Canadian winter
outdoor fashion show
grin and bare it

Moli Copple

rolling wave picks me up
and leaves me bare
flushing cheeks

Stefanie Davis

tripping over the dress
she smiles
in the mirror

Courtney Gerk

seeing women
in the mirror
i shave my sister’s leg

Lexie Huston

rolling wave picks me up
and leaves me bare
flushing cheeks

tripping over the dress
she smiles
in the mirror

tripping over the dress
she smiles
in the mirror

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

tripping over the dress
she smiles
in the mirror

bottom quarter champion

the playground
seems so small
from on top of the slide

the playground
seems so small
from on top of the slide

day in the snow
i come inside with
hugs for mom

the playground
seems so small
from on top of the slide

Megan Vail

at the front door
waiting for mom
forgot my keys

Sendin Bajric

day in the snow
i come inside with
hugs for mom

Stefanie Davis

screaming brass
swinging with the band
I'm at home

Adam Blakey

TOP half champion

tripping over the dress
she smiles
in the mirror

CHAMPION

tripping over the dress
she smiles
in the mirror

a bowl of ice cream
two spoons
one memory

BOTTOM half champion

crowded playground
girl on the swing
sings to herself

Wanda June

flying
straight to the heavens
rusty swing set

Katie McDaniel

I stomp my feet
chomp my teeth
pretending to be a dinosaur

Eric Landgrebe

three sisters
sheets hang down
our bunk bed castle

Hailee Peck

crowded playground
girl on the swing
sings to herself

I stomp my feet
chomp my teeth
pretending to be a dinosaur

I stomp my feet
chomp my teeth
pretending to be a dinosaur

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

a bowl of ice cream
two spoons
one memory

bottom quarter champion

a bowl of ice cream
two spoons
one memory

house quiet
in the morning chill
I lace my running shoes

a bowl of ice cream
two spoons
one memory

house quiet
in the morning chill
I lace my running shoes

Catherine Hixson

the sun calls
I must deny its warmth
for practice

Conner Kerrigan

homemade egg noodles
beef in a pressure cooker
hands cracked by time

Courtney Gallup

a bowl of ice cream
two spoons
one memory

Lindsay Quick

crowded playground
girl on the swing
sings to herself

I stomp my feet
chomp my teeth
pretending to be a dinosaur

crowded playground
girl on the swing
sings to herself

flying
straight to the heavens
rusty swing set

For the first, I picture a kindergarten girl on the swing set singing the country song she heard on her way to school this morning. She isn’t singing loud, but loud enough to where it could be heard. Even though she is swinging alone, she is happy. At five years old, swinging alone is does not necessarily mean you are literally alone. I did not see a picture of a sad little girl, but a content happy little girl enjoying her recess outside, singing a song, and loving life. The second haiku created a similar picture of a little boy on a playground at recess pretending to be a dinosaur. He walks with his elbows tucked at his side and without bending his knees. He also is alone, but is happy and content with the world he is momentarily living in. Both haikus have a childish feel of being once again young. They give off the carefree vibe all five year olds seem to have. Jessica

I found these difficult to pick between because they are very similar, and they both have capturing visuals. One talks about a girl singing to herself while singing, and the other talks about swinging so high you feel like you’re in heaven. I ended up choosing the second one, flying straight to the heavens, because I could directly imagine myself in this setting. When I was little, my friends and I would always have contests to see who could swing the highest. When you were about the highest you could swing, you thought you were so tall, could see everything. It’s a very powerful feeling almost any kid can recall. Merissa

I stomp my feet
chomp my teeth
pretending to be a dinosaur

three sisters
sheets hang down
our bunk bed castle

the playground
seems so small
from on top of the slide

flying
straight to the heavens
rusty swing set

This was by far my favorite match in the contest, one that was proved very difficult to choose between. I loved how these two had a very similar theme, of children playing pretend, yet contrasted so starkly—the first being more rough and silly, the second being gentle and sweet. Both have a strong nostalgic feel, and capture the light-heartedness of child’s play. Wanda

Both of these haiku have the same theme; a child feeling powerful as he or she plays on the playground. In the first one, the child is standing on top of the slide, probably anticipating the ride down. But she first enjoys the mighty feeling she has at such a great height. The second one, is dear to my heart because my Dad would always give us “underdogs” on the park swing, since those were too heavy for us to pump ourselves up high. He would laugh and say that we are going so high we are going to swing straight up to the moon! My sisters and I would believe it and try so hard to fly up to outer space. I love the theme of these haiku. Something that adults think of as play time, and juvenile, makes the children feel more powerful than ever. This is present in both haikus. A great big playground seems itty bitty from way up high on the swing and an old rusty swing set is an instrument to the fly in the sky. Courtney Gerk

homemade egg noodles
beef in a pressure cooker
hands cracked by time

a bowl of ice cream
two spoons
one memory

tripping over the dress
she smiles
in the mirror

a bowl of ice cream
two spoons
one memory

The first one made me picture someone busy working in a kitchen. It leaves me to wonder who they are cooking for. When it says hands cracked by time, I picture an old person, their hands weathered by time. Now perhaps they are widowed alone and cooking for themself, or perhaps they are cooking for their sons, daughters, and grandchildren. The second one makes me think of a couple spending a simple fun time together. It's innocent and it's a small memory that they will come to appreciate someday maybe. In fact, me and my girlfriend ate a four scoop sundae at Culver's not too long ago. We shared it. So this haiku evokes a personal feeling as well. Eric

It was really hard deciding between these two haiku, but eventually voted for a bowl of ice cream. Both of them bring to mind happy experiences that I have had. Other than that connection, I didn’t think that these two haiku fit together very well at first. After reading and rereading them side by side though, I did find a connection. I picture a mother and her twenty something daughter catching up at a local restaurant; sharing a large sundae. They are reminiscing. They discuss many things, but in particular they recall a memory of when the daughter was young and played dress up with her mother’s clothing. I like the reliability of this image. Megan