Haiku Kukai 05 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • Fall 2025
1 group pictures in the park |
2 weekend ends Sam Ramirez I really like this haiku because it reminds me of a debrief after a long weekend. This might be with someone who wasn’t with me and I have to fill them in, or maybe it is someone who was there and we chat about our experiences. Either way, it is a friend who does not live close, and we spend the night catching up over the weekend activities. Hope Self, Fall 2025 |
3 friend's family Sam Ramirez (5) |
4 homecoming photos Grace Felz |
5 squeaky gym Natalie Brodsky (7) This haiku is a funny one. It reminds me of high school pep assemblies. My high school gym had no AC, so it feels muggy, it is so loud, but the music playing isn’t anything anyone wants to listen to. It gets to the point where the homecoming festivities aren’t even fun anymore, and I just want to leave. Hope Self, Fall 2025 |
6 first college homecoming |
7 panadería Sam Ramirez |
8 back home Hope Self (3) |
9 high school baseball team Asa Pilger This haiku hit my square in the heart. The longer I go without playing sports the more I miss it. I can feel the rush of scoring, feeling out of breath after a hard practice, and the memories I made with my teammates. That’s what I miss most of all, and all of those memories live on in my high school fields. Whenever I go home, I think about those girls, my coaches, and the games I played. But they’re all in the past. Does the new team still remember me? Probably not. But does the field? Do I still remember? Yes. Amanda Spotts, Fall 2025 |
10 homecoming game |
11 her dress Ridge Batchelor (8) This was a haiku I enjoyed because it shows a sweet moment between a couple. The matching outfits show the effort they put into going together to an event. Including the dad dropping them off makes me imagine the feeling of nervousness and excitement of going out with your partner but still being young enough so the feelings are all new. Sam Ramirez, Fall 2025 I just liked this haiku because I thought it was cute. It reminds me when we went home coming in high school and picking out the perfect dress and the tie must match perfectly. It brings back many memories. Addison Weed, Fall 2025 This haiku really brings back memories. It’s short and sweet and just feels so innocent and adorable. You don’t have a drivers license yet, so your parents still have to drive you everywhere, and he’s gonna give you a curfew later. It just makes you reminisce. Grace Pelz, Fall 2025 |
12 two assignments left Amanda Spotts (6) At first I viewed this poem in a panicked way. You have two more assignments left, and you are on a tight deadline because you have to leave for your flight. However, the second time that I read this poem, I viewed it in an excited way. The flight home is now instead a reward/incentive to finish your assignments before you get to go on break. I like that this poem lets you decide if this is a positive or negative feeling. Hannah Swan, Fall 2025 |
13 late night Taco bell Amanda Spotts (8) |
14 homecoming parade |
15 before the game Emily Edwards (10) |
16 favorite team |
17 the smell of burgers |
18 graffiti-covered wall Asa Pilger (12) |
19 nighttime chores Hannah Swan (9) Going to bed is not an entirely simple affair at my house, and this haiku reminded me of that. We have to let the dog out one last time, make sure the doors are locked, turn off any lights or scent warmers, brush and floss our teeth, among other things. The routine is so engraved in my head that I never stop to imagine how many people might be doing the exact same thing. We all have to make sure everything is set before we sleep, and I really like the analogy of tucking the house in for bed. It’s getting ready for the inactive night just as much as we are, we just have to help it get there. Asa Pilger, Fall 2025 I love that phrase, “tucking the house in for bed”. It gives the feeling of meticulous care given to the house, and, even though the author didn’t say the word, it makes the house feel like home. The gentleness of this poem implies that it’s not begrudging that they do these nighttime chores, but maybe meditative, content. Being the last one up at home and tidying before bed feels calming and satisfying, there’s a level of pride in your home it provides. It also makes waking up the next day so much easier, because you’re waking up to a clean, fresh home. Or, if the nighttime chores are akin to locking the door, it’s at least a safe home. This was my favorite of Kukai 5. Coraline Nelson, Fall 2025 |
20 sneaking around Hannah Swan (5) |
21 dive bar burger Hannah Swan (7) |
22 apple picking |
23 blue and white |
24 family dog Addison Weed |
25 hands up and out Grace Felz This haiku immediately makes me think of summer. My home friends and I frequent Downtown Chicago over the summer so this haiku immediately puts me there. I usually drive down there because I am the most experienced, but when I get to sit shotgun, I LOVE putting my head and hands out the window. When my hair is blowing back, I close my eyes and just breathe in and it immediately feels like summer. It's even better when we take our usual path to get Annette’s or Jeni's ice cream. It is a home-like feeling even though we are 30 minutes away from our real homes. Natalie Brodsky, Fall 2025 |
26 man's best friend |
27 lost game. Grace Felz (9) This was my favorite haiku from the kukai because of the structure and emotional impact. The setting is established in the first line, then the effect is having a silent car ride, and the last line sets the mood as one with tension. The father is disappointed because they expected more of them. It encapsulates not feeling good enough and the pressures parents place on their children. Sam Ramirez, Fall 2025 My imagined response to this is just the true relatability. I try so hard to impress my dad, and I strive for him to be proud of me. But when I come up short, I feel defeated, and I just wait for his negative feedback. Bella Griffiths, Fall 2025 This scene is all too familiar. I always hated riding home from games with my dad because he would also break down every second of the game. Even when I was not playing, he would start questioning the coach's decisions and pointing out my teammates and my mistakes. I usually just wanted to talk about anything else after the game, but he always dragged the conversation back to the game. I always tried to stay quiet and play on my phone, soaking up every second of silence before the never ending conversation began. Emily Edwards, Fall 2025 I like this one because I can relate to this a lot. After my games as a kid, my dad would always tell me about everything I did wrong. While most kids got annoyed at this, I actually liked it because I was able to learn from my mistakes this way. I think it is funny to see how I take criticism versus my brother. Complete night and day difference. Abbey Matthews, Fall 2025 |
28 bread a little hard Asa Pilger (6) I really like the sensory details in this one. I think it also implies that even though there are imperfections, it’s still amazing and they don’t necessarily matter, which I like. Even though the bread and jelly aren’t quite right, it’s still edible. Grace Pelz, Fall 2025 This haiku reminds me of my sorority house where we always have fixings for pb&j. I'd fancy myself a pb&j master. I like the all natural peanut butter with grape jelly, not jam. I spread it perfectly and even on all natural, whole grain bread and cut it on a diagonal from top left to bottom right. At my home in Oak Lawn, this is easy. At Pi Beta Phi ... not so much. We have a MASSIVE tub of peanut butter and tiny little restaurant style pads of jam. There is always some type of white bread out, usually with a soft middle and a hard crust. Even though its not my ideal pb&j, it still tastes yum. Natalie Brodsky, Fall 2025 |
29 Superbowl night Asa Pilger (4) I related to this haiku and liked how there was a little bit of a twist in the final line. You would think that someone would be excited to watch the game, but this person is excited to watch the commercials. I think this is becoming a more common occurrence because Superbowl commercials are usually pretty iconic with some even being known years after airing. Personally, I know very little about football despite going to my brother’s football games when I was younger. Everyone else in my family knows what is happening, so if we are watching a football game, I look forward to something that is familiar, which is the commercials. I feel like I was able to build my own story from this haiku. Nicole Wells, Fall 2025 |
30 dinner outside |
31 down the slide |
32 pool water like glass Abbey Matthews (5) |
33 colorful diving sticks Abbey Matthews (5) |
34 my plate full |
35 fully clothed Natalie Brodsky (8) My imagined response to this one and a flashback to summer. I was friends with so many families that had boats. We would go to the lake almost every weekend. We were worriless, hints the "I'll do it if you do!" Bella Griffiths, Fall 2025 I liked this haiku because it reminds me of the times when I was with my best friends. We've all been friends since we were very young and have watched each other grow, find our hobbies, and figure out life. I always found myself finding entertainment out of the silliest things and the statement “I'll do it if you do it,” definitely came out of our mouths a few times. I pictured two friends at the lake as the sunsets, bored out of their minds. One of the girls gets a bright idea and suddenly they're both in the pitch black lake butt naked. Chelsea Hammons |
36 saturday night |
37 winding mud tracks Nissi Bamgboye Whenever my family takes our dog on a trail or beach for a walk, we often point out the tracks he leaves on the ground. Being a Great Dane, his tracks are very large, so much so that many people would not even think a dog left them. We joke about how people might be concerned about wild wolves or coyotes in the area upon seeing them, when in reality, it’s just the family dog wandering around and sniffing whatever he fancies. Right next to his paw prints are our shoe prints, signifying the unbreakable bond we’ve forged over the years. He is just as much a member of the family as we are, and so should go wherever we do. Asa Pilger, Fall 2025 This is a very exploratory poem. Presumably, someone and their dog are on a hike, during or after rain. The winding tracks imply the path isn’t straight, and that they continue to push through despite the mud. They don't care about being perfectly clean. The poem brings up joyful emotions, carefree and fun. There’s also a level of trust in the dog, in how I’m reading it. The paws could be a wild animal that the shoes are tracking, but, if they belong to a dog, the trust to keep up with the muddy hike and go on this journey together creates a sense of safety for both parties. Coraline Nelson, Fall 2025 |
38 warm coffee Hope Self (3) I like the feeling of this haiku. It gives me a feeling of the full cup of coffee is like our hearts are full of everyone being here. I think it’s a good thing and it brings a good feeling of comfort and peace knowing that everyone around. Addison Weed, Fall 2025 This haiku makes me think of Christmas morning. We would always get up early, make homemade cinnamon rolls, and go see what Santa brought. This was very fun for us and mom and dad just watched and sipped their coffee. Then we would meet with the rest of the family. Just the cold weather and warm coffee bringing everyone together. Abbey Matthews, Fall 2025 |
39 family gathering Hope Self This was another favorite haiku because it was relatable. One day my parents got me and my siblings together and told us they were going to adopt. I can remember quite vividly how I felt. I got 2 new sisters and it was quite a surprise. Ridge Batchelor, Fall 2025 |
40 college acceptance Emily Edwards (5) |
41 enjoying the breeze |
42 greeting my cousins Emily Edwards (6) I liked that this haiku has a twist at the end. The first lines seem like there would be a happier story. The last line makes the second line seem more sarcastic. It also kind of showcases a side of funerals that not many people talk about. In some cultures, and to some people, funerals are a celebration. In this haiku, family is coming together to remember grandma. Since the family showed up, it shows that grandma was loved and had an impact on her family. Even if there are family members who do not get along, they still came to this funeral. Nicole Wells, Fall 2025 I liked this haiku because I find it very relatable. My mother had a very large family while I was growing up but as the years have continued, family reunions have become less and less frequent. Family members each year have grown sick and passed and now the family isn't very big at all. Bad health and self care habits have left us only seeing each other in casketets, on tombstones, or at a gathering to celebrate the life of ones who have already made it there. So, as sad as it is it is a process of life and for that side of my family, one of the only times we get together anymore. |
43 flames dance around me Colin Arrick I liked this one because it reminded me of a very specific 2 or 3 panel comic. If I recall correctly, it was of a cartoonish dog sitting at a table while the house around him burns. I think he took a sip from a mug before saying, “Yup.” and cutting to the final panel to say, “This is fine.” It led me to interpret this haiku in a... Less serious light, than most, but I still like this one, regardless! Nissi Bamgboye, Fall 2025 |
44 the yellow boat Amanda Spotts (4) |
45 a nail glimmering |
46 unmarked police |
47 off to college |
48 set fire to her sorcery Chelsea Hammons (6) This poem immediately reminded me of the scene in Monty Python where they explain that since both witches and wood are burned, and both ducks and wood float in water, if she weighs the same as a duck, she is made of wood, and therefore a witch. This logic is obviously absolutely ridiculous and at that time, if a woman did anything out of line she would be accused of being a witch so they would have a “righteous” excuse to kill her. When truly, all the women they accused to be witches back then, were just women, not witches. Hannah Swan, Fall 2025 I see a woman tied to a stake. There is a large crowd gathering, chanting that she is a witch. They want to see her burned to prove that she is a witch. They finally set her on fire. She screams in pain. The crowd watches as she burns to death. Since she died, she was not a witch. I think this Haiku sheds light on the unfairness of the “witch tests,” as you pretty much had to die to prove you were not a witch. Emily Edwards, Fall 2025 |
© 2025, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.