04 Matching
Contest - Rio Movie Haiku Favorites - Fall 2025 • Millikin University
fluttering bird song—
captured.
the cicadas seem louder
Amanda Spotts |
bird song
grinds to a halt
poachers
Asa Pilger |
birds of a feather
and birds of many feathers
join in song
Asa Pilger |
summer morning
the birds
united in a choir
Sam Ramirez |
fluttering bird song—
captured.
the cicadas seem louder |
birds of a feather
and birds of many feathers
join in song |
|
birds of a feather
and birds of many feathers
join in song
top
quarter champion |
|
TOP half Chamption
vibrant feathers
the jungle
dense with life
|
bottom
quarter champion
vibrant feathers
the jungle
dense with life
|
rustling of trees
all of nature
joining together
|
vibrant feathers
the jungle
dense with life
|
rustling of trees
all of nature
joining together
Grace Felz |
everyone can join
the fun
of music
Bella Griffiths |
their colorful wings
design patterns in the air
as they fly around
Abbey Matthews |
vibrant feathers
the jungle
dense with life
Coral Nelson |
|
TOP
half champion
vibrant feathers
the jungle
dense with life
|
|
CHAMPION
vibrant feathers
the jungle
dense with life
|
birds sing
in a language
I dont understand
BOTTOM
half champion |
baby bird
feels the rhythm
of the jungle
Amanda Spotts |
beautiful chaos
I can't wait til I’m old enough
to join in
Hope Self |
birds sing
in a language
I dont understand
Nicole Wells |
flying around
we never know
what birds are thinking
Bella Griffiths |
baby bird
feels the rhythm
of the jungle |
birds sing
in a language
I dont understand |
|
birds sing
in a language
I dont understand
bottom champion
|
|
© 2025, Randy Brooks • Millikin University. All rights returned to authors upon publication.
fluttering bird song—
captured.
the cicadas seem louder
Amanda Spotts
This haiku is very powerful to me. Beyond referencing the events that take place at the end of the scene in Rio, the imagery of cicada sound after the beautiful song of the birds is very effective. Cicadas often represent death, decay, and destruction. The idea that our own actions destroy the beautiful birdsong and replace it with the unwanted, monotonous tone of the cicadas is quite haunting. Regardless of if the sound is pretty and varied or loud and jarring, something has to fill in the space. It’s up to us to determine what gets to fill that space in. Asa Pilger, Fall 2025 |
bird song
grinds to a halt
poachers
Asa Pilger |
birds of a feather
and birds of many feathers
join in song
Asa Pilger |
summer morning
the birds
united in a choir
Sam Ramirez |
rustling of trees
all of nature
joining together
Grace Felz |
everyone can join
the fun
of music
Bella Griffiths |
their colorful wings
design patterns in the air
as they fly around
Abbey Matthews |
vibrant feathers
the jungle
dense with life
Coral Nelson
When I first read this haiku, my mind just flashed with colors. When we watched the clip from Rio, there were so many different colored birds, and that is exactly what I thought of. I can almost hear their wings flapping with the breeze of the wind in the trees. Truly, birds are the rhythm of the jungle. Bella Griffiths, Fall 2025 |
baby bird
feels the rhythm
of the jungle
Amanda Spotts
I really liked this haiku because it brings the movie Rio together in simple words. I think it is cute, and you can imagine the baby birds starting to figure out their jungle and the environment they live in. This also sets the scene of the movie, and I think it is important for the movie to start with the negging of life with a baby bird. Addison Weed, Fall 2025 |
beautiful chaos
I can't wait til I’m old enough
to join in
Hope Self |
birds sing
in a language
I dont understand
Nicole Wells |
flying around
we never know
what birds are thinking
Bella Griffiths |
© 2025, Randy Brooks • Millikin University. All rights returned to authors upon publication.