Brock Peoples (2)

back yard swing---
a photo of me and grandpa
starting to fade

Joan Leach (2)

glow of streetlights
shattered
I step in the puddle

Joe Kramp (5)

hour before class
print from the book
on my face

Kerry Hammergren (6)

Jane Millikin writes, "I like this one because it reminds me of a romance movie. It's pitch dark out. The young lovers are on a small lake, surrounded by trees. Deer are nibbling on the grass near the shore, and rabbits are hopping about. The lake is filled with beautiful water lilies, that are accented by the moon's light. The canoe is slowly making its way to the middle to get a good view of the moon, to complete the romantic scene."

hot sugar milk
warming up
all of my insides

Eric Sharp (2)

dried up well
still throwing in a coin
for good luck

Natalie Kussart (10)

cocapelli ring
she wears it in hopes
of fertility

pigtails bouncing
lone watermelon seed
stuck on her chin

Alexis Iffert (5)

Shannon Kroner writes, "My overall favorite haiku gives us such a sweet and innocent image of a young girl in pigtails. She is walking around with a slice of watermelon. She looks so happy. She is out enjoying the perfect summer day. It is bright. It is warm. All of a sudden, as she is wrapped up in the perfection of the day, a single watermelon seed misses her mouth and gets stuck on her chin. She walks around for minutes before she discovers it. She only notices it because it starts to dry a little and she can feel it resting below her lip. I almost thought this was a senryu, but as I thought about it more, I realized that it is a very real image that happens frequently to anyone who eats watermelon. The image is just enhanced by the fact that the subject is a little girl with pigtails. That makes the haiku that much easier to envision and identify with (but then again, maybe that's because I was once a little girl)."

Stevan Doll (8)

Kerry Hammergren writes, "I love the image in this senryu. My favorite part about this senryu is how it gives just enough description to set the scene, but does not tell the whole story. It leaves the imagery to the reader, like good haiku and senryu is supposed to do. I love image of the mischievous boy getting his payback after he hits the hive with his baseball bat."

storm brewing
she stands
at the stove

Jane Millikin (6)

Meg Schleppenbach writes, "This was my favorite haiku because I really liked the juxtaposition of the storm image with the standing image, which gave the standing image an emotional quality of anxiety that wasn't there before. It made me think of how a stove can be volatile like a storm. Overall, I just got the picture of a woman cooking dinner, looking out of her kitchen window and seeing a yellow, pre-storm sky. She worries because her husband isn't home yet, while something on the stove crackles and pops. The haiku has sound (of thunder and of cooking), smell (of cooking and rain), and emotional qualities."

the local bandits giggle:
slowly filling
her milk can with snakes

Eric Sharp (2)

first kiss
he's the one
i spend the night

JoDee Whitlock (6)

a child’s heart
consumed with bliss
one quest to catch fireflies

chocolates
on the bed
alone

Kerry Hammergren (8)

late
heart sinking
along with the elevator

Meg Schleppenbach (3)

Tonya Parrish (2)

crowded movie theater
his hand
inches towards mine

Shannon Kroner

Alexis Iffert (13)

Andrew Kirchgesner writes, "I’ve liked this haiku from the first time I saw it. It reminds me of earlier in the semester, during the middle part of winter when it was so cold and snowy. My girlfriend didn’t have any gloves, so when we would walk together, she would always put her hands in my coat pockets. After I read this haiku, I thought she had written it, because it describes the situation perfectly. I guess it’s just amazing to see how other people do the same things everyone else does, without even realizing it."

rustling
in the hay
two snakes

rainy day
my drink
has it's own umbrella

Medea Mosxona (12)

Shannon Kroner writes, "My favorite senryu is the umbrella drink haiku. I wrote about this one before, but it has endured the tough competition throughout the semester, and it has remained my absolute favorite. The image of a girl, (by stereotype, women typically drink umbrella drinks) whose day is ruined because she is rained in, drinking an umbrella drink under a rain-soaked canopy, is not only feasible and realistic, but it is also a very clever image to capture in a haiku. Perhaps it is even funnier to me than to most because I am friends with the author, and I can perfectly picture her in this scenario. I wish we could pick signature haiku for the other people in the class. This, in my opinion, would be Medea's. It demonstrates her fun personality, witty sense of humor, and amazing talent for creativity.

spring break’s over
the drive home
somehow seems longer

Natalie Kussart (5)

continuous gust of wind
I drive slower
past the overturned semi

violent winds outside
weather report on the radio
turns to static

driving down
back roads
storm-sky

Brock Peoples (4)

Meg Schleppenbach (8)

Brianne Marsel writes, "I chose this as my favorite senryu because it is so easy to relate to because everyone has done it and it is a concept that everyone knows. The idea of being upset that someone is talking about them behind their back and then talking about that is so ironic, and definitely a fact of society!"

dreaming of kisses
open my eyes
to dog breath

Alexis Iffert (7)

colorful powder
on the butterfly's wings
a child's finger

Shannon Kroner (10)

Joan Leach writes, "I think the focus of this senryu is the child's finger. I see a beautiful butterfly and a child's finger reaches out to life up the butterfly. A child is always fascinated with butterflies because of their beauty. A butterfly has already bloomed from a cocoon and a child still has their whole life to develop and become an adult. I like the imagery that this senryu presents. Maybe it is not a senryu but I focused on the child's finger, which brought the person into the image,"

Joan Leach (5)

strawberry shampoo
I hold her close
while dancing

Matt Eichhorn (9)

Natalie Kussart writes, "I like this senryu a lot. It is humorous and true for many people. I imagine a couple who has been eyeing each other all night. As they continue to drink, they finally get enough courage to make some small talk. Even though they really don't know each other, they have an awkward kiss before they end the night because they are drunk.

Maggie Hart writes, "I really love the smell this haiku invokes. I can smell the shampoo and see the man holding his girlfriend while they are dancing. I like the closeness I feel when reading it, and even though I don’t have a boyfriend, I can feel the guy holding me close."

side of the road
field of wildflowers
pulls her over

Kerry Hammergren (12)

wind gust on my face
his comment
makes me angrier

cool summer evening
waiting on her doorstep
holding chocolates behind my back

Shannon Kroner (9)

Alexis Iffert writes, "When I first read Shannon’s haiku, I began softly giggling to myself. I have pretty much lived with Shannon for almost three years now and have had the opportunity to meet her mother on several occasions. Therefore, it was easy for me to picture the scene she was illustrating in her haiku. I laughed at the sight of Shannon bickering with her mother as they head up the escalator over something so simple as a dress. The relationship that they have is one that epitomizes the stereotypical mother/daughter relationship. They get along just wonderfully, yet they definitely have their moments of dispute and petty arguments. I think the best part of this haiku is that I feel pretty confident in predicting the ending. Shannon convinces her mom to buy the dress for her and they live happily ever after…"

work to be done
snuggled under the covers
just a little longer

Joan Leach (10)

small talk
ending the night
drunken lips meet

Alexis Iffert (3)

Natalie Kussart writes, "I like this senryu a lot. It is humorous and true for many people. I imagine a couple who has been eyeing each other all night. As they continue to drink, they finally get enough courage to make some small talk. Even though they really don't know each other, they have an awkward kiss before they end the night because they are drunk.

under an angry sun
I wait
for peace

Natalie Kussart (4)

remembering
she closes her eyes
to the wind

Medea Mosxona (4)

Angie Williams writes, "I really loved this haiku. I think it’s beautiful in its simplicity of a moment. I see a young woman standing in the middle of a yard by a willow tree, her long hair tangling in the wind. She is in the middle of a game with a younger child, perhaps a brother, or sister, or maybe a little cousin, when suddenly she experiences this memory of her own childhood. Overwhelmed by a sense of sadness and nostalgia, she closes her eyes and allows herself to remember playing a game with her older sister or brother when she was much younger. She can hear her childlike laughter echoing in her mind, and in that moment, she is a child again."

Kerry Hammergren (10)

ghost hunt:
friends pretend
not to bump each other

Meg Schleppenbach (8)

valentine's day
my gift
is her reaction

Matt Eichhorn (9)

Jane Millikin (10)

Joan Leach writes, "This haiku is just cute. I see a summer party outside. The strawberries are out and there is one more left. The guy that she has been eyeing from across the room grabs it for her and shares half with her. I kind of see the couple talking after that and the girl having a gigantic smile on her face. J I like the word snatch used in this haiku. I think it is well written and was my favorite out of our final kukai."

swift moving storm
no where to go
but further down stream

mass has ended
he helps
with her coat

Maggie Hart (3)
1st Place Alumni Award
from Melanie Hayes

rain trickles down the window
the girl lies on her bed
the book barely touched

Joan Leach (2)

Angela D. Williams (4)

getting the news…
even the moon
hides her face

Beth Stiner (4)

Beth Stiner (12)

Gia Drouzas writes, "I found this senryu humorous in the sense that the orange almost has its own brain. It's almost as if it knows when we are peeling it, and it does not want us to. So when the orange spits or as we now it squirts, it’s really mad at us, because all we want is to eat the delicious inside."

Tonya Parrish writes, "I really enjoy this poem. I am actually not sure if it is technically considered senyru, but I consider it senyru. I think it is very funny. Everytime I have ever eaten an orange, I make a huge mess because I can't open it without the juices going everywhere…on me, on the counter, on the floor. I try to wipe it up, but then my fingers stick to the napkins or towels that I use. I think this is a senyru in which everyone can relate to. Most people have eaten an orange or two in their life. I think that it paints a clear picture of what is happening. It doesn't tell you exactly where the person is or what season it is, but that becomes a personal memory of the reader. I like that the specifics are left to the reader. I also enjoy this and find the humor stemming from the fact that this poem takes the orange itself into character. The orange is actually "spitting" because you are in a way undressing it. Most people would never give a piece of fruit such a personality or give it any feelings. So, I really just enjoyed the humor and the laugh that I got out of this senyru."

sticky corn tassles
I reach the end . . .
of my row

Maggie Hart (3)

Jane Millikin (2)

candy and flowers
on the kitchen table
an off-key serenade

Nikki Garry (4)

arctic winter night
i find myself
thinking of him again

listen to the silence
between us:
falling snow

Angela D. Williams (8)

Medea Mosxona (5)

after the abortion
she meets
her conscious

Brianne Marsel (11)

Meg Schleppenbach writes, "Again, this is one of my favorites in the kukai. I love the hopeful opening against the dismal end. I enjoy how the girl goes merely for the food--I can almost see her stuffing her face in despair at the dance, as the boy she likes dances with another girl. I just love the sassy and sarcastic, yet not utterly depressing, tone of the poem. Instead of giving just an idea of why the dance is sad (like “I go dateless”), the poem provides a concrete image of why the person IS going. I think it's incredibly clever."

pants rolled up
cold water rushes
over our toes

Brianne Marsel (12)

Gia Drouzas writes, "This haiku has been one of my favorites ever since the beginning of the semester in one of the first Kukai’s. I love the expression its so simple but so beautiful. The way the haiku is stated gives you such a beautiful feeling inside. No matter if you are all dolled up or have no makeup on at all knowing the person still loves you is the greatest felling in the world!"

after he leaves
the smell of his cologne
on my skin

Krista Duffett (6)

Rachel Perry writes, "I love this haiku simply because I can relate to it so well. I know that’s selfish, but I don’t care, this is the haiku that got the biggest response from me. I like it because there’s nothing more torturing than wanting to be with someone when you have other obligations to attended. I imagine being with that special person for maybe fifteen minuets or so, and then someone has to run off to a meeting or rehearsal. Once you’ve gone you’re ways, the smell of them lingers on you clothes and in your mind. This is the best and worst thing in the world. It’s wonderful because the thought of that person can make you so happy, like you’re walking on air, but also it distracts you from getting a good amount of work done, thus becoming very frustrating. The author also did a good job creating a lingering feeling with the word choices."

warm spring breeze
I work
on my swing

Matt Eichhorn (8)

refusing to gas up
I choose to
ride on faith

Nikki Garry (7)

dad's snow angel
stronger wings
than mine

Joe Kramp (11)

Nikki Garry writes, "I really like this haiku because of the spiritual aspect it hold. I see the father as being the head, not only in the family but also spiritually. To me his wings being stronger than the child’s represents his strength."

Maggie Hart writes, "I like the image of the father and child in this haiku. It is cold and the father is tired from work, but he still manages to go outside and play with his kid. I can see the two snow angels side by side and see the difference between the two."

Maggie Hart (3)

the smell of home
wrapped in the quilt
her mother made

Kerry Hammergren (7)

Brianne Marsel writes, "I chose this as my favorite haiku because it presents such a warm image, and it is easy to relate to. The idea of being wrapped in the quilt, and the smell of home are comforting things, and the overall picture is beautiful and simple."

sun on your face
waves wash up on your feet
endless waters

Brock Peoples (2)

Jane Millikin writes, "I like this one because its kind of ironic how a one legged seagull would be the fastest among the flock. Of course it's the fattest, because the people who come to feed the gulls feels sorry for it and throw the bread its way. It's so funny imagining this gull, hopping as fast as it can on one leg towards food. Even in the water, it only has the power of one leg to swim. But in the sky, it doesn't matter how many legs it has. He soars with the rest of the gulls."

first kiss
the taste
of almond coffee

Brianne Marsel (8)

Alexis Iffert wries, "This senryu is such a sweet, simple image that it makes me smile. It holds a great amount of innocence and I think it probably makes every girl get that excited feeling of fluttering butterflies in her stomach. The taste of almond coffee really adds to the depth of the first kiss. I picture a boy and girl on a coffee date. It probably is not their first date, but maybe the second or third. The girl is probably very nervous and just when she is least expecting, the boy quickly leans over and softly presses his lips against hers. Sigh… She instantly relaxes, yet still feels her heart jump inside of her. I really liked the image that this senryu gave me. It makes me happy and hopeful."

Medea Mosxona (6)

endless night sky
all but one
modest star

Maggie Hart (4)

leaving her house
her long hairs
cling to my courderoys

Darrin Thurman (6)

traveling alone
     the first time together
          young lovers grow closer

Tonya Parrish (3)

middle of the road
me        dancing
in moonbeams

Angela D. Williams (3)

steps retraced
through blades of rustling grass
her laugh

Natalie Kussart (5)

gold hoops on the desk
hair loose
glitter still on your arms

Medea Mosxona (2)

sitting on
moonlit water
his arms around me

Steaphanie Ford (6)

Alexis Iffert writes, "I really enjoyed this particular haiku because it flows so freely and holds such an intense amount of beauty. It really took me personally back to a memory of just a couple years past. It was a late summer night in August, shortly before I left for my first year in college. I envisioned my ex-boyfriend and myself sitting on the dock of my best friend’s massive pond. The moon was full, high in the sky above us as we just sat in silence, absorbing the stillness and beauty around us. The slight croak of a frog could be heard as well as the occasional gurgle of a fish below. A soft wind blew through the trees, as I felt the warmth of Ryan’s arms around my waist. I could actually feel his breath on my neck again as I read this haiku. Breathtaking!"

Tonya Parrish writes, "I love the picture that I get from this haiku. I can see a beautiful starry night with a bright moon lighting the dark sky. A couple is out on a boat just riding around slow and taking in the view. I feel the somewhat humid weather of the night, but a cool breeze blowing off the water. I get the feeling of someone's arms being around me and I love that feeling. It is one of the best things in the world for a girl to have someone she loves put their arms around her and let her know that he cares. This haiku does a tremendous job of setting up the picture, mood, and senses that the words represent. The lines break in great places and I think that each line gives you a little more information until finally you get the whole picture."

stuck in class
a frisbee
hits the window

Brock Peoples (15)
1st Place senryu

Rachel Perry writes, "I enjoyed this senryu because of the antsyness (if that’s a word) it creates. I also can relate very well. Being a theater major I’ve had several classes in PD2 (the ugly little building outside of mills). Outside of PD2 is one of the best spots on campus to play ball or Frisbee. I can remember trying to concentrate on whoever was performing that day or what the discussion was, but all I wanted to do was go play outside. It’s like being stuck in a glass case and for some reason everything that is important to you is outside of that case."

Joe Kramp writes, "This is my favorite haiku of the semester for 2 reasons. The first reason is the surface level meaning the haiku has for all humans. When a frisbee hits the window in the middle of class for that moment we all can think about how important play is in our lives. We need to escape from the much too often overstressed aspects of academia in analytical thought to freedom and awe for the mystery that surrounds us. The second reason I like this poem so much is that it has personal meaning for me this semester. I have put so much emphasis in the first 2.5 years I have been here on analytical thought and finally this semester I realized I needed some play as well. So I signed up for jazz dance and global haiku to see that a balance between the playful and analytical makes for a much more well rounded individual who can carry out the tasks of life in a productive and healthy manner."

Andrew Kirchgesner writes, "Once I read this senryu, I knew it would become my favorite. So many times I can think of throughout college how I have never had class canceled, while all my friends have. They are free to do anything they want during what would have been class time, such as go outside and play. This senryu just gives me the imagined feeling of all the friends outside playing, while I am in class. I don’t mind going to class, but when everyone else isn’t in class, it’s kind of disheartening. The worst yet is when you can look out the windows of the classroom, and see them playing outside. You see them playing Frisbee, and one of them throws it near the window. It hits the window, and a friend retrieves it, knowing full well the reason was to annoy me even further. Finally I get out of class and can join them in the game."

room check
lying in bed
thinking of her

Matt Eichhorn (3)

old coloring books
afternoon shadows darken
the colors

Jennifer Clements (3)

wallpaper starting to peel
I strip away
my memories

Natalie Kussart (6)

sirens warning of the tornado      shaking puppy

Shannon Kroner (4)

smell of green grass
the rain
splashes our feet

Medea Mosxona (3)

asleep on the worn couch
the child's arm
wraps around her puppy

Meg Schleppenbach (4)

Kerry Hammergren writes, "This haiku is my favorite because of the clear image. It is very sweet and peaceful. I think it has all the qualifications of a great haiku. It is a distinct image, there is a break and it is very serene. It was very difficult to pick my overall favorite haiku from class, but this haiku is my favorite from the final kukai."

morning hair-do
morning breath
       he still kisses me

Jane Millikin (9)

late night snack
June bugs hammering the
screen door

Rachel Perry (2)

the smoking circle
all plan to quit
maybe next year

Kerry Hammergren (6)

laying in the grass
we take off our shoes
and eat sandwiches

Natalie Kussart (7)

no boys allowed
sappy movie
chocolate everything

Rachel Perry (2)

Autumn wind
through the branches
caw of a crow

Brock Peoples (5)

fingers and lips
tattooed in blue
memories of mulberries

Brianne Marsel (3)

spring dance
I paint my nails
for no one

Meg Schleppenbach (2)