staring intensely
at the ice cream
one week more

many colors
lining the cabinet shelves
in glass bottles

Jenna Farquhar (3)

a rusty bicycle
the last stall
of the creaky barn

Adam Falasz (4)

frantic gestures
mocking taunts
Dutch Blitz

the story
constantly changing
the end a mystery

Aaron Fleming (4)

    the romantic surprise
flickering candles cast shadows
        on pink flower petals

aquarium
the fish and my reflection
stare back

Kort Branscome (4)

bluegill
sharp spines
prick fingers

T.J. Holmes (5)

warm summer breeze
cattails swaying on the bank
not even a bite

laughing with friends
rooftop view
blood moon

Jeremy Maxwell (3)

first date—
stingrays approach
I hide behind him

Heather Nigh (5)

pastor's sermon;
in the background,
we pass notes

Jackie Dumitrescu (6)

out of balance
the ice cream cone
falls to the floor

Heather Nigh

I enjoyed this one because I thought it was funny mostly, and that it was one everyone can relate too. Everyone has had that snack or piece of food they were really looking forward to then they dropped it. It happens to me a lot. I have some candy then drop it on the ground. Or even with drinks. I spill a lot of drinks before I get any of it. Aaron

I liked this haiku because it can be read a couple different ways. The writing style that the author demonstrated was pretty neat. Whether or not they intentionally used this style, it worked out well. The first line of the haiku is where the split meaning occurs. “Out of balance” could be describing the cone or the person holding it. The cone could be out of balance due to the heat outside causing it to melt. The person out of balance could also be causing the cone to fall to the floor. Also, a combination of the two could be happening! This haiku has endless interpretations. Blaine

suntan lotion
over her sun burn
gently, gently

Kort Branscome (6)

tiptoeing past
    nana's armchair . . .
        the cat meows

Adam Falasz (2)

weigh-boat on scale
all the numbers . . .
too much

Jenna Farquhar

I can relate to this one because I am a chemistry major. The analytic balances can measure up to six or seven decimal places. All those decimal places are hard to remember and can be overwhelming. Alex

constant chaos
finding peace
under the stars

4 am
an empty whiskey bottle
my lover

shooting star
wipes across the sky
wishful thinking

mouse clicks
distracting from
productivity

Jeremy Maxwell (4)

lab notebook open
scribbled last pages
last lab

at graduation
    dad cries
        more than mom

Adam Falasz (7)

I liked this haiku because I can relate to it. My father is not one who cries, and as far as I know, he did not cry on my graduation day. From his actions, however, I could tell that he felt the impact greatly. This haiku embodies a father's sorrow as he watches a child depart from his home. I think younger children especially can relate to this haiku. Debbie

This haiku was my favorite from the final kukai. Normally moms are known for crying at any time of special occasion and dads never cry for anything. This gives off the opposite feeling. In this sense, I may have changed it a little bit to make it less obvious somehow. However, I still enjoyed reading it how it is. I get a clear picture of my graduation from the first line. I can see both of my parents crying tears of joy. I don't think my dad would necessarily cry more than my mom, but it may seem like it since he normally never cries at all. Heather

This was one of my favorite haiku for sure from the kukai that we had. I can really relate it to my own family actually. Usually my dad is pretty unemotional at least on the outside, although he is a very emotional person honestly. However, when i came to my first sister graduating college, it was the most emotional I had ever seen him while my mom was pretty much OK with it!! T.J.

6 am wake up call
the newborn sparrows
up before I am

the art major's face—
as I light my hand
on fire

Adam Falasz (3)

a crossroads
right or left?
too many options

a shadow falls
through the timber . . .
morels

Adam Falasz (3)

shaking beaker
the young chemist's
sweaty hands

Adam Falasz (2)

rusty pickup truck—
Southern belle's
first kiss

Jackie Dumitrescu (4)

childhood stories
my parents embarrass me
in front of HIM

an empty arena
a jumbotron
lifeless

my daddy gave me
the old wooden rifle
his daddy gave him

Dillon Damarian (3)

man's best friend . . .
not so much
early in the morning

Heather Nigh (8)

Wisconsin breeze
blows the ball
in the right direction

skipping stones
summer sun
tanning her pale skin

the hole like the moon
looks giant
as the putts start to drop

Blaine Buente

chatty roommate
bubbly
white wine

Debbie Vogel (4)

net loss
the red line
sinks deep

Debbie Vogel (2)

the puck
sails through the crease
a foghorn bellows

Kort Branscome (4)

This was my favorite haiku in the final kukai. Not only did it manage to paint a vivid mental image, but it also used the language necessary to accurately represent the sport. As an avid hockey fan, I felt that this was an excellent portrayal of a game summed up into a haiku. In my opinion, it is a very successful haiku and excellently captures the excitement of the game. Austin

a shriek—
the pounding of a shoe
a spider no more

Debbie Vogel

This haiku is one that almost anyone, especially for us girls. It brings up memories not just of the many spiders that we have stomped to death, but it also clearly brings back the memories of the biggest spiders that we have killed. For somewhat reason, the haiku didn’t just remind me of a measly spider but of a big spider one that would really elicit a shriek out of someone. The words “shriek” and “pounding” really create the image trying to kill something huge. Jackie

big black eyes
seing all that passes
the old sycamore

Dillon Damarian

I read through the kukai again and saw that I had overlooked this one in class yesterday. As I read it several times over, I realized that I really liked this one. First off, I really like the imagery, with the old tree; I can just imagine this huge trunk with thousands of branches hanging off. And secondly, I like how the haiku takes almost an unexpected turn. From the first and second lines it could be assumed that this is some type of animal, but then the third line clarifies this and shows that it is in fact a tree. And, not just any tree, but an old tree. As I thought about this, it continued to make more and more sense; trees and all plants for that matter are technically living, and there is the controversy on whether or not they are senciate beings. With this haiku, the tree is made to have human qualities. Trees are always there, and would technically see and hear everything. So, I really liked how this was made to be like that. Jenna

making an adjustment
to her dress—
wedding day

Heather Nigh (4) (2)

young tear-stained cheeks
the shower washes away
the pain

warm spring evening
corn field covered by snow
geese

strumming my guitar
the wind blows
I love you on her lips

the girl of my dreams
sitting next to me—
flatulence

satisfying ache
I bend into
downward dog

Jackie Dumitrescu (5)

the rotten boy
falls off his bike—
spring break

Dillon Damarian (2)

I like how there is a since of justice or karma in this Haiku. The boy has been bad and then as some sort of punishment ends up falling off of his bicycle. “spring break” adds a little bit of playfulness to the poem. It defines the time of year, but also could mean that the boy broke a bone or incurred some kind of injury. Jeremy

office rumors . . .
nervous steps
as I report to his office

Heather Nigh (4)

talk of the appetizers
he tries to change the subject
at the widow's expense

Heather Nigh (2)

tall trees covered
in moonlight
woodland whippoorwills

Dillon Damarian (3)

This haiku was my favorite of our final kukai, partially because of the descriptions themselves and partially because it carries a strong sense of sabi—the Japanese feeling of quietness and aloneness. In my own reading, I interpreted the haiku to describe a late night hike through the forest in the summer, with the whippoorwills continuously calling, reminding the hiker of other times he had made this same walk in summers past. I also particularly enjoyed the alliteration of the final line of woodland whippoorwills, because I felt that the words mimicked the sound that the birds make while also adding a layer of playfulness to the poem. Lexi

autumn chill—
her stealing
my favorite sweatshirt

Austin Evans (7)

I enjoyed this haiku because it is so universal. No matter where you go or whom you talk to, it seems guys are nice enough to give up their sweatshirts to beautiful ladies on a chilly night. I think it this haiku says even more due to the word “favorite.” There would have to be a serious amount of trust for a man to lend his favorite sweatshirt. Of course, I have encountered this situation in real life so I can create the setting in my mind. In high school, we would drive way out in the country to a friend’s house and have a giant bonfire. We would get there around 4:00 and enjoy the warm weather in shorts playing Frisbee, shooting hoops, or hiking in the woods. Then dusk would come and we would light up the fire, but the girls would get cold as the temperature dropped. Each girl would find their favorite guy friend and bat their eyes at him in an effort to woo his sweatshirt off his body. It happened like that time after time after time. I also thought it was extremely funny that all the guys in the class voted for this haiku since they understand the feeling, while the girls just sat back and laughed. Adam

winter snowstorm
watching from the window
hot chocolate

ticket scalpers
hound
an undercover cop

Kort Branscome (5)

brilliant flashes of light
as the gummy bear
. . . screams

Adam Falasz (4)

lime tree blossoms
glow white—
vampire's kiss

flash of scales
silver-fin in the sun
splash

owl and turkeys
conversing in the land
between two rivers

Dillon Damarian (5)

This haiku was incredibly descriptive. I see a clearing in a valley between two rivers. The clearing is surrounded by trees that line the river. Amongst the trees there are owls hooting. In the pasture, turkeys graze and answer back. Kort