she stares at the ceiling 
as the moon sits high 
no pillow talk 

Shureda Casterberry

alone in the dark
the secrets told
written down

Vineece Thompson

rolling over
I reach out my arm
to an empty pillow

J.R. Baird

so cold
the covers are anchored
impossible to leave

Joshua Mysliwiec

alone in the dark
the secrets told
written down

so cold
the covers are anchored
impossible to leave

alone in the dark
the secrets told
written down

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

alone in the dark
the secrets told
written down

bottom quarter champion

the creak of the floor
the only noise
in the house

the creak of the floor
the only noise
in the house

clink
clank
change in the dryer

coming home
on a cold winter day
everything. gone.

Corey McKenzie

the creak of the floor
the only noise
in the house

Britney Allen

lightbulb
overthinking
no response

Dannika Beedle

clink
clank
change in the dryer

Corey McKenzie

TOP half champion

alone in the dark
the secrets told
written down

PAGE CHAMPION

I am the tree 
that fell 
in the forest

I am the tree 
that fell 
in the forest

BOTTOM half champion

morning coffee
on the porch
in my pajamas

Michael Means

snow falls
not a single footprint
is seen

Britney Allen

sunset in the fields
no one around
at peace with myself

Alex Blome

headphones in
distractions
out

Dannika Beedle

morning coffee
on the porch
in my pajamas

sunset in the fields
no one around
at peace with myself

morning coffee
on the porch
in my pajamas

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

I am the tree 
that fell 
in the forest

bottom quarter champion

I am the tree 
that fell 
in the forest

please go away
i beg you . . .
tiny winged pest

I am the tree 
that fell 
in the forest

quiet night
only the crickets
talk back to me

J.R. Baird

please go away
i beg you . . .
tiny winged pest

Vineece Thompson

tree falls
did anyone hear it
my ears did

Alex Blome

I am the tree 
that fell 
in the forest

Shureda Casterberry

torn quilt
how we
first met

Dannika Beedle

thunder clouds brewing
by my door
a lover who got away

Vineece Thompson

she stares
out of the cracked window
at the stars

Britney Allen

100 year farm house
drafty old windows
look at that staircase!

J.R. Baird

thunder clouds brewing
by my door
a lover who got away

100 year farm house
drafty old windows
look at that staircase!

thunder clouds brewing
by my door
a lover who got away

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

dad's old Chevy
more memories
than miles

bottom quarter champion

dad's old Chevy
more memories
than miles

one short ear
. . . oh wait, make that two
my favorite runt

dad's old Chevy
more memories
than miles

old bloodhound
best nose
only finds scraps

Alex Blome

one short ear
. . . oh wait, make that two
my favorite runt

Corey McKenzie

dad's old Chevy
more memories
than miles

Pamela Kennedy

the rumble
of his first pickup truck
dust falls from the visor

J.R. Baird

TOP half champion

dad's old Chevy
more memories
than miles

PAGE CHAMPION & GRAND CHAMPION

dad's old Chevy
more memories
than miles

BOTTOM half champion

dusty cane-pole
buried in the barn
the fish keep growing

J.R. Baird

shiny trophies
of no value
the stories they could tell

Alex Blome

she can't remember
that i have
her eyes

Pamela Kennedy

cracked lips
I reach to the pocket
lost another

Joshua Mysliwiec

shiny trophies
of no value
the stories they could tell

she can't remember
that i have
her eyes

she can't remember
that i have
her eyes

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

she can't remember
that i have
her eyes

bottom quarter champion

mascot fading 
on a navy blue hoodie 
infused with scents of you

tarnished lockett  
on a tangled chain 
I daydream

mascot fading 
on a navy blue hoodie 
infused with scents of you

tarnished lockett  
on a tangled chain 
I daydream

Shureda Casterberry

scratched up stock
scrapes on the barrell
grandpa’s gift

Corey McKenzie

mascot fading 
on a navy blue hoodie 
infused with scents of you

Shureda Casterberry 

paint stained overalls
the highly respected
artist

Dannika Beedle

sunshine
kids laugh
on the monkey bars

Britney Allen

momma walkin in
kids behind her
breeze in my face

Corey McKenzie

trash bag suitcase
with a teddy bear and a few clothes
a foster care house

J.R. Baird

lost child poster
comes down
uneven chocolate cake

Dannika Beedle

sunshine
kids laugh
on the monkey bars

trash bag suitcase
with a teddy bear and a few clothes
a foster care house

sunshine
kids laugh
on the monkey bars

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

cool breeze
swings my hammock
mid day nap

bottom quarter champion

cool breeze
swings my hammock
mid day nap

cool breeze
swings my hammock
mid day nap

clouds of gowns 
caps of rain 
umbrellas of success.

sweet, summer melon . . .
how it refreshes
my soul

Vineece Thompson

cool breeze
swings my hammock
mid day nap

Michael Means

i leave
to join
the clouds

Pamela Kennedy

clouds of gowns 
caps of rain 
umbrellas of success.

Shureda Casterberry

TOP half champion

cool breeze
swings my hammock
mid day nap

CHAMPION

cool breeze
swings my hammock
mid day nap

Christmas tree
the only lights
in the house

BOTTOM half champion

man’s best friend
won’t stop digging up
daylilies

J.R. Baird

40 cars
around they go
left . . . left . . . left

Corey McKenzie

Christmas tree
the only lights
in the house

Britney Allen

misletoe hanging
snow blocking the light
what's the point

Joshua Mysliwiec

man’s best friend
won’t stop digging up
daylilies

Christmas tree
the only lights
in the house

Christmas tree
the only lights
in the house

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

Christmas tree
the only lights
in the house

bottom quarter champion

hand in hand we go 
he walks 
I skip

hand in hand we go 
he walks 
I skip

collarbone kisses 
hand strokes my back 
tingling toes and butterflies

stars fill the sky
we lay
side by side

Britney Allen

hand in hand we go 
he walks 
I skip

Shureda Casterberry

collarbone kisses 
hand strokes my back 
tingling toes and butterflies

Shureda Casterberry

cool sand
between my toes
sunrise on the beach

Michael Means

torn quilt
how we
first met

thunder clouds brewing
by my door
a lover who got away

she stares
out of the cracked window
at the stars

100 year farm house
drafty old windows
look at that staircase!

old bloodhound
best nose
only finds scraps

one short ear
. . . oh wait, make that two
my favorite runt

dad's old Chevy
more memories
than miles

the rumble
of his first pickup truck
dust falls from the visor

I really like the pairing of these two haiku. The second one is actually my haiku, but I was envisioning that first pickup being a family hand-me-down. When I saw these paired side-by-side, my first thought was “that’s the same truck”. I can see an old 68 Chevy in that ugly old orange and white two-tone paint job, with a lot of body rust around the wheel wells, and a missing tailgate. You open up the door and can smell that 50 year old leather, mixed with barn dust and a hint of mildew from being closed up for so many years. A teenager smiling as the motor cranks over for the first time in years. Maybe they’ve been working on it in their grandpa’s barn for the last few summers trying to get it ready to drive by the time they turn 16. Grandpa’s leaning on the hood of the truck smiling, just happy to hear it run again. Remembering a few happy moments he had in that same truck. This pair of haiku just brought a complete story together for me when I read them next to each other. J.R. Baird

These two haiku were matched up perfectly! It was almost like the two authors were writing them together (or the same person? I am not sure who the author of the second one was). Pam’s haiku about Dad’s old Chevy really brought back memories of riding around in my Dad’s old Chevy pickup every other Friday when he would pick my brother and I up from our mom’s house. Those Friday nights were some of my favorite memories as a kid. We would sometimes take the long way around, blaring whatever music we wanted to listen to (mostly Ozzy Osbourne, Warrant, Bob Seger and whatever else sounded good at the time!). We would usually end up at Blockbuster to pick up some movies for the weekend, and always stopped and grabbed a pizza from Casey’s before we got home. The reason we had to make that trip every other weekend sucked, but at least my dad made it one of the best memories of my childhood and something I think about everytime one of those songs come on. Of all of the haiku we have seen in this class (including the published ones), this is one of my favorites. Corey McKenzie

I really enjoyed this old Chevy haiku. My favorite line from the haiku was “more memories than miles”, I liked that because cars, especially old cars have a lot of miles on them. If the car had more memories than miles than there are a lot of memories in that car. I also found myself heavily relating to that line because I have made lots of memories in cars and other places too! I really enjoyed this second haiku too. One reason I really enjoyed this haiku was because of the visual that it offered. The line “dust falls from the visor” was very descriptive and visually took me away when I read it. Dannika Beedle

This reminds me of my father’s old truck. He had that truck most of my childhood.  I had a lot of memories in that truck.  One that I will never forget is when my father and I got pulled over.  This taught me what to do when I got pulled over in the future. We had a old truck at our farm that we stored in our pull barn.  We would only get the truck out when we would need it. The truck would gather a good coat of dust on the outside.  Although the truck would start up every time we would need to use it. Alex

dusty cane-pole
buried in the barn
the fish keep growing

shiny trophies
of no value
the stories they could tell

she can't remember
that i have
her eyes

cracked lips
I reach to the pocket
lost another

tarnished lockett  
on a tangled chain 
I daydream

scratched up stock
scrapes on the barrell
grandpa’s gift

mascot fading 
on a navy blue hoodie 
infused with scents of you 

paint stained overalls
the highly respected
artist

Both of these Haiku remind me of my father. He passed away almost 28 years ago. The scratched 12 gauge shotgun he left me isn't worth much money. It's a Sears brand, which in today’s market would only bring maybe $25. But the memories we made with it growing up make the gun priceless. I still have old shirts of my dad's, and for a long time I could smell his cologne and aftershave. Again, I wouldn’t trade these things for any amount of money. Michael

tarnished locket
on a tangled chain
I daydream

mascot fading
on a navy blue hoodie
infused with scents of you

These were both my favorite because I am the author of both haiku. I am elated that both were chosen to be in this matching contest considering they were already special to me before the contest. Both are WABI haiku because the items are valuable because its meaningful mostly to the person that possess them.

My response to the tarnished locket is that it may not have value to anyone else because its old and tarnished but its priceless to the person that has it because of where or who it may have came from. Rust and tangles may prevent it from shining and being worn but the memories that it holds shins brighter and are carried in my heart and mind. One can imagine the day that a grandmother, mother, best friend, or lover gave them this locket and the special surprise that is stored n the inside of it. After years of not being able to find it, somehow appears amongst other looked-over jewelry. Now floods of emotions and memories began to flow as they daydream.

I picture high school sweet hearts when I reflect on the mascot hoodie haiku. I imagine that this gift was given to her by her boyfriend, who was an athlete as a way of making their young love official. This was his favorite hoodie, so it had sentimental value, which is the reason he gave it to her in order to prove to her that she meant a lot to him. Although this hoodie is old because the mascot is fading, I still remember all the special memories that we had together at the games you played at this school. I also can still pick up your scents that are infused in this sweatshirt that remind me of you. Shureda

sunshine
kids laugh
on the monkey bars

momma walkin in
kids behind her
breeze in my face

trash bag suitcase
with a teddy bear and a few clothes
a foster care house

lost child poster
comes down
uneven chocolate cake

sweet, summer melon . . .
how it refreshes
my soul

cool breeze
swings my hammock
mid day nap

i leave
to join
the clouds

clouds of gowns 
caps of rain 
umbrellas of success.

man’s best friend
won’t stop digging up
daylilies

40 cars
around they go
left . . . left . . . left

Christmas tree
the only lights
in the house

misletoe hanging
snow blocking the light
what's the point

stars fill the sky
we lay
side by side

hand in hand we go 
he walks 
I skip

collarbone kisses 
hand strokes my back 
tingling toes and butterflies

cool sand
between my toes
sunrise on the beach

she stares at the ceiling 
as the moon sits high 
no pillow talk 

alone in the dark
the secrets told
written down

rolling over
I reach out my arm
to an empty pillow

so cold
the covers are anchored
impossible to leave

I appreciate this post because of the sense of intimacy I felt from it. The first Haiku, pokes fun at the relationships that have been together for multiple years, and it hits that point where there is sometimes minimal conversation of desire. The second Haiku paints an image of two lovers whom are laying together, they are speaking of their secrets and what not with each other. Josh

coming home
on a cold winter day
everything. gone.

the creak of the floor
the only noise
in the house

lightbulb
overthinking
no response

clink
clank
change in the dryer

I really like "coming home" and how it’s structured. This scene creates a good bleak atmosphere. I imagine someone coming home. It’s dreary outside, and there’s no one else around. The entering of the home on the 3rd line makes one feel empty inside. I believe it’s portrayed very well. I like how the lines in "the creak of the floor" are placed here—in the 5-4-3 format. The lines decrease as it goes down. Also, the situation in the poem is well-spoken. The lines “the only noise in the house” suggest a lonesome and creepy atmosphere, creating that emptiness. Vineece

Comparison: Both show a sense of emptiness, hollowness, and loneliness. They both seem to take place in the winter time (or at least in the late fall), which typically represents those moods above. Also, scene-wise, they’re the same—both take place in an empty house at some secluded place. Vineece

morning coffee
on the porch
in my pajamas

snow falls
not a single footprint
is seen

sunset in the fields
no one around
at peace with myself

headphones in
distractions
out

These two have a serene image in my head, I picture an older man or woman very early morning, enjoying a sunset rise from the comfort of the porch. The second I envision a elderly couple expecting their grandchildren soon, yet the snow storm was heavy and preventing them from arriving. Josh

I can relate to this Haiku. Morning coffee speaks to half of the world. I find my most relaxing time of the day is the morning. It is so peaceful and quiet. Very few sounds just a couple of people and the birds are up. It’s like the world is asleep. I find coffee, to put the icing on the cake.  The last line says the person is still in their pajamas. I pictured they may have the day off. They may just be taking in the quite alone time before a chaotic day at work. When I read this, I pictured the beautiful untouched snow that lies on the grass like a white down blanket. I love seeing the snow, but it makes me mad when someone walks through my grass and mess up the snow. I found these two Haiku to go hand and hand. Moring coffee, looking out onto the yard and seeing the snow falling, creating this beautiful scene. I imagine it no one is out, if there are no footprints in sight. Maybe be morning. Overall great combination. Angela

quiet night
only the crickets
talk back to me

please go away
i beg you . . .
tiny winged pest

tree falls
did anyone hear it
my ears did

Dad's old Chevy
more memories
than miles

I am the tree 
that fell 
in the forest

The reason why I chose this pair of haiku is quite simple, I wrote One and my best friend wrote the other. Somehow Faith allowed them to be in the final two. When I wrote my Haiku, I wanted to use something back everyone could identify with. Very few people don't know what a Chevy is. It is one of America's more trusted vehicles and it comes in different shapes and styles, so it's still left room for the reader to interpret their form of Chevy. I found it very interesting that most men instantly began to think of a pickup truck. In fact, as we read them in class at least one person added the word truck while they were reading. However, I was actually referring to and Impala. That's the amazing thing about haiku, your interpretation or experience with it depends on your experiences in life. When I read I am the tree written by Shureda I instantly identified with it. So many times, you have heard the rid of if a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound, but no one has ever come up with a definite answer. This poem made me in Vision a person who was lonely and felt down-on-their-luck, but no one was there for them or to hear their story. I really liked I am a tree even to the point that I voted for it over my own not knowing that my friend had written it. Pamela