guiding the boat
a chilly river
welcomes

rustling leaves…
the stars
through passing clouds

Rick Bearce

This haiku is similar to a few we have read before, but this one is just as interesting, just as appealing, because it encompasses that serene feeling one gets when the stars fill the sky. If a gentle breeze is just barely blowing, and the clouds are moving slowly, the serenity is heightened as the stars appear and the wind adds a soundtrack to the scene. That feeling is well captured in this haiku. Missy

my thoughts flow
with the current
of homework

she leaves with him
the nice guy sighs . . .
another dinner alone

John Wright (3)

The nice guy always finishes last! This one evokes an image of a well-mannered, polite young man sitting alone at a table set for two. His date has departed with a “bad boy”. It is confusing to the man. Women always say they want a nice guy, but always seem to end up with the “dark, mysterious, can’t take home to mama” type of man. Never fear, Nice Guy, after he breaks her hurt, she will turn to you for comfort. Kristen

hidden
underneath the mask
an unexpected guest

Nathan Halteman (4)

I do not know if the poet intended to make this haiku an allusion, but when I read it, I was immediately reminded of the Phantom of the Opera. The phantom is mysterious and unexpected, not to mention unwanted and hidden, qualities and tones exhibited by the poem.
I liked the lack of punctuation. Normally, one would expect a dash or ellipsis after the word “mask,” but the absence of such allowed the reader to experience the haiku at his or her own pace, with his or her own idea of where the breaks of thought should be. Goli

on the goal
a spectator
takes flight

glowing embers
of the dying fire
thoughts of her lingering

crunchy leaf
smell of snow
in the air

Missy Brassie

I like this one because it reminds me of that time when fall starts to give way to the coming of winter. The leaves are still on the ground as a reminder of the beautiful change in the trees, but the wind ushers in the inevitable coming of the first snowfall. The strange thing is that it never seems to be predictable. It is early October now, which is the time for leaves to change color, and yet, for the briefest moment there was a barely noticeable snowfall. Of course it ended nearly as fast as it started, but it was still a pleasant moment in time. -Nate

Friday the 13th—
Lady Luck
sleeps in

John Wright (7)

I really like this haiku. I think it is cute and witty. Very superstitious and fun. Carrie

When I read this poem, at first I thought it was cliché, but upon reading it again, I realized that it is actually funny and ironic at the same time. It is ironic that it is a Friday, the 13th and that Lady Luck slept in – meaning she was not around for whomever to be blessed with good luck. Therefore, things must have gone wrong. The fact that she slept in is in itself bad luck – who wants to sleep through their alarm!? I also thought maybe Lady Luck was sleeping in because it was Friday the 13th and some say that day is lucky, so she did not need to work as hard. This is a fun type of haiku, because it lets the reader do the work, deciding for himself what its meaning is. Missy

night sky
dreaming . . .
of our future

through the hotel window
milling around the Effiel Tower...
they look like ants

Carol Colby

This haiku well represents the capture of a single moment in time. I can imagine myself on a balcony in a Parisian hotel, overlooking the beautiful monument. The reader is allowed to make his or her own interpretations about the weather, time, etc, giving more imagination and creativity to the poem.
Of course, after reading the haiku, one would assume that the poet is referring to the people; however, the pronoun “they” allows the reader to decide for his or herself what “they” are: people, cars, children, etc. This haiku could also be an example of personification, thus, flowers or random picnic baskets, etc could be “milling.” Goli

honeymoon suite—
she forgot her ring
in the nightstand drawer

Goli Rahimi (6)

I am the friend that always loses her wallet, her keys, and her cell phone. We always have to backtrack and find whatever I have lost. I have a feeling that this haiku is a fortune cookie for me. I can only imagine the utter despair she will feel when, on the airplane, she realizes her diamond is probably on the hand of a Jamaican maid by now. Kristen

light rain
trickling down the hill
silence . . .

a haunted house
she hides
. . . behind me

Chinese restaurant
on the door
“no pets allowed”

lying on the warm sidewalk
little me
BIG sky

Carol Colby (2)

snowy peaks
pierce the clouds
faint tracks of a sled

Nathan Halteman (3)

single dim light
illuminates the dancers
the flies pause, watching

the mountain tops
miles above
the city

mother’s wallpaper
hangs weeping
behind the crib

Goli Rahimi (3)

swaying in his arms
feet sticking
to the beer stained floor

Carol Colby (4)

blue waves crashing!
. . . me
in a little fishing boat

the moon
over the water
midnight hike

Missy Brassie

The moon over the water is such a romantic image for a midnight hike. Wow! What a beautiful moment to experience. Amy

redwoods
touching the heavens
a shack

Nathan Halteman (4)

i really enjoy nature haiku because of their ability to transport me to a more peaceful place. having seen a redwood forest, i remember how huge they were...not just the height, but the width of the tree trunks, the roots, etc. Standing on the ground, you really do feel as though they are reaching toward the sky. Carol

a chilly breeze
she's nestled
beside me

Nathan Halteman (2)

winter morning—
brittle grass hides
under a blanket

Goli Rahimi (4)

orange sky
cold wind
. . . pumpkins on the lawn

Kristen Robinson (4)

I really liked the scenic image portrayed in this haiku. Without directly stating it, the reader knows it’s fall. At first I thought it was a Halloween haiku, but after rereading it, I think it’s about fall in general. I like the idea of displaying pumpkins not just for Halloween. Another aspect of this haiku I really liked is that there is no person involved. It’s one of those great natural haiku that focuses only on the surroundings. There is no person in this haiku and there doesn’t need to be. Very nicely done. Rick

the star's glow
overpowers
... me

Carrie Seymour

i thought this author did a really nice job of making the "me" seem very small. Putting it alone in the last line really emphasized the smallness of the word. A very simple haiku, ut ery effective. Carol

dripping
the sink fills with water
let the morning begin

even the
prairie landscape
has no cleavage

Amy Van Rheeden (2)

midget
for a moment
giant sequoias

Missy Brassie (4)

Even the tallest man will feel like a midget in comparison to giant sequoias. Even a sequoia could “feel” like a midget in comparison to the sky. This haiku struck me because we all are small and insignificant in the scheme of the universe. Amy

I really like this haiku because of its humorous irony. The initial line makes the reader think that the haiku will be about a midget, when really, the haiku is about the idea that a person can be a midget compared to something much larger. Really great surprise aspect that I like in haiku. The haiku also has a nice nature appeal in that I get a really great nature image, surrounded by huge trees, but nothing else is mentioned except the actual trees. Nicely written. Rick

bending
not flowing
nameless creek

today can decide
to be long
or not to be

mirror
reflection of me
I don’t like it

burning leaves
billowing smoke
I'm l o s t

deer tracks
in the snow
revealing secrets

Amy Van Rheeden (2)

I like this one a lot. Nice visual of deer tracks and a sense of time. It must be cold and I wonder what the secrets are. Is it that there are deer there? Or do the tracks lead to something? Leaves the reader wondering. Nice job. Carrie

pounding hooves
the caterpillar
stands defiant

a crowd of people
surges on
a penny!

Missy Brassie (3)

another day wasted
in the world . . .
of Warcraft

Rick Bearce (4)

The reason I like this one is because I can relate to it all too well. If you don't know, World of Warcraft is a video game, and not just any video game. It has been voted as the one of the most addictive games ever made. I remember spending days on end just sitting in front of my computer clicking away as my digital avatar killed countless numbers of lions, elves, and demons. I enjoyed it because it was something I was able to share with my friends, and in its own way, it was a sort of bonding situation. It was a lot of fun, but I think I have burned myself out on the game. haha -Nate