picnics and kite flying
the opening words
of Richard the Third

Allison Lingren

first spring wind
through the window
cool jazz

Ryne Inman

gazing heavenward
I breathe in
           the sunshine

Faith Martin

back upon cold stone
gazing at branches
still bare

Natalie Perfetti

I like the pairing of these haiku because they illustrate two different ways of enjoying the coming of spring. The first one makes me think of sunny spring days, and the second calls to mind a cloudier day, with a warm temperature but still a cool breeze. The opening words of Richard the Third are “Now is the winter of our discontent,” and I really like how the image of the second haiku complements this phrase. Alison

This pair of haiku gives me two very different feelings. The one about heaven and sunshine makes me feel all warm and cozy. I can picture myself carefree, laying in the grass just taking in a warm day. The other one though, gives me just as much of a vivid feeling, but it’s cold instead of warmth that I feel. I like how first one has you actually breathing in the sunshine instead of just warm air… as if that's how much you are taking in the beautiful weather. The second one also does a good job of getting its feelings across, especially using the images of stones and bare branches. They are both good, but I prefer the first one, simply because I'd prefer being warm over cold any day. Liz Ciaccio

I like how these two haiku complete and add to each other. One could argue that the person who is gazing heavenward is able to do so because they are lying on the cold stone. They look upward breath in the sunshine while looking at the branches which are still bare. It’s almost as if there is the sense that the person breathing in the sunshine, and being assumable refreshed by some of the first warmth since the fall, is a preview of what the earth will soon do. It however has yet to take the whole breath allowing the sprouts to bloom. Overall the paring of these two haiku really gives a great picture as each one seems to be about the same person only from a different mindset. Andrew

I loved the imagery that both of these brought. They were both calm and relaxing, but full of nature at the same time. In the first one, my favorite line is the first line because it’s so poetic. Something about it gave me chills and I liked the image of breathing in sunshine. I thought it was very well written. The second one also was full of imagery. I could feel the cold stone and then the next two lines added to the calm. “Gazing” is a good word choice and I also think that it is interesting that the person is gazing a bare branches. Normally, no one would think there is too much beauty in that, but in this haiku it seems natural to stare at a bare branch. Rachel Cook

The obvious element that these haiku share is the element of gazing, watching, or staring. However, the idea of gazing is used quite differently in the two, which makes it interesting that they are paired together. In the first, the gazing being done by the speaker suggests a sort of hopeful feeling. The speaker is looking up toward heaven, and heaven responds by sending sunshine. Contrarily, the second haiku contains dark, cold, and hard images that suggest a less-than-hopeful tone. The speaker is gazing at bare branches. I imagine a cold fall day, like one in November, when the trees no longer have leaves. The haiku just exudes a feeling of death and a lack of hope. The contrast between these two haiku that both use the idea of gazing adds to the imagery of both. They serve well to be paired together because the reader can see each haiku better individually. Pat

first spring wind
through the window
cool jazz

gazing heavenward
I breathe in
           the sunshine

top quarter champion =

gazing heavenward
I breathe in
           the sunshine
 

top half champion =

a dandelion brushes
her lashes
spring wishes

bottom quarter champion =

a dandelion brushes
her lashes
spring wishes
 

she smiles
as I offer her
my umbrella

a dandelion brushes
her lashes
spring wishes

she smiles
as I offer her
my umbrella

Brian Blankenship

flake by flake
moment by moment
only with you

Rachel Cook

a dandelion brushes
her lashes
spring wishes

Jamie Devitt

two sprouts
grow together
i watch alone

Andrew Barnick

I like that both of these have an element of being alone. It’s a little more subtle in the first one, but I picture a young girl lying in a field looking up at the clouds. She is alone, but it doesn’t bother her because she is just enjoying nature. I think the last line also adds to the alone feeling. “Spring wishes” to me could be taken as her wishing for a summer romance or someone to come watch the clouds with her. The second one has a more obvious feeling of being alone. I like the contrast between the sprouts growing together, but being watched by only one person. Also, sprouts are brand new, or “young,” but I got the sense that the person watching them grow was older, almost reminiscing. I get the feeling that whoever is watching is jealous that the sprouts are young and just starting out their “lives,” but at the same time, even the sprouts have someone to share the journey with. Rachel Cook

top half champion =

a dandelion brushes
her lashes
spring wishes
 

champion =

stormy skies
under the rose petal
a ladybug

bottom half champion =

stormy skies
under the rose petal
a ladybug
 

she gallops inside,    unbuttoning
up the stairs
first day of shorts

Traci Rapp

first warm day
in the air
the smell of charcoal smoke

Rick Bearce

menagerie of doves
I envy the flocks
aiming south

Corinne Cullina

stormy skies
under the rose petal
a ladybug

Melanie McLay

Personally, I believe this pair to be the most descriptive haiku in the contest. After reading the selection, I was overwhelmed by a sense of new beginnings and peace. I can easily picture myself lying down in the middle of a meadow, watching the doves fly overhead, and small insects chirping and buzzing around me. The authors have created a quiet stillness in the form of a destination to which the reader will most likely wish for. I envisioned a happy place where I can view all of nature’s beauty and appreciate its ability to survive and regrow. Erin Wyant

I chose this pair of haiku, because of both haiku share a sense of preparation for unpleasant weather. While the fist one aims more at winter, and the second is more spring oriented, they both harbor a brewing storm on the brink of releasing. May I just say that I love that the author of the first haiku used the word ‘menagerie.’ That is simply one of those words that taste sweet on your tongue when spoken. The first haiku focuses more on a dreamy sense of longing to be able to fly south like the birds. In the second haiku the ladybug seems more prepared to endure the coming storm. The ladybug has already accepted that it will not be able to escape the storm, and is readying itself to survive the rain. Jamie Devitt

These two feel like a cool breeze as I read them. It is especially like the calm before a thunderstorm. The clouds are grey and there is a haunting quality in the atmosphere, but there is a tranquil breeze that wraps around you and breathes a gust of life into you before all hell breaks loose. The same with the flock of doves, they sit tranquilly until they all burst into the air like a storm of feathers and flap toward their destination. I think both of these symbolize the calm before the storm, literal or metaphoric. A. Stefo

The more I considered these two haiku as a matched pair, the more similarities I found between the two. Both contain a very natural element. In both cases, there is an animal (dove or ladybug) that is escaping from the elements – the doves by flocking south and the ladybug by seeking shelter. Additionally, each haiku has a narrator who envies the animal in question – in the first, the narrator states outright a jealousy for the doves, while in the second it seems as though the narrator would appreciate the protection the ladybug has from the storm. These two fit very well together. Sarah Corso

first warm day
in the air
the smell of charcoal smoke

stormy skies
under the rose petal
a ladybug

top quarter champion =

stormy skies
under the rose petal
a ladybug
 

bottom half champion =

stormy skies
under the rose petal
a ladybug

bottom quarter champion =

hail—
not so big
in daddy’s palm
 

the crack
of the bat—
a splitting headache

hail—
not so big
in daddy’s palm

the crack
of the bat—
a splitting headache

Elizabeth Braden

showers of rain
. . . from nowhere
cut ultimate frisbee short

Erin Wyant

hail—
not so big
in daddy’s palm

Sarah Corso

lying on a blanket
with Ben & Jerry—
cloud-watching

Liz Ciaccio

When I compare these two haiku, the first and most obvious thing that comes to mind is unorganized sports and an overall feeling of having fun with friends. However, in both situations, the fun is cut short by various uncontrollable reasons. Although I'm not quite sure why the person in the baseball haiku has a headache, I do enjoy that there is still a clear image of not feeling well in a fun, happy situation... That is, of course, unless the bat is cracking someone's head, but I really doubt that that is the case. Brian Rohde

When I compare these two haiku, the first and most obvious thing that comes to mind is unorganized sports and an overall feeling of having fun with friends. However, in both situations, the fun is cut short by various uncontrollable reasons. Although I'm not quite sure why the person in the baseball haiku has a headache, I do enjoy that there is still a clear image of not feeling well in a fun, happy situation... That is, of course, unless the bat is cracking someone's head, but I really doubt that that is the case. Brian Rohde

I like that these were matched because of the obvious correlation, that all spring brings is not sunshine and roses and wellness. I personally, have many memories of watching tedious, and boring baseball games. I know, I know, it is “America’s past time” and it signifies the beginning of spring and what not, but if you’ve seen one little league baseball game, you’ve seen them all. I like that both haiku did not connect the negative aspects of spring through both direct nature elements. True the weather must be nice in order to have a baseball game, but it does not speak of the clear skies, green grass, a slight breeze etc. It focuses on the human aspect that can drag spring into being lackluster, while the other haiku is vice versa. Traci Rapp

first spring wind
through the window
cool jazz

gazing heavenward
I breathe in
the sunshine

back upon cold stone
gazing at branches
still bare

stormy skies
under the rose petal
a ladybug

Although neither of these two haiku survived the final round, I enjoyed both of them immensely. I vacillated for several minutes before I was able to choose one over the other. Both poems exhibit excellent spring moments. “first spring wind” invokes the sense of touch in order to invite the reader into the moment. I can vividly imagine the refreshing spring breeze (aromatic with a slight scent of foliage) that accompanies a sunny day. The word “jazz” enhances the poem by adding auditory emphasis. “gazing heavenward” is a beautiful haiku. Its second line expresses content by implying a sigh of luxury. The words “heaven” and “sunshine” stimulate the same golden day as described in “first spring wind.” The spacing before the final phrase brings the poem to life for the reader. This space mimics the pause taken after inhaling. Thus the reader mentally sighs and can more fully identify with the rest of the haiku. Natalie Perfetti

I thought these two haiku made a great pair because of the sensory appeal in both of them. In the first haiku, I can actually feel the cold of the stone against my back. It’s one of those days where it’s moderately warm, but not really hot yet. Spring is about to come, but the branches are still bare. I want to wear shorts, but it needs to be about ten degrees warmer. All of these feelings culminate because of the cold stone feeling. In the second haiku, I see it also as being almost spring. I can hear the thunder and see the cracks of lightening. The rose petal gives me a mixed image, because if it were the pre-spring I imagined, roses would not be in bloom. I’m not entirely sure what to make of that aspect of the haiku, but it gave me that similar sensory perception as the previous one. For this reason, I really like both of these. Rick Bearce

There’s always a “calm before the storm.” It’s physically calm, especially compared to the violence that is about to occur. Nature seems to take a break, to allow the entire environment the time it needs to take cover and prepare for the storm ahead. As the dark clouds hang up in waiting, a flock of doves would appear almost incandescent, like the birds above the Last Sea in C.S. Lewis’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. They take shelter somewhere in the trees, which seems to us a dangerous place to retreat in a storm. A ladybug underneath a rose petal, both of which are often looked to for their frailty, but neither will be harmed by the rain and wind. These creatures always find the shelter they need to weather the storm, but man never takes heed of these warnings and is often caught without refuge. Ryne

first warm day
in the air
the smell of charcoal smoke

a crack
of the bat—
a splitting headache

First spring wind
Through the window
Cool jazz

first warm day
in the air
the smell of charcoal smoke

These two haiku really embody the concept, “spring is in the air.” In the first one, the anticipation of spring is demonstrated by the aroma of charcoal smoke. The charcoal smoke creates an atmosphere by reminding the reader of spring and summer pastimes. Likewise, the second haiku creates a similar atmosphere by reminding us of more spring and summer pastimes. This time, though, the atmosphere comes from sound instead of scent—the sound of a baseball bat cracking as it hits a ball. The striking difference between the two is the negative connotation given by the final line of the second haiku; it seems to suggest a reluctance towards the season change. Melanie

I really liked this pair even though they weren’t originally put together. I like the feeling of being inside with the outside coming in of the first haiku and actually being outside in the second. The two together, make a complete haiku about spring. I love this pair and the feeling it gives me when they are together. Alisha Goebel

flake by flake
moment by moment
only with you

a dandelion brushes
her lashes
spring wishes

gazing heavenward
I breathe in
the sunshine

she smiles
as I offer her
my umbrella

It should come as no surprise that I find this pair of haiku to go nicely together, as the both seem to be about true love, which I am a sucker for. These haiku bring about in me that feeling of great fortune. It’s the emotion on feels when they look at their lover and think to themselves, “How did I get so lucky to be loved by someone so amazing?” In both these haiku, I image a pair of lovers lying or resting on a blanket in a field, each unable to believe that they are loved by the other. It is my belief that every couple truly in love should feel this way. Stephanie Dietrich

These haiku compliment each other very well also. I think they could be taken as the same story from two perspectives: the male and female. The first haiku is by the woman who is on a walk (with a man if we take them together). It is a glorious day back in the early, say, 1900s, sunny with a nice breeze. She cannot help but pause for a moment, glance at the sky and smile while trying to inhale the beauty of the day. The man, on the other hand, has been talking on their walk, trying to fill in the silence. It seems to be working because she is smiling even as she pauses and looks up. He thinks this might mean that she is hot from being in the sun, so he offers her his umbrella having no idea that it was not him who made her smile, but the sunshine. Faith J. Martin

gazing heavenward
i breathe in
the sunshine

two spouts
grow together
i watch alone

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I thought it was interesting that I picked these two haiku to be in the top half championship. Both haiku are watching something, but one is looking up while the other sounds like it’s looking down. The first haiku is a little cliché the first time you look at it, but you can read a little more into it. I saw a person lying on the grass watching the clouds and just enjoying a beautiful sunny day. However, the words gazing heavenward kept tugging at me. I began to think that the person wasn’t just mindlessly cloud gazing but was actually admiring God’s work and taking full knowledge that they were doing so. It was like the haiku was trying to show a person who wasn’t just taking God’s beauty for granted. Corrine

The second haiku gave me a completely different image, or different look if you will. When I first read it I thought of an old lady watching things grow in her garden. She is all-alone no family, no friends. So she sits and talks to her flowers and watches them grow just as if they were her children. Then I thought that the spouts could actually mean children. This gave me the image of an older sibling watching her younger twin siblings. She watches them play and grow together and though she is their sibling she feels alone because she cannot share the same connection. Then I went a little further with the idea of being lonely and I thought of a single mother watching her two little children. Because I could see many different situations and I liked the word choice of spouts. I also liked how the haiku wasn’t just about being alone, but was about two people together and then you realize that the haiku is really about the lonely person who watches the two who aren’t so lonely. Corinne

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