Haiku Kukai 03 Favorites
Global Haiku • Millikin University • June 2025
1 late night reading Nevada Blake This haiku speaks to me as it reminds me of so many nights throughout my life. I am a very big reader, and night time is my favorite time to read. I have spent so many nights reading throughout the whole night. I am the type of person to get intrigued in and book and have the hardest time putting it down and going to bed. Reading late at night is my favorite as it is a time when I am all alone and I get to experience the book how I wish. I don’t have to hid my emotions and I can smile or cry in my own peace. The light reflecting back from the pages of the book reminds me of nights reading in my dorm. When I would read at night in my dorm, I would use a small book light so I could read but also not bother my roommate. Being able to read gives me a sense of relaxation and I love to read before I go to bed. Lydia Trump, June 2025 |
2 stolen jacket Nevada Blake |
3 first date silence— Corey Cebulski I thought of two things when I read this one. First, I thought she got stood up and kept checking the time. Then tries to convince herself she doesn’t care. The other thing I thought of was the first date is so awkwardly quiet that she keeps checking to see when it’s appropriate to leave. Isn’t that how most first dates go? I’ve never experienced an awkward first date but I’ve seen them on tv. Alanna Smith, June 2025 I imagine this moment to be on a first date. The silence lingers because of first-date nerves. The girl checks her phone many times, but not in a rude way. She continues to check her phone to kill the awkwardness and silence. The phone can be a distraction rather than being seen as rude; the girl only wants to try and break the silence. By saying she does it one too many times indicates that things never smoothed over the way she wanted them to. First dates shouldn’t be scary, but they are. Nerves overcome the body and it seems almost impossible to have fun and relax. The usage of the phone is hopefully supposed help with the nerves. Sometimes things are perceived to be as rude, but that’s not always true. Everyone has a story as to why they do something. Maddy Hendricks, June 2025 |
4 sunset chapel— |
5 his jacket fit Corey Cebulski This haiku stood out to me because of how much feeling it captures in a small moment. Borrowing someone’s jacket seems simple, but here it carries a deeper meaning. The last line, "I wore him home," says so much about connection and comfort without being overly dramatic. I liked how it hints at closeness and maybe even the beginning of a relationship. Sam Dalton, June 2025 This haiku stands out for its powerful use of metaphor to express intimacy, emotional vulnerability, and possibly a moment of realization. The jacket, a physical object, becomes a stand-in for the relationship itself. The line “I wore him home” is quietly profound—blending desire, closeness, and perhaps foreshadowing a weight that lingers. It captures a snapshot of love or attraction, but leaves space for readers to interpret whether it’s sweet, complicated, or both. Corey Cebulski, June 2025 |
6 sorbet Nevada Blake I envision being in a store buying something like ice-cream. You are on a date and going to pay after getting ice cream. It is going well, so they decided they would like to give back. It reminds me of a nice date. I think there could be some additional environmental descriptors in addition haikus with this one. Maybe before it talks about their dates scent. This could possibly hint at whether or not it is a boy or a girl. It could highlight some qualities of the person and other descriptors to fuel additional narrative. Chase Mirelez, June 2025 From years ago, a common thing was perceived that when on a date, a man should always pay. I’m not going to be the one to say what is right and what is wrong. I read this haiku as a first date, where the couple went out for sorbet and maybe even a walk. He had saved up his money for that day to spoil her. When it was time to pay, the cashier told him the lady had already paid. This could be seen as a nice thing the lady did for the man, but I think it could also make the man feel defeated. He doesn’t want others to think he refused to pay for her, especially after he had full intentions. Yes, maybe the lady was trying to do something nice by paying, but in the end, it made the man more insecure. The man doesn’t show defeat, but he feels it. He wants to do everything he can for her, even if it’s small, like buying sorbet. Maddy Hendricks, June 2025 |
7 train whistle fades Sam Dalton |
8 your old hoodie Sam Dalton In relationships it’s normal I guess to give the girl your sweatshirt when you start getting serious. Or you do what I do and just use his shirts and don’t give them back until he notices. I’ve never experienced a break up, I’ve been with the same guy for almost three years, but I have felt pain that’s so close to a break up. All couples have their ups and downs, one night we were fighting and I was so sure it was over. Then I looked at my bed where I keep the first sweatshirt he ever gave me, tucked in the corner closest to the wall. I immediately started crying. No matter how mad or upset I was, it didn’t feel like it mattered when I saw that sweatshirt. Alanna Smith, June 2025 |
9 first date nerves |
10 stars blink Arianna Morris |
11 the hurt on his face |
12 arms around each other Arianna Morris |
13 alone in the dark |
14 ice cream Brock Trump This haiku is funny and relatable. I can imagine a guy, probably a teenager, who finally worked up the nerve to ask his crush out. He didn’t want to ask her to a movie because that’s more awkward, so he decided on ice cream. Now that he’s decided to go get ice cream with her, he’s over thinking everything. He can’t get anything with nuts or peanut butter because what if he kisses her and she ends up being allergic? Vanilla? Too plain. Superman? Too childish. What does blue moon even taste like? Arianna Morris, June 2025 |
15 laying in bed Brock Trump As a chronic overthinker, I was immediately drawn to this thought. I’ve spent countless nights staring at the ceiling with a million questions and thoughts overwhelming my mind. It’s cold and dark in my room, and I think this gives my brain the perfect opportunity to move faster than it should and make me sick with worry. I see this two different ways. Either I only have one thought in my head I can’t get my mind off, or I tell myself I only have one thought and then realize that’s not right. I think I have one thought but I have a lot of underlying ones that are waiting to surface. I try to calm myself and tell myself that I don’t need to be thinking so hard. I wish my mind would stop spinning and I find myself upset about it. Not only have I spent countless nights under worry but I’ve found tears falling too. After begging the thoughts to go away, they do. But then I say never mind because who am I without overthinking? Maddy Hendricks, June 2025 |
16 criss cross applesauce Alanna Smith |
17 don’t want to admit Alanna Smith This reminds me of when I first started hanging out and dating my boyfriend. When I am first getting to know someone, I am quite shy. With this, when I was first hanging out with my boyfriend and someone would mention his name I would blush and smile. When I was texting him, I would blush and smile. When we first started dating, all of the littlest things would make me smile. I hadn’t had a boyfriend for a while before him, so it was refreshing to have these experiences. I liked this haiku because it reminds me of those first times being around my boyfriend. Lydia Trump, June 2025 |
18 eating the yogurt Alanna Smith |
19 early morning woods Austin Nellessen Reminds me of a calming walk in the woods. The slight eerie isolation that leaves you to your thoughts. The air is crisp with a chill, before the sun has warmed up the area after night. Nevada Blake, June 2025 |
20 beneath the oak tree |
21 fishing the lake |
22 relaxing Chase Mirelez |
23 breathe in and Chase Mirelez |
24 enjoying the smells Chase Mirelez |
25 small child Jacob Bloom This haiku really does take me back to my childhood. When I was younger, my parents used to send my brothers and I outside. If my dad was the only one home, we wouldn’t be allowed to come back in for hours because he was outside working on things or doing yard work. We would come back in sweaty and disgusting. Now, I’m inside more often than not, doing homework and projects when I’m not working. I’m much busier not than I used to be. Arianna Morris, June 2025 This makes me think back to a family vacation when we had a giant house with a pond in the backyard. I can see the pond with a platform in the middle, the smoker on the patio, and all my family running around and playing games. I hear the sound of the smoker, the splashes from the pond, and the yells from us kids playing videogames. I can feel the coolness of the water and wet mud on the lake floor. I always try to make others laugh so I think it will be a great idea to cover my whole body in mud and act silly. This haiku really connected with me because as a kid we didn’t care what we were doing and just wanted to have fun. So, when I read this, it made me think of my childhood and how simple it was. Brock Trump, Summer 2025 |
26 Lady and the Tramp Jacob Bloom The ending of this poem was unexpected, but not out of place. The theme of love in the haiku somehow saved me from being entirely disappointed by the ending. with a spaghetti noodle makes a reader want to assume the story will end romantically, but she broke my heart as an alternative is somewhat shocking. I appreciate the vulnerability it must have taken to accept heartbreak, move through life with it, then put it into only twelve words and share with a class of people. I do not know the full story, but to read this poem feels like being let into someone's inner world that they don’t just tell strangers about. Tierra Cook, June 2025 |
27 another lap Jacob Bloom |
28 it’s in the past Damyah Word This takes me to a cool autumn night a few months after a breakup. It makes me think of a boy sitting outside thinking about things under a big oak tree. As he thinks about things his old girlfriend passes through his mind and now it’s all he can think about. I see him starting to get more and more upset as he thinks deeper about what happened to them. This haiku really set well with me because after a breakup all I can think about is what went wrong. Brock Trump, Summer 2025 I am immediately drawn into this haiku because of how even each of the lines is so even. Beyond that this haiku has incredible word choice, but still hurts, is such an amazing line. I also find that if this haiku could have been said with more words, then it would not have been as impactful. It would also close the doors to allowing the reader to imagine their own situations and their own images to go along with the words that they have set up. I am also fan of final lines to haikus that leave you with a final image that encapsulates the overall meaning and feeling of the haiku. I think that “autumn night” is the perfecting ending to this haiku. Kelson Bauman, June 2025 |
29 some one new |
30 echoes in the street Corlyn Davis |
31 large movie screen Lydia Trump I like this one because it’s the sweet innocence of a first date. Where every moment feels light and lovey dovey or as some say the honeymoon phase. Getting to know someone new while not trying to mess up can be nerve racking. But exciting at the same time. Very out of body experience. Damyah Word, June 2025 |
32 he gives a knowing look Lydia Trump I can relate to this haiku a lot. My boyfriend and I have been together for a year and a half and we both still fight over who will pay. It normally ends up being who can get there faster, but sometimes it ends up being a shoving match walking up to the counter. We are both independent and headstrong, and it makes some interesting arguments. Even though these arguments and shoving contests may look heated, they’re all in good fun. Arianna Morris, June 2025 |
33 driving home Lydia Trump |
34 city lights outside Bravo Burora |
35 scent of fried plantains |
36 shirt full of mangoes Bravo Burora This haiku reminds me of something I have seen and heard of happening many times in my life. It is the moment a curious child climbs a tree and gets to the top, quickly realizing they have no idea how to get back down. I think this situation can go well or bad depending on many things. There may be the perfect amount of branches that reach and curve conveniently for the child to get down safely on their own. Maybe the tree is no larger than two times the child's height, and they muster up the courage to jump down and land roughly on the soft grass. A third but unusual way I’m imagining is that the tree is so slim that they can wrap their limbs around the tree and inch their way down. They get several scratches and splinters but at least they came out better than before, knowing to think before acting, but also learning they are strong enough to face unexpected challenges. Lastly, more unfortunate versions of this are jumping and breaking a bone, or aiming for the arms of a helpful family member and both tumbling to the ground. |
37 spritz of lavender |
38 trees reach to the sky Tierra Cook This haiku captures growth, direction, and purpose. Through the imagery of trees and their relationship to the sun. The sun is arguably the most beneficial and important resource for trees in the natural world. Without the sun, trees would not be able to survive. The first line “trees reach to the sky” makes me envision a dense canopy cluttered with oak trees with limbs pointing in various directions, but all reaching out towards the sun. The sun is the director of canopy traffic; it guides the limbs and branches towards it. The second line “one point perspective” makes me think that the trees are focused on nothing but the sun. It reminds me of a sense of desperation. The trees need the sun and cannot look away from the sun because of their hefty desire for it. The third line “their focus on the sun” further substantiates the point made earlier about the trees viewing and paying attention to only the sun. This haiku to me is about determination, natural harmony, and steadfast focus. It is reminiscent of a metaphor for success or purpose. Some people may have a driving factor in their life, something they are so focused on that they lose sight of everything else, just like the trees with the sun. Jacob Bloom, June 2025 |
39 just sixty seconds Tierra Cook I like this haiku because it makes me think of pole vault even though I have never done it before. The vertical jumps reminds me of that. The just sixty seconds part reminds me of any sport or any workout. There are just a short time of pain and difficulty to reach where you want to be. These vertical jumps are difficulty bouts that need to be passed in order to get that great result or finish the workout. Chase Mirelez, June 2025 |
40 library silence— Corey Cebulski Libraries are a place known for their silence. There is always that one annoying bulb that is humming loud enough to disrupt your thoughts. While this could be interpreted as a peaceful moment, I would be so annoyed, either because it is disrupting my focus, or because the noise is giving me a headache. Nevada Blake, June 2025 This poem uses sound and space to evoke solitude and focus. The setting—a silent library—is instantly relatable for anyone who has studied or reflected in isolation. What’s genius here is the emphasis on a sound that normally goes unnoticed: the hum of a bulb. That detail magnifies the silence, becoming a symbol of presence within stillness. It makes the invisible audible and reminds us of how awareness heightens when everything else falls quiet. Corey Cebulski, June 2025 |
41 a small patch of sun Austin Nellessen |
42 pole in hands Corey Cebulski |
43 rocks thrown Kelson Bauman This one really hit me emotionally. The image of ice breaking makes a strong connection to grief and the way loss can feel sudden and final. The sound of shattering ice reminded me of moments in my own life when bad news seemed to break through everything at once. It’s a powerful way to show how fragile life can feel in those moments. Sam Dalton, June 2025 |
44 she takes my hand— |
45 clearing in the woods Randy Brooks This haiku had a very symbolic approach to it. I imagined an old white oak that used to be there for centuries, however, whether it was cut down or eventually died, the presence of it remained. Austin Nellessen, June 2025 |
46 laying in the grass Lydia Trump, Summer 2025 I like this haiku because I see myself lying on my back looking at the sky. I enjoy nature walks, so this is very easy to imagine. Clearing the mind by looking at the clouds. I like the author's use of the sky and clear together. Chase Mirelez, June 2025 I like this poem because I like being in nature. The smell of fresh air and the beautiful but blank sky can really relax a person. I think a lot when I am in nature too, it’s like my worries melt away. And when there is nowhere else to go or no one to talk to it’s like the moon and the stars are there for a person. Or the morning sky is like looking at the problem from a different angle. Damyah Word, June 2025 |
47 best friends always Maddy Hendricks |
48 empty chair Sam Dalton |
49 cool air moves Sam Dalton |
50 Disney world is fun Alanna Smith |
51 warm darkness Arianna Morris This haiku reminds me about the Hobbit, the scene where Frodo and Sam go into a cave with Gollum. However, the emotions evoked from that scene are dissimilar from the emotions evoked from this haiku. I just think of that scene whenever i hear the word “cave.” The first line “warm darkness” reminds me of comforting solitude and a place with a sense of belonging. The second line “a cave” reinforces the idea of solitude. Caves are often found in remote areas of nature removed from civilization, so to be in a cave you are most likely away from humanity, which reinforces the idea of solitude. Furthermore, the cave could be a mental refuge. It could be acting as a metaphor for a safe space, a place to reside in when the going gets tough. A place you can feel comforted in. The third line “to call my own” represents a sense of ownership or claiming. The speaker is claiming the cave as their own and denoting ownership over the space. This line makes this haiku more personal and the space more personable. It expresses the desire for a space uniquely tailored to the individual – a sanctuary free from external pressures. Jacob Bloom, June 2025 |
52 find your inner peace Arianna Morris |
53 blind date pause Alanna Smith To meet someone for the first time on a first date might be nerve wracking. The leading two words in the first line make me wonder how exactly this blind date was set up. A blind date could mean someone talked their friend into going on a date with someone they know. They’ve been telling their friend for weeks, months even how perfect they would be together. I’m thinking of a scene where friend one shows friend two a photo of a beautiful woman from her social media. Some time passes and the two end up meeting on this blind date. Her smile, as the haiku says, is softer than that of her profile picture. The smile is charming, sweet even. It is more genuine than the one on her page. Social media is a place where it is very easy to show just the great parts of one's life. A big smile can cover up a life that does not match the posts we share. Seeing such an authentic smile brings a little more comfort to the person on the other side of the table. It almost seems like they are seeing a truer version of the woman, not that they joy she shows in her social media is completely inauthentic, but seeing the corners of her mouth turn upwards in real time, seeing the dimple on just the left side of her face, is the highlight of the night. Tierra Cook, June 2025 |
54 the moon shines bright |
55 stumbling about Kelson Bauman This haiku really resonated with me for 2 reasons: 1. This reminds me of when I wake up late at night stumbling about for a drink of water. 2. This also reminds me of when I had a little too much to drink and I walk over that floor board that always creeks. Austin Nellessen, June 2025 |
56 chronic pain Nevada Blake This haiku especially resonates with me being a prior athlete. Growing up I played almost every sport imaginable, but what some people forget is the toll you have to pay: INJURIES. Whether it was football, baseball, wrestling, or soccer, I was always treating injuries between the seasonal sports I played. Austin Nellessen, June 2025 The first line is spoken very gently when I hear it inside my mind. Chronic pain, I imagine, is not something that a person can experience without it causing an interruption to their lifestyle and lessening quality of life. I do not have chronic pain, and I think people who do are probably fighting silent battles all day long because of their pain being invisible to the outside world. The next line takes more of a taunting tone, as if someone were saying it to agitate the person suffering. welcome back to PT, it’s not a way to truly create a welcoming feeling in this situation. I think the person who wrote this may hear this line as part of their internal monologue every time they go back to therapy. Physical Therapy is shortened to the acronym PT. This adds to that feeling of this trip to see the therapist is so familiar that talking about it just rolls right off their tongue. Chronic pain can be worse at some times than others, flare ups is what I think they can be called. welcome back to PT for some reason reads like a greeting not just to the person, but the pain itself like it is its own entity simply living within the person. Living this way must be beyond hard, probably causing not just physical pain but emotional and mental pain that all connect and influence the other. The final line is spoken in between a deep breath. The physical therapist, while saddened to see this client return yet again with more pain asks themself this question in their mind, wishing not to create a depressing atmosphere because they know the person already feels disappointed to be back as well. Rather than asking a question like that, the therapist probably has a way to address the client more warmly and does this all the while hiding the weight that comes with helping people manage pain that they will live with for their entire life. At the exact same time, the client has this question in mind, again as part of their internal monologue. They are exasperated, exhausted. Maybe the client with chronic pain does feel comfortable enough to really ask this question because their therapist is someone they have learned to lean on, and also one of the only people that can come up with anything even moderately helpful to soothe their spirit. Tierra Cook, June 2025 |
57 music through headphones Nevada Blake I like this haiku because of the word choice all throughout, but I also like the how the author breaks the line between the second and third line. Leaving the second line with just footfalls makes it have a lot more weight and it is emphasized with ease. This image and scenario are also something that I relate to a lot as usually when I am walking anywhere, I have my headphones in. I also find myself landing each one of my footsteps with the beat of the music. Then because of the word choice it instantly transports me to the times that I have done this. Both in recent memory as well as memories that come far from my paste. Land is also an incredibly specific word choice that makes the haiku even more beautiful. Kelson Bauman, June 2025 |
© 2025, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.