
and hard liquor
i drink my melted snowman
Naomi Klingbeil |
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halloween party
losing the other half
of the couple's costume
Sophie Kibiger |
Halloween party
finally
couples costumes
Emily Sullins |
lit in rainbow
she dances
no one's watching
Hannah Ottenfeld |
friday night
i’d rather stay in
with you
Isabella Loutfi |
I like this matched pair because it captures the excitement and desire of the Halloween couples costume. Obviously, it represents the relationship and the costume is just a symbol of the pairing. I interpreted the first one as a funny and cute moment of losing your other half in the crowd of some big party. The class saw it as the couple breaking up, which is also interesting and turns the whole poem on its head. Either way, it captures the importance of the partnership necessary for the costume. It matches well with the other because it covers the same topic. The author of the second one is more blunt about their desire to be in a couples costume, which highlights the other haiku well. Rachel Pevehouse, Fall 2018 |
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Halloween party
losing the other half
of the couples costume
friday night
i’d rather stay in
with you
I like that these haiku kind of contradict each other. The first is kind of like a break up haiku while the second is a cute couple haiku. It’s especially funny that these haiku were matched together randomly with voting. These two also have a cut in the same place, which creates a similar rhythm throughout the pair. This pair makes me think of how gross college parties are. People have high expectations for the evening ahead, but they are usually dashed. That is shown especially in the first haiku. Isabella Loutfi, Fall 2018 |
friday night
i’d rather stay in
with you
Isabella Loutfi
new year's eve
he kisses me
on the forehead
Emily Sullins
I don’t think these two haiku were ever matched together, but I think they would have made a good match. They are both simple, heartwarming haiku. The people in these haiku are obviously very in love with someone. These haiku both invoke a major “aww’ reaction when reading them. Haley Vemmer, Fall 2018 |
in too deep
his puke
in my hair
Mary Callaghan |
house party
someone grabs my ass
and sends me home crying
Sophie Kibiger |
new white tennis shoes
drunk,
i step in mud.
Melanie Wilson |
stairs spin
and spin
focus on your feet
Mary Callaghan |
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© 2018, Randy Brooks • Millikin University. All rights returned to authors upon publication.