We challenged readers

for holiday, winter themes

composed in haiku

Fortunately, the subsequent submissions revealed a much better command of the medium than the above introduction.

An overwhelming amount of responses arrived at the Journal-World. Some came from parents and their children; some from classes of elementary and junior high school students; some were written in German.

But all explored the simple-yet-intricate style of the haiku – an unrhymed poetry form of Japanese origin that features three lines containing five, seven and five syllables.

Here are some standout selections:

A child’s small footprints

Encased in the fallen snow

Tomorrow, they’re gone

– Sarah Spray

Gifts under the tree

Stockings hang over the fire

Hope fills the air

– Leslie Queen

On the Christmas tree

a shiny red ball hangs down

I am very fat

– Sandy Mitchell

Hot breath on window

Drawing animals and words

Creative snow day

– Annalise Iannelli

Penguins waddling

Tobogganing down steep slopes

Eating fish all day

– Mia Iannelli

A baby is born

Shoppers crowd the stores and malls

What did his birth mean?

– Jane Tedder

Snowmen guarding home

While silent night covers sky

Joyful songs drift on

-Tom Mach

Green breaking on white

Tumbled weeds cling to wire barbs

The warmth of cold

– J. Nossaman

Children stand in awe

Toys displayed for all to see

Shopping at the mall

– Shelia McCanon

Dry needles drift down

Through limbs of trees once alive

No more cleansing air

– Pat Lechtenberg

Twinkling lights on homes

Light up the winter darkness

Sweeten bitter nights

– Judy Grant

Gingerbread people

are yummy to dunk in cold

milk and eat feet first!

– A.J. Bartle

Soft, floating snowflakes

Big, fat, bright red cardinals

Dark evergreen boughs

– Tracie Jamison

This comfort each time

my coffee maker resumes

its apneic snore

– Michael L. Johnson

December, the time

When it’s okay to be a

Fat old man in red

– Charlotte Burke

Darkest time of year

The true meaning of Christmas

Spread a little light

– Steve Mason

Pictures of beaches

Make me want to be elsewhere

When Kansas is gray

– Joyce Jordan

Lighted, electric

artificial ice sickles

sway in winter’s wind

– Marcia Dumler

Can you smell chaos?

Crowded houses with families

Completely stressful

– Amber Stacey

Child’s eyes at Christmas

Shine brighter than any light

Excitement, wonder

– Beverly Dengler

Night of Christmas Eve

Tossing and turning in bed

I can’t fall asleep

– Abby Gillam

Fire crackling soft

Christmas tree glowing brightly

Family close and near!

– Sage Magee

I got many gifts

My favorite was my Xbox

I was so surprised!

– Chase Bessette

Snow-bedewed cedars

Barn shingled in frost and rime

Invisible quiet

– Virginia L. Harris

Snowballs have been thrown

Boots are laced, jackets are zipped

Kids play happily

– Karah Corpening

Children snip snowflakes

Cutting paper symmetry

Delicate surprise

– Rita Beyer

No jingle bells, no

sleigh rides or coasting downhill

Oh, where is the snow?

– Sarah Ashley Posch

Amaryllis blooms

Translucent in the sunlight

Winter is delayed

– Ruth Gennrich

When you are asleep

Gingerbreadmen come to life

Running through the town

– Joshua Schmidt

In her white bathrobe

Mother drinks too much eggnog

Comes on to Santa

– Justin Cox

Homeless holidays

Forgotten humanity

Christmas on Tenth Street

– Lee Carlson

Sneaking out of bed

To spy on the man who loves

Your milk and cookies

– Brittany Ray

An oven still warm

Cookies drizzled with icing

Tastes good with cocoa

– Kathy Luckman

Haiku I love you

No rhyme and no metered time

Oops I goofed it up

– Betty J. Mole

—————

White prairie blanket

Snow angels slide on farm land

Comfort sleeping earth

Snowmen guarding home

While silent night covers sky

Joyful songs drift on

Eggnog chill Goosebumps

Wrappings ripping joyfully

Fireplace warming smiles

Everlasting light

Brightening both day and night

Dark tunnels no more

–Tom Mach

————–

The season is here

blinking lights pounding my head

eggnog calls to me

— Thomas Soetaert

———

A child’s small footprints

Encased in the fallen snow

Tomorrow, they’re gone

— Sarah Spray

—————

Winter comes to town

Love the mild temperatures

Snow here now s’no way

A tiny snowflake

It falls this way, that way, this –

And it melts away

Sliding, sledding fun

Crisp air blushes my cheeks red

Youthful memories!

— Kari Wempe

————

Christmas Morning

Stocking hung by fire

Creeping down the stairs at dawn

Smiles beaming bright

Brightest Star

Bright shimmering star

Lights up the three wise men’s path

Babe in manger lie

Hawaiian Christmas

Frigid cold and snow

Dreaming of Hawaiian sands

Kalikimaka

Snow Day

Hot breath on window

Drawing animals and words

Creative snow day

Winter’s Grace

Snowflakes descending

Falling oh so gracefully

Winter beauty glows

— Annalise Iannelli

———–

Penguins waddling

Tobogganing down steep slopes

Eating fish all day

December

Snowflakes are falling

Joy and Cheer are here in town

All bare trees are white

The Love of Christmas

Christmas carolers

Friends and family are here

Loved ones all around

Christmas

Christmas is coming

All the lights are up and tree

The snow is here now

— Mia Iannelli

———–

Blinking Christmas lights

Twinkling through the snowy night

Makes me stop and smile

Skating on the lake

A tree ornament

Half-buried in snow

— Brad Schwab

———

Children’s jolly man

Decorated tree of light

Birth for the ages

— Tracy Dethloff

————-

Child’s eyes at Christmas

Shine brighter than any light

Excitement, wonder

— Beverly Dengler

————-

Hanukkah

Hail the Maccabbis

From the dark of oppression

To light and freedom

— Jacob Enoch

————-

Dry needles drift down

Through limbs of trees once alive

No more cleansing air

First year of marriage

CrÃche set in place of honor

Focus each Christmas

— Pat Lechtenberg

—————-

Fire blazes brightly

In the hearth and in my heart

Christmas must be near

— Dan Schriner

———-

Green breaking on white

Tumbled weeds cling to wire barbs

The warmth of cold

J. Nossaman

———–

Christmas Forgotten

A baby is born

Shoppers crowd the stores and malls

What did his birth mean?

— Jane Tedder

———-

Lit candles glow bright

Greenery hangs abundant

Eggnog so tasty

Snows crunch underfoot

Frosty breath for all to see

Winters evening walk

Children stand in awe

Toys displayed for all to see

Shopping at the mall

— Shelia McCanon

————–

The true magic lies

Making Holiday moments

That last a life time

God puts us all in each other’s lives to

impact one another in some way

Look for God in others

— Darby Lohrding

————

Blustery cold winds

Push and drift the new day snow

Perfect Christmas start

— Craig Grant

———–

Twinkling lights on homes

Light up the winter darkness

Sweeten bitter nights

Sullen heavy clouds

Loom in the lumpy distance

Blankets of cold mush

— Judy Grant

————–

Deck the Halls

Deck the halls with food

Deck the halls with songs and gold

Deck the halls tonight

— Louisa Holland

————–

December, the time

When it’s okay to be a

Fat old man in red

Sun up and moon down

Another year slips into

Eternity’s coil

— Charlotte Burke

——-

Light, crisp, crunchy snow

Cloudless, twinkling starry skies

Warm, cozy fires

Holiday splendor

Big colorful packages

Gaily trimmed trees

Soft, floating snowflakes

Big, fat, bright red cardinals

Dark evergreen boughs

— Tracie Jamison

———————

Town declared snow day

kids slide down steep hills on sleds

and scream happily

Gingerbread people

are yummy to dunk in cold

milk and eat them feet first!

The holiday is ended,

We quietly solve

jigsaw puzzles by the fire

— A.J. Bartle

—————–

The sun sets early-

before I finish raking-

winter comes so soon

On the Christmas tree,

a shiny red ball hangs down-

I am very fat

Gifts shine behind glass-

an orange peel in the dark-

homeless in winter

Out in the pasture,

white ice covers the cow pond-

the heron is gone

Sandy Mitchell

————-

A Haiku for Deep Winter

On a frozen day

my coat, hunched against the wind,

floats as if empty

Winter Dawn

This comfort each time

my coffee maker resumes

its apneic snore

End of December

Sun only a poor

candle burning low behind

cold curtains of gray

— Michael L Johnson

————–

Darkest time of year

The true meaning of Christmas

Spread a little light

— Steve Mason

———

Klares kaltes Eis

warmt sich in dem Sonnenstrahl

und vergist sich selbst

— Dee Boeck

———-

Beacon in the sky

Manger filled with hope and life

Lights shine on houses

— Christina Yehle

——-

The Christmas you left

how cold the boughs looked on the

tree by my window

— Eva Edmands

———-

Gifts under the tree

Stockings hang over the fire

Hope fills the air

Family laughter

Angels sing above the sky

Joy is all around

Leslie Queen

————

morning snow

people rushing, rushing

snow takes its time

old boots make

footprints in fresh snow

full moon

falling snow

the only sound is

no sound at all

— Bob Stewart

————-

Where is our winter

Does the snow stay anymore

Fluffy snow is nice

— Richard D Campbell

————————–

Christmas in Kansas,

Might be snowing, might be hot

Winters are strange here

Bright star in the sky,

Angels announce the Child’s birth

The Savior has come

Pictures of beaches

Make me want to be elsewhere

When Kansas is grey

Nut balls and some spritz

Caramel corn and ginger snaps

Forget the diet!

— Joyce Jordan

——-

Cold, white, glistening

Snowflakes, covering mem’ries

Freezing love and hope

Santa waves, Rudolph’s

nose flashes, as snow swirls around

inside my snow globe

Tolling bells signal

Midnight services at church

Christians celebrate

Lighted, electric,

artificial ice sickles

sway in winter’s wind

— Marcia Dumler

————-

Can you smell chaos?

Crowded houses with families

Completely stressful

Snowflakes fall today

Children laugh and play with joy

When the snow falls down

Frosty the Snowman

Laughs and plays with the children

Hope he stays forever

— Amber Stacey

————

The white icy snow

Children sledding all the time

Fantastic snow days

Warm hot chocolate

on a cold icy morning

It fulfills my day

Presents fill the room

For every good boy and girl

A Merry Christmas

Night of Christmas Eve

Tossing and turning in bed

I can’t fall asleep

— Abby Gillam

———–

When the snow falls down

All the nice kids run around

Happy Holidays

When the special comes

We all need to be there then

The special has come

If you love me so

We kiss in the mistletoe

That’s why you love me

— Pernell Burnette

————-

Wind blows winter snows

Children grab their sleighs and play

Santa Ho Ho Ho’s

Elves wrap kids’ presents

Santa works them to the bone

Children laugh and play

— Tyler Johnson

———–

diamonds in the air

falling on my nose and boots

I love the winter

— Juliana Hacker

————

Snowflakes

It is wintertime

Snowflakes are all around us

Dancing in the breeze

— Colin O’Neal

———–

Happy holidays

to good and generous kids

all around the world

— Demarko Bobo

————

frosty flakes falling

flakes falling to the white ground

flakes falling freely

— Alicia R Smith

————-

Frosty the Snowman

was made up of snow but he

had a heart of gold

— Jacob Warren

————–

Winter days are fun

I am getting a new hat

I am so happy

— Artem Borisevich

————–

Snowflakes fill the world

It is happy Christmastime

It is winter now

— Wyatt Ohse

———-

Presents fill the tree

for the children that are good

Happy Holidays!

— Vladik Buglak

————

I got many gifts

My favorite was my Xbox

I was so surprised!

— Chase Bessette

————

Fire crackling soft,

Christmas tree glowing brightly,

Family close and near!

— Sage Magee

————-

Frosty the Snowman,

His legend ’twas of heard,

Too bad he cannot speak

— Noah Nunn

————–

Lights on every tree,

like a million colored stars,

shout “Merry Christmas!”

No jingle bells, no

sleigh rides or coasting downhill

Oh, where is the snow?

The cards are all sent,

boxes wrapped and cookies baked

Now Christmas can come!

Come Christmas Eve night

I’ll be searching for that star

singing in my heart

— Sarah Ashley Posch

———–

The snow is falling

The family gathers ’round

It is Christmas Eve

— Jordan Swartzendruber

————–

Dazzling Snowfall

White sheet of sweet snow

Falling down fast through the air

Beautiful night sky

— Rosie Schaumburg

—————————–

Snow

Snow falling lightly,

Freezing rain, sleet, and lightning

Send shivers down you

— John McCain

—————————–

Winter Haiku

Snow is falling fast

Jackets are being put on

Hot cocoa is made

— Karah Corpening

—————————–

Holiday Cheer

Snowballs have been thrown

Boots are laced, jackets are zipped

Kids play happily

— Karah Corpening

—————————–

Winter Fun

My winter fun is

Sledding down the snowy hills

As fast as can be

— Lexi Adams

—————————–

Winter Haiku

Drinking hot cocoa

Holiday season is here

Snow is falling fast

— Madeline Caywood

———–

Rememberance

Rejoice Christ’s Birthday

Thus peace, love, and joy shall live

Feliz Navidad

— Kathy M. Carrell

————-

Amaryllis blooms

Translucent in the sunlight

Winter is delayed

— Ruth Gennrich

————-

Loving Christmas

I like getting gifts

A cup of cocoa is good

Gingerbread is good

— Maggie Carver

—–

Christmas Lights

Pretty Christmas lights

Purple, red, green, blue, white, brown

Put them on a tree

— Adrianne Brown

—–

Go Santa Go!

Santa and his sleigh

Giving joy for all the kids

Reindeer are dancing

— Sidney Davis

——-

Christmas

Christmas is coming

Jolly elves are making toys

Christmas is fun joy

— Darian Eddy

——-

Santa’s Elves

Elves are working hard

Getting ready for Christmas

Making lots of toys

— Bjorn Funk

——-

It’s Christmas

Santa is coming

To fill all of our stockings

I left him cookies

— Abby Hale

——-

Christmas

We love snow angels

You know Comet and Cupid

We all know Santa

— James Harris

——-

Winter

I don’t like eggnog

Ice is very slippery

White snow is great fun

— Keeran Jones

——-

Reindeer

At night on Christmas

The reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh

To deliver toys

— Coy Leming

——-

Christmas

Santa Claus is nice

Mrs. Claus is beautiful

Reindeer are so cute

— Heidi Womack

——-

Holidays

Sledding down the hill

Snowflakes are falling off trees

Building snowmen now

— Dylan Kurtz

——-

Ice Skating

I like ice skating

Ice skating on ponds is fun

I like sledding too

— Connor Nichols

——-

Christmas Eve

I like winter days

Mommy Daddy bake cookies

On Christmas Eve night

— Elora Paslay

——-

Christmas

Do you like Comet?

Comet is my favorite

I like presents too

— Dustin Rhoades

——-

Holidays

Holidays are fun

Cookies are good on cold days

The North Pole is cool

— Breannna Sawyer

——-

Christmas

I hear bells ringing

There are people caroling

Santa will bring toys

— Joelle Schiffelbein

——-

Gingerbreadmen

When you are asleep

Gingerbreadmen come to life

Running the town

— Joshua Schmidt

——-

Eggnog

Do you like eggnog?

I love the eggnog I drink

Eggnog tastes so good

— Will Schrader

——-

Christmas

I like snowball fights

I like to make a snowman

I sing Jingle Bells

— Jordan Sumner

——-

Evergreen

Evergreen, blue spruce

Ice is all over the ground

By the fireplace

— Colin Korth

——-

Christmas

I enjoy sledding

I like to go ice skating

Christmas trees are cool

— Kris Sprengeler

——-

Kids tucked in their beds

Sugarplums dance in their heads

As bright as new snow

— Sarah Whipple

———-

Jeweled stars aloft

Celebrate with joyful song

Harmony to all

— Karen Healy

———-

In her white bathrobe,

Mother drinks too much eggnog,

Comes on to Santa

— Justin Cox

————-

Soft snowflakes cover

land with a blanket of white,

let’s all hope it stays

Christmas carols sing

from radios playing soft

relaxing music

— Alexandra Wilke

——–

Family and friends

Celebrating the season

Hearts reach out and touch

Marshmallowy white

Snowflakes drift lazily down

They melt on my tongue

Haiku I love you

No rhyme and no metered time

Oops I goofed it up

— Betty J. Mole

————-

Lights, oh so bright lights

A little bit of Vegas

Right here on my street

Anticipation

The children can hardly wait

Soon Santa will come

Crisply folded ends

Landscape of dancing snowflakes

Ribbon curlicues

An oven still warm

Cookies drizzled with icing

Tastes good with cocoa

— Kathy Luckman

———

Even on gray days

your eyes are brighter and shine

Christmas becomes you

— Jill Jevens

———-

The other side

Homeless holidays

Forgotten humanity

Christmas on tenth street

— Lee Carlson

———

Advent

Wisdom’s wistful words

On eve of Christmas merry

Hope, joy, peace, and love

Snowfall

Softly shimmering

Sparkles silently shower

Sweet serenity

Peace

Pause to ponder peace

Not war Christian Muslim Jew

Love one another

— Trilla Lyerla

————-

Snow outside sparkles

I like to play in winter

My white window glows

— Cheyenne Heffner

—-

Very cold winter

I skate on a frozen pond

I fell on the ice

— Allison Oakes-Versola

——–

Ice skating is fun

Audience is behind me

They are yelling, “Whew!”

— Megan Cassels

———

Children snip snowflakes

Cutting paper symmetry

Delicate surprise

— Rita Beyer

———-

Wide-eyed child gazes

Heavenly star of the East

Shines brightest of all

— Joann Wiley

———

Christmas time is here

Time for turkey, time for cheer

Lots of presents here

— Taeana Fate Carlton

———

After thunderstorm

On tip of each pine needle

Raindrop Christmas light

New toys abandoned:

The child looks out the window

Only wanting snow

— Brian J Daldorph

———–

Snowflakes falling cold

Writing a winter haiku

Hot chocolate in hand

Twinkling lights at night

North star shining so bright

So guiding our way

Christmas night tonight

Just everything feels alright

Praying on this night

Sledding down a hill

Through winter’s mighty ice chill

Come home through the storm

— Sage Magee

——-

The Snow Falls Every Day

On your Christmas tree

Your star will glow very bright

As the snow falls slow

— Prerona Kundu and Natalie Longhurst

———

A golden star glows

Candy canes dancing around

On the green tree.

— Katelyn Oury

———

Kids eat much candy

Seeking holiday haiku

Santa comes tonight

— Eli Mc Cleary

———

Visiting people

Sledding is very cold, then

Cookies are yummy

— Hannah Malloy

———

The dog has to go

To the bathroom, but don’t eat

The yellow snow

— Morgan McReynolds

———

Red ribbons on trees

Ornaments on the trees too

And cool candy canes

— Maggie O’Connor

———

Christmas cookies bake

Ornaments are blue and green

Green and red fireworks

— Jordan Patrick

———

Christmas is happy

And very very joyful

You get lots of gifts

— Prerona Kundu

——-

Rest, sweet baby, rest

Too soon, the Cross and Rising

Dream a holy dream

Into blinding light,

You push toward Earth and Star,

Angel in your veins

Soldiers dream dark dreams.

Where are all the wise men now?

Where is peace on earth?

Sled under white stars

And let the wind transport you

To Eden on Earth

Midnight bells peal joy.

Candles whisper Man’s old tale:

Birth was more than birth

Snow shrouds the red barn

And turns silent the creek-song

Nothing known remains

Doubters all agree

It’s not a perfect story

But it’s still the best

The mob of cattle,

Seeking spring-song and frog-joy

Pokes the pond’s iced fringe

Ice rattles in firs

Blown stars scatter and shatter

Against the cold, blue moon

— Joy Clumsky

————

Christmas Eve

Tree lights are sparkling

Stockings hanging in a row

Christmas comes tonight

Winter

Sno-Bedewed cedars

Barn shingled in frost and rime

Invisible Quiet

— Virginia L. Harris

—–

White fluffy stuff falls

Winter is herre, snow comes here

Hot chocolate, reindeers

— Matt Wade

Chestnuts are roasting

Children are playing outside

And it is Christmas

— Chase Thompson

The first soft snowfall

Fluffy white flakes drift slowly

Across the gray sky

— Laurel Nagengast

Where is the snowman

Christmas is coming and he

Has still not arrived

— Kelsey Broadwell

A fashion mishap

Icy water seeping in

Sledding in blue jeans

— Meredith Burke

Christmas time is here

Better to give than receive

It is Christmas Eve

— Steve Cowser

The snow is falling

It is getting very cold

So get covered up

— Aaron Gile

Wow I have goosebumps

Chills are running all through me

It is cold outside

— Billy Chanthalangsy

Sitting by the fire

Listen to the crackling wood

Watch the red flames dance

— Mia Phillips

Sitting by the fire

Watching snowflakes fall outside

Winter is here again

— Kylee Carter

It’s now past summer

So it’s getting to be cold

So wear a coat now

— Nick Taylor

I made a snowman

Hope that my snowman is there

In the morning time

— Kim Miller

Cutting down the tree

Decorate it with bright lights

Shining evergreeen

— Kirstyn Heine

Sneaking out of bed

To spy on the man who loves

Your milk and cookies

— Brittany Ray

Around the Christmas

Tree sits the anxious children

Waiting for some fun

— Alia Bermudez

Christmas tree shining

For everyone to see it

All the Christmas joy

— Trenton Sheppard

Snowflakes are tumbling

Winter comes in deep, thick sheets

Like an iced blanket

— Amanda Welcher

The trees are bare now

Dancing in the wind with the

Smell of snow nearby

— Sarah Miller

Flurries go downward

Touch the cold blades of grass and

Melt from existence

— Maddy Bailey

Winter is coming

And sweet relaxing moments

Bring romance to mind

— Breonna Emery

Ripping the presents

My hopes were unwrapping fast

And next a big smile

— Sarah Wright

The gifts are waiting

Beckoning to be opened

Wrapped in red and green

— Riley King

Winter is coming

Boyfriend Nic Pryor

Love is in the air

— Ashton Isaacs

Skiing down mountains

Jumping as high as I can

Weaving the moguls

— Nick Lutz