deep blank stare
sitting by my feet
man’s best friend

Salat Al-Nurridin

text from mom
i don’t think that emoji means
what she thinks it does

Larissa Olympe Senga

old pictures
sitting on the shelf
i really need to dust

Isabel Vincent

such a great day to . . .
be grateful for the ones we,
see everyday

Lanie Bacon

text from mom
i don’t think that emoji means
what she thinks it does

old pictures
sitting on the shelf
i really need to dust

text from mom
i don’t think that emoji means
what she thinks it does

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

text from mom
i don’t think that emoji means
what she thinks it does

bottom quarter champion

dripping wet
wrapped like tacos
the moon shines

hot shower
time to think
about life

dripping wet
wrapped like tacos
the moon shines

spine tingling
i watch him shave his face
in the mirror

Ari Hughes

hot shower
time to think
about life

Addi Sargent

dripping wet
wrapped like tacos
the moon shines

Charly Warlow

    lifting my cup up,
I ask the moon
    to drink with me . . .

Larissa Olympe Senga

TOP half champion

text from mom
i don’t think that emoji means
what she thinks it does

CHAMPION

text from mom
i don’t think that emoji means
what she thinks it does

don’t cry
stars themselves
must part

BOTTOM half champion

the night was great . . .
not so much
the next morning

Addi Sargent

don’t cry
stars themselves
must part

Isabel Vincent

donuts with dad
mine
not here

Salat Al-Nurridin

the childless woman,
oh, how tenderly she caresses
drugstore dolls . . .

Larissa Olympe Senga

don’t cry
stars themselves
must part

donuts with dad
mine
not here

don’t cry
stars themselves
must part

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

don’t cry
stars themselves
must part

bottom quarter champion

this birthday
might be the last
great grandma

this birthday
might be the last
great grandma

sitting alone
the headstone reads
“little brother”

holding hands
remind him he’s loved.
death rattle . . .

Ari Hughes

this birthday
might be the last
great grandma

Lauren Adcock

sitting alone
the headstone reads
“little brother”

Charly Warlow

bent over in pain
rush to the ER
what could have been

Salat Al-Nurridin

deep blank stare
sitting by my feet
man’s best friend

Salat Al-Nurridin

text from mom
i don’t think that emoji means
what she thinks it does

Larissa Olympe Senga

old pictures
sitting on the shelf
i really need to dust

Isabel Vincent

such a great day to . . .
be grateful for the ones we,
see everyday

Lanie Bacon

I really like this poem because my mom, like most others, has some difficulties working cell phones. I am constantly explaining what emojis mean and showing her how to work the latest update. It's funny to me that my mom has taught me so much but has a hard time with technology. Salat Al-Nurridin, January 2023

I really enjoyed the match between these two haiku. I think they both capture the idea of losing the ones we love. In the first haiku, I imagine old family pictures, maybe including people who are no longer with them. As most picture frames do, they sit on the shelf and collect dust, while displaying a since of remembrance. The second haiku makes the reader think about how fragile and unknown life is, so we need to cherish every day that we are given and not take anything for granted. Both of these haiku are very powerful in many ways. As the reader, I appreciate the idea of not taking things for granted and realizing that nothing is a given so live your life to best of your ability. Charly Warlow, January 2023

spine tingling
i watch him shave his face
in the mirror

Ari Hughes

hot shower
time to think
about life

Addi Sargent

dripping wet
wrapped like tacos
the moon shines

Charly Warlow

    lifting my cup up,
I ask the moon
    to drink with me . . .

Larissa Olympe Senga

I think both of these haiku paired well and reminded me of a summer night. In the first one, I love the second line ”wrapped like tacos” and it caught my attention. I have spent many summer nights with my friends, swimming until the moon and stars are out. Once it gets too dark and cold, we get out and are shivering and wrap up in our wet towels. I can imagine the moon shining down and reflecting off of the water in the pool. I think the second haiku pairs well with the first as it relates to the same late night summer vibe. Isabel Vincent, January 2023

the night was great . . .
not so much
the next morning

Addi Sargent

don’t cry
stars themselves
must part

Isabel Vincent

donuts with dad
mine
not here

Salat Al-Nurridin

the childless woman,
oh, how tenderly she caresses
drugstore dolls . . .

Larissa Olympe Senga

I think my favorite haiku match were the ones talking about the night and the stars. My favorite one was “don’t cry stars themselves must part”. I really enjoyed this one because it reminds me of a Disney movie. I like how it is clearly talking about how people part ways in life and someone is saying not to worry because stars part ways too.

This was my favorite haiku match or pair; it pulled on my heartstrings. I still have both my parents, but one can only imagine the pain that comes with maneuvering through life without a parent. These haiku are alike, as they both talk about the loss of a family member, except the first one is in the form of the loss of a parent, and the other is the inability to reproduce and have your own family. Both these haiku touch on the remembrance and imagination of what life could be with a father or a child. I think of the first one as being like a little girl going on a date with her friend’s family, and it makes her think of his absence and inability to be here. Whereas, in the second poem, a woman plays with drugstore dolls as she imagines what it could be like to have a child of her own that she can buy and play with the dolls with. Larissa Olympe Senga, January 2023

such a great day to . . .
be grateful for the ones we,
see everyday

Lanie Bacon

the night was great . . .
not so much
the next morning

Addi Sargent

    lifting my cup up,
I ask the moon
    to drink with me . . .

Larissa Olympe Senga

I enjoyed this haiku. I think that it is a good reminder to be thankful for the ones that we get to be around every day. It makes you think to sit back and take a minute to appreciate the time with the people that you love. It is sometimes hard to realize how grateful we are for somebody when we are with them every day. Addi Sargent, January 2023

I picked these two haiku to pair because they tell the same story and pair well together to create a cohesive piece. Looking at the first haiku we can see the beginning of the story, a person sitting outside lifting their cup to the moon, cheering for a drink. Then the second haiku picks up the next day after the character spent the night drinking with the moon, it was great… but not the next day. A blissful pair of haiku working together to create a story and come full circle. Brad Spradlin, January 2023

holding hands
remind him he’s loved.
death rattle . . .

Ari Hughes

this birthday
might be the last
great grandma

Lauren Adcock

sitting alone
the headstone reads
“little brother”

Charly Warlow

bent over in pain
rush to the ER
what could have been

Salat Al-Nurridin

I think that this was my favorite haiku of the entire class. It is truly so powerful, and hits close to home. There is no pain like watching a love one fade away and watch them sit in misery. All you can do is remind them how much they are loved. There is so much emotion in this haiku and it allows for others to feel their emotion as well. Addi Sargent, January 2023

I enjoyed this emotional haiku as well. It is very sad to be around family that may not be at the next holiday. It is important to really embrace each time with family. Addi Sargent, January 2023

I like this haiku because it starts off cheerful, then immediately picks up a sad tone. Everybody is having fun at the party, celebrating grandma’s life, while you’re in the corner trying not to cry. All you can think about is how you’ll lose her soon. Salat Al-Nurridin, January 2023

This haiku is sad but beautifully written. I like it because it allows you to imagine how the author might feel. To me it feels like the author misses their brother and wishes he was still here. They go to his grave often just to talk and get away. They might also feel closer to their loved one there. Salat Al-Nurridin, January 2023