Haiku Kukai 08

Global Haiku • Millikin University • Spring 2022

1

your giggle
. . . thank you
now I remember hope

2

a couple yellow tulips
c’mon spring
don’t be shy

3

throwing darts
fingertips touch
teaching her how to play

4

one
with the universe
on a broken bench

5

you are yellow
it surrounds you
yellow is how I found you

6

counting green buds 
and clean days
we’re starting over

7

brown squirrel and I
hesitate
together

8

butterfly on my shoulder
at your funeral
i know you are still here

9

dua lipa: on        we’re levitating

10

judgmental stares
from hick townies
we know we look good

11

witch’s cackle
shaking furniture
i love my mom

12

p and m
the only difference in
who runs the world

13

charcoal shrieking
across the paper
again and again

14

bitten nails
asking another question
parasitism

15

cookie crumbles
words of wisdom
on the little paper

16

the old, creaky bench
enjoying the rays of the sun
with chipped white paint

17

sitting in the
back of class
“why am I here?”

18

why do I have
to come out
if they don’t

19

jenga
the trunk
of her car

20

mate-riarchy
all I am
good 4?

21

woman
lost in the titles
assigned to her

22

15-minute drive
we go
to the nice Kroger

23

home cooked meal
seasoned with resentment
longing for more

24

lost
                                    lost
            still lost

25

sunny day
he compliments
my freckles

26

corpses
the cherry blossoms fall
anyway

27

the early morning sun
warms our sheets
I brush stray curls off your forehead

28

sweet tooth
fun dipped mountains
she belongs here

29

back rub
thunder rumbles
he squeezes me

30

little black dress
hangs from the closet door
waiting for Friday night

31

road trip:
I wake
in a different state

32

sprouting dandelions
taking in
every ounce of the sun

33

his arms
envelop my body
my safe place

34

friends on mute
I scroll
into the abyss

35

so many ears, so many eyes 
observing every move,  
I hate them all 

36

chilling at Von Maur 
in the living room full 
of horrible shoes 

37

wearing gentleman shoes 
in his Disney
pijama set

38

fading scar
the hum of crickets
is clear now

39

shopping cart
aimed at
your heels

40

I reach out—
towards the hand
sticking out the grave

41

park bench
out of all of them
you sit next to me

42

soft porcelain face
looks just the way . . .
I buried her

43

screw butterflies
hippo
in my tummy

44

kick
. . . coming
NOW POINT!!!

45

aching back
the road
continues on

46

colors of the rainbow
standing tall as soldiers
box of 64, sharpener included . . .

47

the silent evening
broken
a cicada song

48

firefly
don’t come
too close

49

static from the record player
I dance to Elvis
with grandma

50

arm over arm
leg over leg
myelin sheath

51

heavy blue clouds
the sky and I 
exhale

52

an egg yolk globe
spinning
in a chipped bowl

53

silky soft sheets
tears
on the pillowcase

54

fermentation
fingertips rubbing my eyes
I didn’t want to hear that

55

your last name
on a sweatshirt you gave me
as close as we can get        for now

56

the weight of winter
snipped
awa
      y

57

another stupid joke
what I’d give
to hear them for the rest of my life

58

give me just oooonnnnnneeeeee
miiiinnnnnnuuuuutttteeeeeee
okaywhatsup

59

        b   r     e    l
   m         d           l
u             r              a
               y
               d    y
                   r

60

                   s         p
            t                        o
               h                 t
                   g         l
                        i
                on          me

61

                        silence
                        sigh
she (re)            lents

62

little kitty who said you live here?

63

Tie grr.

64

oversized shoes
her old jewelry
we dress-up

 

 

 

 

 

65

dog in the mall
clickclickclick
dog out the mall

66

his hands on my waist
lips curl into a smile
against my neck

67

oxygen tank
and old westerns
none of the usual chatter

68

the door opens
. . . wait
deja vu moment

69

slow dancing in the kitchen
a moment
we all daydream of

70

porch swing
my brothers
beckon me to play

71

comfortable silence
we listen
to the music

72

like weeds
he’s overstayed
his welcome

73

the grey sky
blends in with the smog
my mood

74

he said he doesn’t want
his son to learn
to play dress up

75

talk of future plans
what if
I really mean it

76

late april
taking in the last moments
          in this room

77

scattered puzzle pieces
two wedged together 
we don’t match

78

bakery display case
his reflection smiles
that’s what I want

79

promises to watch me graduate         unkept

 

 

© 2022, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.