Haiku Kukai 07 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • Fall 2020
1 last schedule looking good |
2 I sit and watch |
3 Mamma Mia Stark Winter •• |
4 rainstorm |
5 empty parking lot Sydney Griggs •• |
6 autumn clouds Sydney Griggs ••••• Since we have our horses on property we take them for a lot of trail rides in the fall when all the leaves are turning and it’s just cold enough to make riding the right temperature (sitting on a horse can be surprisingly warm). Since they have hooves if we are riding on pavement it can be a little slippery for them especially with the leaves. This reminds me of all the rides we go on at home and is a little more melancholy for me than I think it’s meant to be. Gwen Klinkey, Fall 2020 |
7 creek |
8 let it come, let it be Sophia Zinger ••• This haiku is a reminder that we cannot have control of everything. It’s hard to accept that there are things you can’t change, but it’s not up to us, and there is nothing we can do. We have to let fate take control and just let things happen. We can’t stress over thing we can’t change. Sadie Scott, Fall 2020 To me, this poem is about tenseness and control. I feel like this is something that somebody would try to sit down and repeat to themselves in order to remind them to chill out. I relate to that a good amount because in high school, I was very controlling and would panic when something wasn’t within my power to adjust. The long process of applying for college kind of broke me of those habits and made me realize that sometimes things are just out of our hands. Sometimes, we just have let life happen and roll with the punches. One thing I have noticed since being at college is that I am a lot mellower here. When I go back home, I notice myself trying to be more in control, but when I am at my apartment in Decatur, I have a lot of autonomy and don’t have the need to be in control. Kyle Jordan, Fall 2020 |
9 not perfect |
10 gossip Sadie Scott ••••• This haiku made me reflect on a lot of past drama in my life. My immediate response was the feeling of disbelief as someone who cares about you is telling you a bunch of untrue things about yourself that have been said about you. It is almost comical the things you hear that aren’t true. I also see the reflection of knowing what is happening is gossip and is something you never thought you would be a part of. Sometimes we justify it to ourselves that we have to tell someone something because it would hurt them if they found out about it from someone other than you, but in the end it is all still technically gossip. Danica Brezovar, Fall 2020 |
11 straight A student Sadie Scott ••••••• |
12 my reflection Sadie Scott •••• |
13 old pond Rebecca Murphy •• |
14 old pond Rebecca Murphy •• |
15 standing in the rain Rebecca Murphy • I want to know more about this haiku: where it came from, why it’s such a vivid image. I can see this alluding to something from ‘The Notebook’ where lovers finally embrace in the falling rain and let their defenses fall. There is just something so interesting about juxtaposing the rain and the passionate feeling. Usually, the rain brings about a melancholy or sleepy feeling, so this very tension is what intrigues me. There is also a dark side as well. The way the haiku falls on beats of silence creates an ominous silence. Maybe the subject is being pursued by someone that they are not comfortable with. But I’d rather it be unrequited lovers standing emotionally in the rain. Mara Currens, Fall 2020 |
16 trapped |
17 no moon Micky McNaughton •••• This is a perfect representation of what this time of the year feels like. It’s getting dark at five p.m. It’s not quite day and not quite night, but the sky is simply black. No clouds no stars. My seasonal depression wrote this. Sadie Scott, Fall 2020 |
18 an email from dad Micky McNaughton • |
19 dark house Maggie Kusar • The imagery from this haiku is simply immaculate. It immediately drew me into the scene and I couldn’t help but picture me on a random school night sitting at my kitchen table cranking out yet another essay. The last two years of high school, it was a frequent occurrence for my parents to hear or see me at ungodly hours working on something for school. The only visible illumination would be from the dimmed kitchen light and the vague backlit keys. I am sure this is something that most people can relate to, and so I appreciate the mundane nature of this haiku. Emily Kemp, Fall 2020 |
20 green light Maggie Kusar • This haiku interested me because of its fusion of technology and nature. I read it both as someone sitting outside on a hot summer’s night, hands open, waiting for a firefly to land on them, and as someone using their phone, possibly to light the way on that same night. I also read it as a subtle senryu, with “firefly” referring to the mating aspect of a firefly’s glow. Perhaps someone is on Tinder, looking for a fun night. Stark Winter, Fall 2020 |
21 bowl of apple skins . . . Maggie Kusar • My mom and I always spend a day or two making Christmas Cookies and we put Christmas music on and my dad makes a fire in our living room so the house gets really warm and cozy and it’s one of the few times that all of us get along and our house isn’t walking on eggshells. I assume that this author is talking about pie, but my family are baking amateurs so we stick to cookies. This definitely brings back some really good memories for me and I think that the simplicity and brevity of the haiku emphasises the purity of moments like these. Gwen Klinkey, Fall 2020 |
22 alligator grin Mara Currens ••• |
23 pregnancy test box Mara Currens •••• I like this haiku because of the inherent female understanding. The cashier says nothing, I think, because she doesn’t want to embarrass the person buying it. She potentially has had a similar experience. There is a kinship between adult women asking each other about pregnancy scares. Most straight women will experience pregnancy scares at least once in their life. This haiku exemplifies the fear and understanding that many women feel. Rebecca Murphy, Fall 2020 |
24 city bus, 4:36 pm Mara Currens ••••• |
25 that's not who I raised |
26 leaves crunching underfoot |
27 strawberry lemonade Gwen Klinkey •••• |
28 all neon like it's the 80s Nicole Dadoly • |
29 “it's made for kids” Nicole Dadoly •• |
30 rubber wheels |
31 new moon Grant Unruh ••••• This is my favorite haiku in the kukai, for many reasons. One, it brings about the image of bats in complete silence, something I haven’t seen from a haiku yet. Two, in discusses the new moon--representing the rebirth of the cycle and allows for spirits to reign free in near to complete darkness. Three, I’ve never seen the word ‘echolocation’ in a haiku before, so well done! It provides a specific feeling for the haiku, from something spooky and unknown to a tool you can use. It relies on the sense of hearing specifically. It never remarks on the darkness of the night or any seeing at all, there is only what one can hear. Mara Currens, Fall 2020 |
32 opening mail Grant Unruh ••• |
33 nowhere to hide Grant Unruh • I find this haiku really relatable. I would describe myself as someone who is not a great public speaker and I feel very self-conscious even when I talk in small groups. Although I have gotten used to talking to people in general, sometimes when I am not feeling really great it still feels unreasonably hard. This haiku perfectly captures that feeling. It really feels as if I am being examined like I am under a microscope and that people can see each and every one of my flaws and it’s just a very uncomfortable feeling. Binny Tamang, Fall 2020 |
34 404 not found Emily Kemp •• This haiku really illustrates what it can mean to take care of small children. At any moment, your child could be trying to say hello to the friendly ducks, without realising that they are in fact geese, out for blood. The verb “swoops” gives some fun parallels between the mother and the geese she’s saving her child from, and the apparently casual “approaching” shows that maybe it wasn’t a concern after all. Stark Winter, Fall 2020 |
35 tossing out |
36 experimental Emily Kemp •••• When I read this poem, the first thought that came to my head was that it was about antidepressants. If we take it by line, experimental could refer to the drug itself, or that the author is trying out new things in order to treat their mental health issues. The second line made me ponder a little bit so I did a Google search and found that too much serotonin can actually be toxic. At a literal level, an overdose of serotonin can results in strokes or seizures; on a non-literal level, having these artificial chemicals in your system don’t always work as intended, and at times can make the condition worse. Likewise, when taking these medicines, people sometimes talk about not feeling like they are actually themselves but an artificially altered version thereof, like the last line. Kyle Jordan, Fall 2020 |
37 gym rats Danica Brezovar • |
38 Grandpa's bow |
39 New Year's countdown Danica Brezovar • I love the juxtaposition between the joyful celebration that is New Year’s eve and the image of someone longing for the love of another. I do think that some people often take advantage of the tradition of having a kiss at midnight during the transition into a new year, and the image painted here did read like that for me, with unrequited love. I also like the time limit that has been put on this moment. There’s a countdown, and if the girl staring longingly doesn’t get her kiss by the end of that countdown, there’s a natural place to give up and move on from that disappointment. Maggie Kusar, Fall 2020 |
40 you ask Bryn Sentnor •• |
41 oh my god is that Bryn Sentnor • I am someone who does not like spiders. I don’t hate them, but I don’t enjoy them either. And seeing a spider in the shower - or even being intruded on by anyone, for that matter - is not a pleasant thought to have. I can’t help but wonder if the author of this haiku wears glasses - not being able to see far enough down without the image getting blurry, the mind easily plays tricks when viewing something quickly, as evidenced by the final line. It’s such an odd yet somewhat common occurrence, and I never realized how frequent something like that happens until reflecting on it with this haiku. Grant Unruh, Fall 2020 |
42 you told me |
43 a post-it note Binny Tamang •• Strangely, I really related to this haiku. I am not sure what the backstory is to this one and I am not sure if there is some hidden meaning that I cannot see, but I related to it. Firstly, I love post-it notes I have them all over in different shapes and sizes and use them for everything. Second, I have been so stressed out recently with school and exams that I have forgotten on a couple of occasions to drink water throughout the day. I have been trying to find some creative solution to make sure I am drinking enough water and one of those solutions involves drinking a water bottle whenever my boyfriend finishes one. It is strange that someone seems to have a similar experience to me, which is both comforting and concerning. Whoever wrote this, drink some water everything will be okay! 12 Danica Brezovar, Fall 2020 |
44 orange juice |
45 he apologizes |
46 riding a bicycle |
47 time to go— |
48 attic sunrise . . . Adrian Sanchez Rodriguez •••• |
49 no tan Sadie Scott ••• I love haiku that speak to the small things that one notices about another person, and this is no exception. A person’s hands can say a lot about them, and the fact that there is no tan on a single finger shows that there is usually a ring there. Reading the final line of this haiku made me sad because it implied, to me, that the woman is cheating on her husband and has taken off her ring to do so. The second time I read it, however, I pictured a woman who had recently been divorced, which was still a very sad picture, but less so than imagining a situation where she was cheating. Maggie Kusar, Fall 2020 |
50 cigarette valentine Sadie Scott • |
51 a butterfly lands |
52 the shhh |
53 mother swoops Rebecca Murphy •• |
54 tiny tadpole tails |
55 staring |
56 shaky fingers after the breakup Sydney Griggs ••• I really enjoyed this haiku for snapshotting the feelings of a breakup or separation extremely well within just three lines. The shaky fingers make it clear to the reader that this ordeal was obviously something difficult for the subject to go through, trying to rid themselves of even having to hear their ex’s voice. Additionally, I think it was a good use of spacing to palace “after the breakup” further down as if to indicate a pause, like the writer is still emphasizing just how much weight the action and event holds. Grant Unruh, Fall 2020 |
57 on Valentine's Day Mara Currens •••• |
58 comforter hanging Gwen Klinkey • I didn’t know what a pergola was until I looked it up after reading this haiku. Yes, I’ve seen them before, but I’ve never heard or uttered the word ‘pergola’. After I figured it out, I was even more interested in this haiku. I love the use of onomatopoeia at the end, the steady dripping of a mattress is something one doesn’t think about often. I instantly thought of a homeless person having their sleeping arrangements soaked by the rain and having to improvise to dry them off. The line breaks a very effective here. No matter the meaning/reason for the haiku, it is unique and I appreciate that. Mara Currens, Fall 2020 |
59 two pills every morning Gwen Klinkey ••• I have to take a lot of medicine every day, and it honestly does feel like I could open up a pharmacy. It’s kind of sad, but it’s just the world I live in. I take more than what’s even said in the poem, and I hate feeling dependent on medicine, but I also know my body needs it to function. Sadie Scott, Fall 2020 |
60 deleting old contacts Gwen Klinkey ••••• This haiku perfectly captures the feelings that come along with deleting old contacts. It is a task that most people dread, like taking out the trash. When you know you should do it, you put it off for stupid reasons. When you do both, you feel a little gross and maybe cringe at the things you see as you do it. Once the task is done, it feels so rewarding. Sometimes, if you’ve been putting it off long enough, it makes you feel like a whole new person. That relief and lightness is what I feel when reading this haiku. It’s also great because it is so personal, you can imagine deleting contacts of people only you know. Micky McNaughton, Fall 2020 Whenever I get a new phone, I make it a point to go through and “clean” it, firstly because the less data I have to transfer, the faster setting up the new phone will be, but also secondly because there ends up being a lot of people and memories that I don’t necessarily want to keep. Sometimes deleting old contacts is as simple as getting rid of some names that you don’t even know that are super non-specific like “Jim Car Shop” or “Peggy from Florida,” which I should add, are real names in my phone right now. Sometimes, though, it can be a lot harder to bring yourself to get rid of people that are no longer in your life. Maybe it’s an old friend or an ex, either way it can be hard to bring yourself to delete them because it feels like they are officially gone. Kyle Jordan, Fall 2020 |
61 trick or Danica Brezovar •• |
62 happy dance |
63 each blink Danica Brezovar •• |
64 wind Bryn Sentnor • |
65 cold, numb hands Bryn Sentnor •• |
66 fuck it Bryn Sentnor • |
67 petals rustle Micky McNaughton • |
68 the leaves lift |
69 violet perfume Micky McNaughton • |
70 glass lake |
71 newfound confidence Grant Unruh •• This was definitely one of my favorite haiku from this kukai, I definitely had a visceral reaction when I read it. Within the past school year, I have painted my nails the same black color every couple of weeks when it starts to wear down. This routine has become somewhat of a comfort to me because of the sureness I feel when I have this specific color on my nails. It has a way of making me feel complete, like I can go out and conquer the world. |
72 the thursday Grant Unruh ••• |
73 confession Emily Kemp •••• When I first read this one, I was reminded of other haiku that we’ve read about confessions, like the one on page 119 of The Art of Reading and Writing Haiku and haiku #94 from Kukai 4. For that reason, I initially imagined two young people in a relationship (or perhaps the relationship is ending with this confession), and the girl is trying to confess something, but it’s obvious that her male counterpart isn’t interested in a lengthy, drawn out confessional. However, when I re-read it, I thought of a different scenario. I still imagine the boy and the girl in a relationship, but this time, the girl cheated on her boyfriend, and now she’s about to tell him the truth. She doesn’t know that her boyfriend found out through someone else, and he knows that’s what she’s come to tell him, so he looks away and avoids eye contact because he can’t bear to look at her when she’s confessing to sleeping with another man. That, and he’s trying really hard not to cry, let alone cry in front of her. The girl opens her mouth to confess, but she sees her boyfriend looking away, and that’s when she puts the pieces together: he already knows. And suddenly, she can’t bring herself to say it, because she feels this overwhelming guilt, and shame, and regret and remorse and embarrassment. Bryn Sentnor, Fall 2020 I really liked this haiku. I just imagined a girl who’s been friends with a guy for a while now and that she realizes that she has feelings for him. And so, she tries to tell him that she likes him, and she’s been mustering up her courage for some time now. But every time she tries to talk to him, something just gets in their way maybe another friend interrupting them or maybe it just did not feel like the right moment. It is sometimes hard to tell people about how you feel if they are not paying attention to you or if their attention is divided and you feel whatever you have to say is not important enough, so you just brush it off saying it’s nothing. And this haiku feels like it describes that feeling well. Binny Tamang, Fall 2020 Oh, how this haiku elicited such a regretful memory for me, and although it brought back some bad feelings, I loved the rawness of this poem. There has never been a more embarrassing moment for me than when I, for the first time in my introverted life, was ready to confess the confusing feelings that had been welling up, only to be received by an averted glance. Regardless of the circumstances, when someone chooses to avoid making eye contact in a sensitive situation it can be perceived as rejection or almost second-hand embarrassment. ButI really liked the way this haiku was able to capture that feeling. Emily Kemp, Fall 2020 |
74 cryogenic freeze Emily Kemp •• I read a book when I was younger that basically had this plot. I loved it but it wasn’t a super popular YA book. I think it was called Across the Stars and was a space romance (which combines two of my favorite things!). What really struck me about the book was that the girl and her whole family went under Cryo freeze and someone who was in the society that actually lived on the ship was trying to kill people in cryo freeze but they were able to pull the main character out before she died. She then has to learn about how this new society functions and is told that they can’t put her back under so she will never see her family again and will die long before they reach their final destination. Gwen Klinkey, Fall 2020 This haiku talks about something that sounds like fantasy - cryogenics and a foreign world. However, it might not really be that far away from the real world. When I read about it, I first thought about a comic I drew for an art class, inspired by the story from Interstellar. Upon further inspection, I realized that it might be talking about a plane. They are so damn cold sometimes, of course we can compare them to cryogenics! Also, being asleep might not refer to the product of being frozen in a controlled capsule, but how a lot of people actually sleep during their flights. As well as the person in the Haiku wakes up from her long night to discover a foreign world, we wake up from flights to discover foreign cities and countries - not before going through immigration, baggage claim and all that stuff, of course. Adrian Sanchez Rodriguez, Fall 2020 |
75 the meaning Emily Kemp • |
76 closing pages Sydney Griggs ••• |
77 pet store Mara Currens •••• |
78 fly on my plate Mara Currens •• |
79 a forklift: |
80 half-grown rose Gwen Klinkey ••• I think this is such a clever haiku. Just planting the idea that the flower is only have grown because the painting it’s finished. It’s such a detailed observation and the way it’s written is so beautiful. Sadie Scott, Fall 2020 |
81 my mother says Gwen Klinkey • |
82 the congregation |
83 I shatter the mirror Gwen Klinkey ••••• •••• I have body dysmorphia, and so this haiku really touches me. I know how it feels to look in the mirror and want to just smash it. Or smash me. I feel like a huge monster that doesn’t stop growing, and so I really can put myself in the shoes of the author and picture this scene. I think the monster multiplying in the many shards of glass is so clever. Sadie Scott, Fall 2020 This haiku is so heartbreaking to me. I am someone who struggles, like so many, with insecurities dealing with how I look and how others perceive me. There are times that I look in the mirror and get physically sick or have to look away because I hate what I see. On bad days, I do want to break that mirror and the prospect of having to clean up that mess stops me. If I had to pick up every piece of that mirror, I’d see another shattered image of myself. I would have to look into my own eyes - into the eyes of the monster who shattered the mirror. I also find the capitalization of “I”. It makes me feel like the person and the reflection are different - there is a disconnection between the two. “I” is not the monster, but the reflection is. I also really love the last word in every line starting with “m”. It has a powerful feel to it when said out loud. McNaughton, Fall 2020 This is a very heartbreaking haiku (in my humble opinion). The first and most powerful interpretation that I can give to this poem is that the person thinks of themselves as a monster, and shatters the mirror out of frustration, a crisis, or some other kind of issue. Because of optics, the monster multiplies. The mystery of not knowing the reasons for shattering the mirror also helps accentuating the drama in this haiku. The poem reminds me about a haiku I wrote, so author: feel u. Adrian Sanchez Rodriguez, Fall 2020 I really like this haiku because I think it can be interpreted in many ways. First, I took it as a horror haiku where the author is paranoid and sees a haunted figure in the mirror. That is really spooky. However, I personally have a much bleaker interpretation. It is kind of sad that the character sees and thinks of themself as a monster and to have that sort of overview about oneself sounds depressing. Or maybe the character is angry with themself about doing something morally wrong and are not being able to forgive themself, so in a fit of rage, he/she just shatters the mirror. Binny Tamang, Fall 2020 |
84 sleepless Gwen Klinkey ••• Sleepless nights are hard enough to get through on your own. But when you’re distanced from your significant other or partner, things seem to get a whole lot lonelier. I can definitely say I’ve been in this position before - trying something, anything to get more comfortable in the furnace that’s called a bed. I feel that line of thinking is really well-illustrated here, all they have to say is “him” for the reader to know exactly what situation the writer is in. Thinking back to memories of being together, sharing intimacy and resting together… as the minutes pass like hours at 3:07 AM. Grant Unruh, Fall 2020 |
85 frog Danica Brezovar •••• I like this haiku because of the bizarre juxtapositions of images it has, which makes it like many funny senryu I’ve read. Continuing along those lines, it also felt like a Mad Libs to me, as if the author took a random noun, a random verb, another random noun, and smushed them all together into a haiku, and somehow it works. Bryn Sentnor, Fall 2020 This is one of my favorite haiku beneath all haiku. I don’t know why, but I find this haiku really hilarious - but calming at the same time. I picture this frog as a really wise animal. I will explain why. As I mentioned during class, what I initially thought that was going on was that the frog was actually surfing. Frog being able to surf + meditation + sunset = wisdom. I added the sunset of course. After I gave this a laugh, I reviewed the poem and realized that maybe the frog wasn’t actually surfing, but instead, the surf board was just laying in the sand (or the ground), and a frog had climbed onto it. This isn’t superior to a frog surfing though. If you think the realistic interpretation is better, no you don’t. Adrian Sanchez Rodriguez, Fall 2020 |
86 ice cream donut Danica Brezovar • |
87 black and white |
88 stone table Maggie Kusar •• I love the format of this haiku. It is a “show don’t tell” haiku because of the physical representation of the ladybug along the edge of the table. I always love when the format illustrates what the poem is saying. I also love the word “creeping” in this haiku. It creates a vivid image of a slow-moving ladybug and when accompanied by the word “stone”, almost creates a creepy vibe. I normally think of lady bugs as a positive entity but in this haiku it is a bit darker. I think it’s a cool way of looking at a ladybug. Rebecca Murphy, Fall 2020 |
89 empty study space thoughts |
90 another hope Micky McNaughton •• |
91 laundry basket |
92 remote control atop Maggie Kusar •• |
93 on the closet shelf, |
94 “get out of your mind” Bryn Sentnor • |
95 reality Emily Kemp ••• |
96 dreaming about you Adrian Sanchez Rodriguez •••• |
97 butterfly stills Gwen Klinkey •• I have a sister who is three-years older than me. I am incredibly lucky that she is loving, supporting, and a built-in best friend. We spend a lot of time together and although we can get on each other’s nerves we usually are happy around each other. This haiku uses two images: “butterfly stills” and “angel’s wings” to exemplify the strength and grandeur of a sisterly bond. I thought both images were perfect because they were beautiful and fragile yet strong at the same time. Sisterly love is a force to be reckoned with and I love that this haiku put that into words. Rebecca Murphy, Fall 2020 |
98 when was decency Grant Unruh •• This haiku gets me just as riled up as anything having to do with people doing the bare minimum. I really can’t stand how our society sets such low bars for men but such high bars for women. Most especially when it comes to dads. Since it has become so common for dads to leave, whenever a father stays present in their child’s life and does the bare minimum, they act like they are some kind of hero. You’re not a hero for being a decent human being. You should just be a decent human being. Decency should not have to be begged for and it aggravates me to my core that we really live in a society where being simply as kind as holding the door for someone should be praised and is uncommon. Being a gentleman/gentlewoman needs to become normalized again. Kindness needs to become normalized again. It’s a shame that we live in a society where kindness is not normal. I believe that it will change soon but until then we just have to keep being as kind as we can be to make up for the rest of the evil in the world. Sounds like a lot but good always conquers evil so we’ll be okay. Nicole Dadoly, Fall 2020 |
99 buzzzzzzz |
101 the dead tree |
102 typing Kyle Jordan •••• |
103 feathers floating |
104 I compliment his shirt Mara Currens ••••• I appreciated this haiku because I have been both people in this situation. When you are insecure, any act of kindness you hold onto and you want to keep that moment as close as possible. I also really appreciate how this haiku does not make it seem like the guy being complimented is a nuisance. One of my biggest fears when clinging to someone is that I am annoying that person. The haiku made me feel like it was more of an observation rather than someone complaining. Being the person that someone clings to is very flattering but is more often depicted where the person clinging to someone is very annoying. They never depict how rewarding it is to bring joy to someone or the real friendship that can emerge from that situation. Danica Brezovar, Fall 2020 |
105 pregnancy test |
106 slumber party |
107 shaking wildly Stark Winter • |
108 pinned luna moth Stark Winter • |
109 each passing hour Stark Winter • |
110 sticky note Sadie Scott •• |
111 in the shower |
112 two losses Sadie Scott • |
113 even stitches |
114 God spot Maggie Kusar •• |
115 slight glow |
116 I believe in Women Rebecca Murphy ••••• • This haiku really made me feel empowered and I feel even more empowered everytime I read it and I love how it is a 3 lined poem with that strong of an effect on me. I think of life in a mother nature viewpoint where mother nature is the “holy spirit” or “god”. To me this is speaking directly to those who give life which would be any mother. Women are the ones who birth the child and literally create life so I view that in the same sense. I have always used the phrase amen to end any phrase that I feel deeply about and don’t use it in as much of a religious sense as I used to but I do really love how that ends the haiku like a prayer because this entire haiku is incredibly holy. I love it dearly and is probably one of my favorite hakus ever to be honest. The fact that it evokes all of this emotion in such few and simple words too is very inspiring and moving to see what great emotion can come from something so short and concise. Those haiku that are really compact with emotion do tend to be my favorites. Nicole Dadoly, Fall 2020 |
117 cows munching on grass, |
118 "Dog!" Rebecca Murphy ••• I related to this haiku a lot because I’m a big animal lover and seeing cute animals always makes my day. I’ll be walking across campus and I’ll see a dog and sometimes I will say out loud, “ohmigod, dog!” and it instantly makes me smile. I can see myself as both the person shouting “Dog!” in this haiku as well as one of the people who hears someone else yell “Dog!” and immediately says, “where?” and starts looking around for the dog. Reading this haiku game me a similar warm and happy feeling that I get whenever I see a cute animal. Bryn Sentnor, Fall 2020 |
119 she tears off her dress Mara Currens • |
120 covid scare |
121 she stamps out her Micky McNaughton • |
122 first date Sydney Griggs ••••• It’s hard to remember the last time I went on a date because it’s not exactly easy with covid. This haiku makes me reminiscent of those times when I would get ready hours ahead of the date and just stare at myself to make sure nothing changed until the date actually came. I miss getting pretty. Sadie Scott, Fall 2020 |
123 baker's son Stark Winter •• |
124 bubblegum pink Stark Winter •••• |
125 no one out Sophia Zinger •• This haiku instantly brings me back to the middle school playground I grew up on and for some reason they had taken off the swings from the swingset and there just never were swings there again. I don’t even know how long before my class had gotten there that it was bare like that but it was strange. There was nothing anyone could really do in that area of the playground since the swingset bars were so tall and took up so much space even without the swings so it was always a sad sight. The fact that it is right in the middle of the playground too just made it look abandoned and gloomy even when kids were playing on it. It was really weird to see that after I graduated from middle school, they started from scratch with a new playground that doesn’t even have any swings. The fact that this haiku has no one out playing even around the abandoned wing set just sets such a fog to the atmosphere of the space this haiku lives. Nicole Dadoly, Fall 2020 |
126 washing dishes Sophia Zinger •••• |
127 grey pavement Sophia Zinger • |
128 new moon Sophia Zinger •• |
129 the sinking feeling |
130 filtered light xxxxx •• |
131 chipped paint Kyle Jordan ••••• This poem strikes me as a college haiku, or maybe just a young person haiku. Someone is getting ready to move out of an apartment, and a small bit of wall where the paint has chipped away finally registers. Suddenly, they worry that it was them, and they need to fix it before moving out, lest they be fined or have their security deposit revoked. This haiku shows how a tiny, little, insignificant thing can worry people without warning, and I enjoy that sense of cause and effect. Stark Winter, Fall 2020 As I sit here writing this response, I am looking at the wall with chipped paint in front of me. There’s just something so easy about getting caught up and distracted by the small details around me. It’s so wonderful to get lost in the what-ifs of people and places that came before me. The question that this haiku poses intrigues me, but the structure of the haiku takes my mind places. The lines are so perfectly broken that they look like stairs. Each line supports the other. The shape of it makes me want to keep reading the haiku over and over and continue to imagine different times that the chip and peeling could have started. It poses questions like how old is the paint? How old is the building? It is brilliantly crafted to keep the reader’s imagination flowing. McNaughton, Fall 2020 When I read this haiku, I pictured a person alone in their room, lying on their bed, bored. They have nothing else to do, their friends are busy, and as their gaze wanders around the room for something to stare at, they catch sight of the chipped paint near the baseboard. It’s something they haven’t noticed before, and they wonder if it was there before they moved in, or if they managed to chip it somehow by scraping a piece of furniture against the wall or by throwing a book at a spider. It’s something small and damaged, but it’s not something that the person is blaming themselves for. I also really like that the end is a question. It takes the haiku from simply noticing something in a room to actually wondering about it and creating a story around a tiny detail. Maggie Kusar, Fall 2020 |
132 sunlit windowsill |
133 love isn't real |
© 2020, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.