Haiku Kukai 01 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • Fall 2025
1 we sit in class Sam Ramirez (5) |
2 two birds sing |
3 walking through graveyards |
4 family dinner |
5 raindrops dripping Amanda Spotts (4) |
6 for better or worse |
7 fresh shoelaces Amanda Spotts (2) This haiku I loved because it brought me back to middle school. I specifically remember anticipating getting my class schedule so I could send it to all my friends and see what classes we had together. I remember my brother telling me to stop posting my class schedule on social media because it was “weird”, so I did, but that didn’t stop me from texting my friends. Once I got to high school, I didn’t care as much, but in middle school, it almost felt like my life revolved around my friends and what classes we had together. The “fresh shoelaces” line also takes me back to middle school because that was when I was so excited to go back to school shopping and get new shoes. Once I got to high school, again, I didn’t really care as much and would end up wearing the same pair of shoes until I absolutely needed new ones. This haiku makes me feel the nostalgia of the anticipation of going back to school when I was younger. I HATED summer because all I wanted to do was hang out with my friends and see them every day. I also had a sense of comfort with the routine that came along with going to school. Hope Self, Fall 2025 |
8 my last day at work Ridge Batchelor (5) |
9 all moved in Ridge Batchelor (2) I like this one because it brings me back to when I was dropped off at college for the first time and how nervous I was to be all on my own. I had to learn to be even more independent than I was before. I remember feeling scared but yet so excited. At times, I felt homesick but being part of a sport made it easier because I kept myself busy. It was a sad goodbye, but it was also happy because it was a new chapter of my life. I can relate to this haiku well. Addison Weed, Fall 2025 |
10 the creek flows Nicole Wells (3) |
11 my phone lights up |
12 walking longer halls |
13 from permit to license Bella Griffiths (3) I especially like this haiku because it is very relatable. I remember watching Cars 1 when I was a kid, and I couldn't wait till I could drive a car like that one day. The second I got my permit and drove my parents car for the first time, I was in love. I counted down the days till I got my license, and I haven't felt such freedom since that day. I went driving for almost the whole day. Ridge Batchelor, Fall 2025 |
14 I wake again Nicole Wells (11) My instant notice of this haiku is its relatability. This haiku emphasizes the deep emotion of feeling homesick. When we are away, we have moments of anxiety and uncertainty, but once we smell home, everything is okay again. In this state of vulnerability, the specific scent of home can bring a profound sense of calmness. No matter where I have been, on vacation or even out running errands, as soon as I get home, I will curl up with a home-scented blanket, more like a love-scented blanket. I think the reason I am so attached to my home is because of the happiness and positivity that come with being there. I have the best relationship with my parents and brother. I have my own space to confide, rest, and be myself in. The reasons go on as to why I enjoy being at home. Unfortunately, not everyone has a positive home environment and does not get to experience this feeling. I feel sorry for them. I could never imagine feeling relieved being away from home, as some people feel. Everyone deserves a home worth missing, and I am so happy I have one. Bella Griffiths, Fall 2025 When I read this poem I felt transported to a dark comforting room. I feel comforted because the blankets from home are wrapped tight around me, and when I breathe, I smell my mom’s tried and true detergent. I had had a nightmare about being away from home. My eyes flew open, and I sat up in bed wanting home, wanting my mom. But the reminder from the blankets allow me to calm down, giving me what I need: the assurance that that was a dream. My family may not be with me, but that does not mean they aren’t with me. Amanda Spotts, Fall 2025 I am sleeping away from home. I wake up in the middle of the night to some unfamiliar noise. I am anxious; my heart is racing. I look around the dark room. The sound has stopped, yet still I feel uneasy. I cannot fall back asleep. I curl up tight under the blanket I brought from home. It smells like home. I feel my body start to relax and my heart rate begin to slow. I slowly drift back to sleep, holding the blanket close to my face. Emily Edwards, Fall 2025 |
15 a breeze carries away |
16 swarming Marlboro smoke Natalie Brodsky (7) |
17 mom, mom, mommy |
18 the U-Haul stops in Chelsea Hammons (2) |
19 once entangled |
20 stars come out to play Natalie Brodsky This haiku instantly put me outside late at night. The reason I end up outside is not important. Maybe I’m getting back home from some event, maybe I’m taking the trash out, or maybe I’m throwing a rotten apple out for animals with a higher tolerance than I do to eat. Regardless, sometimes, I will linger for a moment and look at the stars, listening to the crickets and other insects around me. It’s easy to get lost in thought, as the haiku says, when we take the time to focus on something so beautiful. That calm in the midst of the constant storm that is life allows for a brief respite, a time to gather our thoughts when we otherwise wouldn’t have. Asa Pilger, Fall 2025 I like this haiku because ever since i got my license, and its late at night and i cant sleep or am upset about something, i would go for a drive with no music and the windows down. I would just listen to the crickets and look at the starts while i drove, and tried to drown out all my thoughts. I still do this to this day. This haiku was relatable and that why i liked it. Ridge Batchelor, Fall 2025 |
21 bed finally made Natalie Brodsky (8) I chose this poem, number 21, as one of my favorites. I imagine my big fluffy white comforter neatly sprawled across my bed with neatly placed decorative pillows finally in their rightful place. As I leave the room I take one last look at the rare sight, my clean room. I shut the light off and slowly shut my door for the last time for a while. I then begin my new journey in my first semester of college only to return in December for winter break. This haiku reminds me of the new feeling college brings but also the scary feelings that come along with leaving home for the first time. Chelsea Hammons, Fall 2025 When I read this haiku, I think of when students leave for college. They are leaving behind their old room and making a new life for themselves in college. Packing can be a disaster. I just picture a loaded car, spotless room, and a student ready to say goodbye to this chapter of their life. The final bed making provides a sense of accomplishment and organization for them to come home to after being away in college. I picture someone making their bed, saying goodbye to their old home, and closing the door to leave for college. A sort of bittersweet moment. Abbey Matthews, Fall 2025 |
22 I come back to you |
23 the final note Emily Edwards (5) |
24 the song begins |
25 she gets out |
26 the soft embrace |
27 new supplies packed |
28 a long car journey Nissi Bamgboye (6) I like this haiku, because whenever I would go on vacation with my family, we weren't allowed to bring our ipads or phones. Our parents wanted us to “experience the vacation,” so they banned electronics for the whole time. I remember a lot of times staring out the window for hours on end while my parents drove. I wasn't actually that bored, and I kind of enjoyed it. This haiku brought back this memory, and thats why i like it. Ridge Batchelor, Fall 2025 |
29 the body relaxes |
30 the waves crash |
31 my kite starts to soar Hannah Swan (7) |
32 proudly holding out cash Hannah Swan (5) This was my favorite haiku because it brings to me the image of a dad giving their kid money at a fair so that they can pay for the both of them. It’s a sweet moment that allows for the kid to feel appreciated as well as showing the relationship they have. To me personally it causes a strong reaction because it makes me think about my own dad and the way that parents hope that their children will care for them too. Many parents want to receive affection and appreciation just as much as their children need it from them. To me this haiku highlights the dynamic between children and their parents showing a deep sense of appreciation for one another. Sam Ramirez, Fall 2025 This haiku brought up a couple of different memories for different people in class. It could be this person is proud to finally be able to pay for their dad as they grow older and enter adulthood or this could be a childhood memory where the dad wants to teach his child the value of money. Personally, this was different because my family usually does not let me pay for anything when I am out with them unless we have a five-minuteargument with me insisting. I am not really complaining since I love keeping my money, but this haiku reminded me of something that I have started doing when my parents give me their card. I like to take the card and joke that “I’ve got this” or “It’s on me.” I think I’m hilarious. My family gives me a playful eye roll, so they probably think I am hilarious too. I liked that this haiku could be interpreted in so many ways. I also liked how the writer said “my dad” instead of just dad and “two sodas” instead of drinks or something else. I feel like the writer remembers this memory and was able to capture the moment. It sounds relatively simple but as you think about it, a few complexities and different stories develop. Nicole Wells, Fall 2025 |
33 the roar of the Hope Self (3) I honestly just think of being in my own car. The ribbed grips of my steering wheel cover, the smoothness of my gear shift, the muffled purr of the engine. I can definitely imagine just looking at my GPS as it decides to either not do its job, or I realize that I took a wrong turn. This haiku was so accurate to my driving experience that I couldn’t just skip over it for this section. Nissi Bamgboye, Fall 2025 |
34 sitting in a restaurant Hannah Swan (5) |
35 midday sun |
36 laughter in the room Nicole Wells (5) |
37 get in the car |
38 new faces enter the building |
39 warm air through Shilling |
40 as the sun dips below |
41 hot pink tulle |
42 the sun rising behind |
43 wide eyes |
44 like ants in a hill |
45 graduation day |
46 I love you |
47 beaming sun Sam Ramirez (7) When reading this haiku, I can really feel myself being transported onto some rolling hills, lying on a blanket with my partner, and feeling the warmth of the sun on me. There’s tall grass around us, and you feel slightly itchy because of it, and become a bit sunburnt, but you don’t care since you are with this person that you care so much about. Not only do you feel the sun on your face and body, but you can feel it in your heart. We can just lie there together for hours, not even talking, just taking it all in. It’s a beautiful scenery and makes me feel so many great emotions. This is the type of feeling that many people long for, and I think it was very well put here. Grace Pelz, Fall 2025 This was my personal favorite haiku from kukai. I talked about it in class, but I want to reiterate the warm imagery within this. It’s much like the weather from this morning, where the bright, beaming sun makes my skin warm against the chilly breeze, offering a perfect cozy balance. “we sit together” becomes laying head to head in a field, looking at the clouds and squinting against the blinding blue sky. We close our eyes among the peaceful breeze, dreaming aloud or completely silent. I think I’m gonna go lay in a field this weekend, I need some whimsical field time. Coraline Nelson, Fall 2025 |
48 pack it up |
49 pancakes Grace Felz (4) This Haiku reminds me of waking up on Sunday mornings to my mom making pancakes in the skillet. Jack Johnson is on the radio, and she is dancing around trying to make me laugh. She always makes a variety of fruit-filled pancakes, including plain, but she never forgets to make me chocolate chip pancakes. She knows those are my favorite. Me, my brother, my mom, and my stepdad gather around the table to enjoy breakfast together while we decide what we are going to do that day. My dog is usually by my stepdad’s side begging for any droppings of breakfast, and my stepdad usually gives in. He makes him his own plate of a little bit of scrambled eggs and tiny pieces of bacon to keep him satisfied while we eat. Seeing my dog scarf down eggs with us never fails to make me giggle a little bit. I never think about how much I love these mornings until I’m at college and then I miss them like crazy. I can’t wait for the next one. Hannah Swan, Fall 2025 This poem really stood out to me because of how simple it was. Even though it's simple, I was immediately able to visualize the setting and connect it to my own life. This poem brought me back to when I was little. My dad is an EXPERT pancake maker. Nobody makes them like he does. No matter how many batches of pancakes I have made in my lifetime, nothing compares to the way he does it. Growing up, my dad would always make breakfast on the weekend for me and my brother. It was so special because he would never tell us. It was always a surprise. Pancakes were my favorite. I have so many memories of waking up on a Sunday and smelling the cooking batter from the kitchen all the way up in my room. If I wasn't sleeping when he started cooking, I was watching Sunday morning cartoons. I recall bolting up the stairs as soon as I heard “click, click, click” of the stove turning on and being SO beyond excited. The nostalgia of this Haiku was really special to me. Natalie Brodsky, Fall 2025 |
50 car filled with boxes |
51 the school bus |
© 2025, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.