I call knowing you won't answer
just to hear your voicemail
I know you'd answer if you could

Kaitlyn Foster (11)

This is a very sad haiku but I like it because of how emotional it is. This person misses someone so much that they would do anything to hear their voice, even call their old voicemail. They know they are dead and gone but they call anyway. They know this person would answer in a heartbeat if they could which I think makes them even more sad. I think anyone who has lost a close loved one can relate to this haiku because you miss that person so much. Lexi

As the years go by I have slowly experienced the loss of someone who is of the same age as me. It was absolutely devastating. To have someone that you spent every weekend with making memories with all of your friends, just one day be taken from this world. Josh

your perfume
mixed with cigerettes
it's all i've got left

family cemetery
I always visit you first
I owe that to you

family lake house
after a day of boating
aloe vera

something so precious
burns me
pizza

Lexi Doss (12)

I love this haiku a lot because it begins as something that is very deep and you start to think of things that are precious and that hurt you, and its pizza. I like the surprise ending. I honestly never would have thought that it would end this way, but I love it. I actually have a scar on my arm from burning myself on the oven door trying to get pizza out while in high school. Literally, something so precious burned me. Katie

I enjoy this haiku because of the humor in it. Pizza is one of my favorite foods, so I'm always very excited to start eating it as soon as I get it. However, I have to remind myself to wait most of the time because of how hot it is. Morgan

When I read this haiku it made me think of myself when I eat pizza. For starters, I absolutely love pizza, it's one my favorite foods to eat. I always get really excited whenever I'm about to bite into a slice of pizza that I forget that it may have just came right out of the oven and I might want to let it sit out for a while before I bite into it. However, this only really happens when it's on of my favorite pizza places. Alyssa

following the dotted lines
west bound
wherever the road takes me

forty minute drive
just to find
a pair of pants

Katherine Goethals (6)

I enjoy this haiku because of personal reasons. I have always commuted for college all 5 years. This has made for many trips back home. Not always a 40 minute drive, however as of now my drive is pretty close to an hour. If anything is forgotten, it is a very deep contemplation when deciding rather to go back or stay. I try to wake up in the morning and think about what I need to grab and walk around retracing my steps. This usually works pretty well, however I have 18 credit hours so there’s times when it doesn’t work. When this happens, it has to be a very critical thing if I forget something, and even then I may not go back for it. Katherine is dedicated to these pants though because you wouldn’t find me going back 40 min. for a pair of pants. Travis

blankets covering
the livingroom floor
failed fort

screaming and banging
on the door
just going to the bathroom

stepping into the box
she batters eyes
at the pitcher

Deion Corley (7)

ocean wave
erodes our names
in the sand

Deion Corley

I really liked this haiku because it reminds me of my family vacations. When my brother and I were little, we traveled quite a bit. Anywhere we went there were many pictures taken. When we would go to a beach, the tradition was to write the location in the sand along with the date and our names. My brother and I were always in these pictures and they are now all printed in a scrapbook at our home. Alyssa

just shows that overtime nothing is permanent. It all eventually fades, its all about how you handle the eventual fading. Josh

I liked this haiku because it reminds me of a new country song that has recently come out. This haiku brings the image of a couples love just being temporary or it just being a summer fling. Like with the waves taking away the names the summer takes away their love. Ryan

under the Nashville stars
country music plays
inbetween innings

prospering leaves
hold on
the strongest winds

Ryan McDonald

A few weeks ago, a few buds of flowers started to grow back in my backyard. Then, more storms and snow hit Decatur, and I was afraid these flowers would get harmed or die. But to my surprise, they were completely fine. This is what I was reminded of when reading this haiku. The determination of these new plants could be paralleled to the determination of a couple, new or going through a new stage. There could be a lot of problems, but they hold on because they are growing through the winds instead of being wrecked by them. Rachel

our darkest times
sparked up with talk
around the campfire

Ryan McDonald

This is a very relatable haiku. My family and I go camping a lot and our favorite part is building the campfire. It is so comforting and relaxing to sit by the fire and roast marshmallows and just stare deeply into the fire. The best conversations come from complete silence. I really like how the author used “darkest” and “sparked” to contrast each other. Sparked means light up and there are also sparks around a campfire so I like the play on words. Lexi

a kick from inside
a gentle reminder
to drop the hostess cake

Ryan McDonald (10)

I found this haiku also very cute. The baby inside the mother's womb is gently reminding her not to eat unhealthy food. Often, during pregnancy a mother craves for such desserts and it is uncontrollable. But the baby is there to remind her. So, I found this haiku very sweet. Jesal

under the stars
fingertips
in the roots of your hair

my soul mate
the hide-and-seek
champion

Kaitlyn Foster (11)

This was a pretty funny haiku. I read this an immediately thought of one of my good friends who has been searching for his soul mate for the last 4 years, it just gave me a laugh! Deion

football butts
the real reason
tis the season

world war II
in the microwave
never smelled so good

she reaches
for a kiss
he pulls back, playfully

Alyssa Rodriguez

I really liked this haiku because of it sense of playfulness. A majority of the time a new relationship is sort of built on the chase, but this haiku is light and fun. Deion

the kids surround
the slowly dying
worm

Alyssa Rodriguez

I like this haiku because it shows the fascination kids have with death AND how alien worms are. I believe that they are watching a worm on a sidewalk after a rain and that one of them will take pity and move it gently to the grass. This haiku ends, in my imagination with an act of compassion. Randy

beer bottles
become
baby bottles

Lexi Doss (11)

When I read this haiku it made me think of someone going through a new chapter in their life. They partied, travelled, lived life to the fullest and now they have finally reached a point in their life where they needed to put the beer bottle down and exchange it for a baby bottle. They need to make more room for a little person in their life, one in which is going to need them to settle down. So, no more partying all the time, no more just getting up and traveling where ever they want to go. This is a new chapter in their life, one that involves a different kind of growing up. Alyssa

Felt Response: I really enjoy this Haiku because it's the reality of life that you don't really notice until it's done and happened. One day you're drinking with your friend and maybe even with your significant other, then the babies come, and life changes just like that! This haiku has a mood of selflessness, like it's a statement rather than a complaint. Seems to me it's completely okay that the beer bottles turned into baby bottles. It reminds me of how precious life is and how fast time flies by! Enjoy all of those stages of life while you can. Kaitlyn

doctor's news
I stare
right through him

Lexi Doss (4)

she closes the door
of the not to be
nursery

purple pastel
her eyeshadow
matches spring flowers

binge eating
like every meal
is my last

walking slower to class
soaking up
the sunshine

the gust of the wind
the glow of the moonlight
something sparkling . . .

floral patches
on my ripped jeans
I get to flaunt

she reads her a story
a cat and a butterfly
quarreling

sleeping together
in the same bed
so distant

Lexi Doss (6)

waiting . . .
for the rainbow
this never-ending storm

as you lie in the casket
I remember your
butterscotch candies

in the Poncho
he tries to run
but he cannot hide

True Romance
Jackie Brown
The next Tarantino movie?

Travis Voorhees (3)

snow on the ground
ice on the highway
but it’s April?

i'm
sad
isfied

Kaitlyn Foster (10)

I told the flowers
what i'd do for you
they blossomed

Kaitlyn Foster (7)

This haiku makes me think of the flowers as kind of a guard to someone's heart. A lover confessed how well they would treat and love that person, and after hearing the person's confession, the flowers opened up, by blooming, and are allowing the person to get close with the person they guard. Morgan

hard pill to swallow
when I know
you'd be my number one fan

walk with me
she has that look
— SMACK

watching the kids
run through the sprinkler
i love them

fluttering by
       the dandelions
she hears a meow . . .

masking what what
I wish
you’d unmask

coffee grounds
the one thing
I can control

Elizabeth Pillow (5)

up and down
the wind carries her
through the clouds

Jesal Sheth (6)

the ball falls
right into my . . .
face

opening presents
wrapped for someone
who won't see Christmas

my dog's leg
running faster
than his snore

Katherine Goethals

I dog sat for my friend this weekend and his dog loves to cuddle. At night, the dog would fall asleep first and would snore so incredibly loud for such a small little guy. At one point, he even woke himself up because he was snoring so loud. In the middle of the night, he was dreaming and accidentally kicked me in the stomach as well. Ally

table set up
pong ball
splash

last call
a druken stupor
falls out of chair

Joshua Mysliwjec (5)

with all this school work
a nice spring nap
under a tree

the priest raises his chalice
the children
don’t quite understand

I retie his sneakers
for the fifth time
since we came to the park

Rory Arnold (9)

Frosty’s carrot nose
now resting
below his waist

Rory Arnold (12)

camping
we bathe together in
the river

his truck bed
my blanket
our stars

why such a big deal
when she baits
her own hook

Kaitlyn Foster

I like this haiku because I have always been a “tomboy.” When I was little, my friends were the girly girls and took lots of pride in being that way. Growing up around sports and with an older brother, I did not wish to be a girly-girl and I wanted to fit in with the boys. We live in the country and I would often go out in the fields and ditches barefoot and play in the mud with my dogs. I also always loved hunting down and catching creatures to bring back and show my parents. When we started hanging out with the neighbor kids, nothing changed. One time when we went fishing at the pond near our houses I was one of the only girls to touch the worm and put it on the hook. I was also one of the few that would touch the fish we caught as well. Ally

tucked in bed
somehow ending up
on the kitchen counter

sliding across the court
stretching for the ball
a rolled ankle

snailman
my ears bleed
goodbye

Morgan Bettner (5)

a snake wriggles into view
then sticks its tongue out at me
the nerve!

Andrew Cliatt (5)

slowly waking up
and then my heart stops
I'm late again

Andrew Cliatt (12)

I find this haiku os relatable that it kind of hurts. I work full time, go to school full time, and I have an internship twice a week. Add a social life on top of all this and it is difficult to get enough sleep. At least once a week I wake up late and have to grab something to eat for breakfast and warm up coffee from yesterday. My heart literally stops for a second when I realize I overslept. Katie

tiny trees
pop out
of my pillow case

in the back alley
a spray paint smiley face
grins

tumbling in the dryer
warm, crinkled
dollar

Rachel Humphrey (5)

a child’s glove
dripping with wet snow
plopped on the dryer lid

cut off t-shirt
mud between my toes
simpler times

Elizabeth Pillow (4)

tension sifting
further and f u r t h e r
down my spine

clean laundry in bed
reminds me
*vacancy*

Elizabeth Pillow (3)

obstacles much larger
than the rock wall
the playground

hiding behind
the camera lens
he sees it all

picking up sticks
orders from dad
building a fort instead

box of chalk
I open the cardboard top
powder settles on my fingers

first day of preschool
his daughter
clinging to his leg

my cat talks to me
I hate the things that it says
it has an accent

Travis Voorhees (11)

I don’t believe I was the author of this haiku, however this is what Professor Brooks put down. So I will take it cause it’s a great one! If you like to imagine, or if you have ever been in a different mindset, your cat and you may have some conversations. This can become eventful and very interesting. Deep down we know that’s just our alter personality making up the things and accents of the cat, which is very interesting in my opinion. Not only are we having a conversation with our self, but we are putting a character with this other part of us. I think it’s funny how many people in class related to this particular haiku though. So maybe I’m not crazy. Travis

caught again
standing
in the rain

hair in a mess
wearing my worn out t-shirt
she's perfect.

passing leaf
lands on the window
only to blow off again

front porch rocking
the sun
warms my toes

grass spiders
throw up webs
to save the eggs from rain

spring sunrise
a velvet buck browses
the alfalfa

seams of the baseball
leave their mark
on the pitcher's cheek

Deion Corley (9)

finger tips
brushing away
April snow

light rain
umpires meet
to deem the game playable

Deion Corley (4)

forgotten post-it
found on the back
of your favorite book

Rachel Humphrey (8)

running from his apartment
the buildings towering
over her tear stained face

a breeze in the fur
of the dead squirrel
a pretend resurrection

discussing topics
others would find strange
I'm in love

Morgan Bettner (8)

brisk walk to class
squissssh
poop under my shoe

sweater in the morning
until the sun
takes it off

while the earth
comes crashing down
unbothered pillowtalk

the toddler lays
sound asleep
with man's best friend

Alyssa Rodriguez (8)

I found this haiku extremely adorable! That's because I love babies and doggies so much that when they are seen together, I begin to cry. The imagery is so cute when a toddler is fast asleep with a dog next to her Both of them look so adorable together. Jesal

conversations
between
her & her tomatoes

Alyssa Rodriguez (8)

drinking away
away my sins
Good Friday

Morgan Bettner (9)

This haiku makes me think about how much more relaxed we get when we drink, and it can often feel like a release. Within this release, sins are included. The more you drink, the more you forget, and so this person turns away from a religious attitude of prayer and forgiveness, and sees alcohol as a way of cleansing. This is funny due to the idea that drinking doesn’t change a thing. Rory

flip flops and sandals
break out
of their coffins

wildfire roaring
rumors pass
even faster

old comic books
stacked in the bathroom corner
emergency toilet paper

two pencils and a desk create
a snare drum solo
detention

Rory Arnold (4)

unsatisfied needs
she asks me
to write a poem about her

Rory Arnold

Felt Response: This Haiku reminds me of a girl who doesn't get enough attention, and for that reason seeks attention and compliments. Kind of like the idea that a girl who post selfies on social media all the time doesn't get enough attention so they look for it through likes of other people on her post. It makes me think that this girl for whatever reason has low self esteem and wants this person to write a special and heart felt poem about her. She's looking for something to fill her unsatisfied needs. Kaitlyn

fingering the necklace
that lives
long after
she’s free

shower
not being able to tell
if I’m still crying

softly tucking
my favorite stuffed animal
behind my pillow
before his arrival

faking a smile—
I’m fine
without you

scalding coffee
keeps my hands warm
walking to class

restless
in my bed
made for two

we make a cute couple
you play the guitar
I sing the song

daytime is mine
nighttime is yours
midnight is ours

Jesal Sheth

I picture a couple where one is super busy during the day, and one is super busy at night, or where one person thrives during the day and the other at night. Midnight is the balance of theses two and where these two people come together. Relationships are about compromise, and this haiku accurately and simply portrays that aspect. It conveys that midnight is special because they share it. It is intimate and comforting. Rachel

annoyed boyfriend
she's been taking selfies
for the past hour

spring baseball
hand warmers one day
shorts the next

Allyson Isenhower (5)

looking down from above
he watches her
grab his favorite flower

Allyson Isenhower

I liked this haiku for the love for someone though they are really gone. That the person is still overwatching them and taking care of them them secretly. The person still alive knows that so she rewards him with reconginzing his favorite flower. I like this haiku because it is emotionally delicate and has a lot of feeling behind it. Ryan

empty diamond
floppy ears behind home plate
squatting to relieve himself

watermelon bowl
laying down
on the surface of the sand

yellow yachts
near the shoreline
where the seashells cluster

red wine and cheesecake
we dine in together
on the roof

Jesal Sheth (5)

This somber haiku reminds me of evenings where beauty comes with company. Though the nights may change, plans may become altered, as long as two people are sharing an evening together, then bliss is abounding. In this scene, I specifically see two individuals who were already planning a dinner, but thought that sharing dinner with the stars was far more romantic than a candle lit dinner table. Rory

the wilted flower—
the only sign
time continues on

white flakes
cover the writing
on the stone

buzzing phone
calling all family
to his bedside

the little girl sprinkles
flower petals on top
the descending casket

staring at a grave
with your last name on it
who is next?

finally
able to retire
the thick coats

breaking out sandals
to happily walk in
. . . snow

car ride home
the three year old yells
a four letter word

windows opening
out goes
my seasonal depression

painting her face
tying her shoes
the dancer performs
I reminisce on
my favorite tu-tu

his voice does to me
what autumn does to
t
 r
  e
    e
       s

Kaitlyn Foster (13)

air dried hair
napping in the sunshine
mother and daughter