New Renku Session: Week 1
Hello, everyone.
I hope that some of you have been missing the renku feature. My apologies for the gap. This is chiefly due to a couple of factors. One is that I have not proven very effective in finding other qualified leaders for the sessions and, thus, have had to wait for my schedule to clear a bit. And the other is the many opportunities that have filled my schedule during the first half of this year. In addition to helping to judge or administer a series of haiku contests, each of which has drawn thousands of entries, I have been busy with theater work. This has, most notably, included my first experience as co-director of a film. “Voices for Peace,” a documentary focusing on local (to Albany, New York) and international peace activists, two of whom have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, premiered last weekend.
Here’s hoping that you are ready to get started again. So, this is a call for you to offer potential hokku (opening verses) for a twelve verse Jûnichô renku. Your verses should feature either a summer (Northern Hemisphere) or winter (Southern Hemisphere) kigo from the list of 500 Essential Season Words on the Renku Home web site. Also from this site, the following guidelines.
Practical Guidelines for the Jûnichô Renku Form
by Seijo Okamoto, Master of the Haikai Sesshin
translated by William J. Higginson and Tadashi Kondô
- A renku must have literary value and a sense of stylishness. This is what Bashô called “timeless and fashionable” (fueki ryûkô).
- A twelve-tone renku consists of twelve stanzas. There is no front or back. One blossom stanza, which may be any flower in any season–it need not be cherry blossoms. One moon stanza, which may be any sort of moon in any season. About two love stanzas, in any position. About half the verses will be seasonal (a pair each for spring and autumn, one each summer and winter), and half non-seasonal, in a flexible order. About half with human focus, the rest on places, animals, plants, and the like.
- Progression and diversity are the essence of renku. Accordingly, a wide variety of things in nature and the world of humans should appear.
Please present your hokku offers in the comments section, below. Offers should be made by midnight, eastern US time, on Monday, June 20. On Thursday, June 23 I will post a selection of the offers, with my comments, and select the verse that will get us started on our next renku journey.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
John Stevenson
The Haiku Foundation reminds you that participation in our offerings assumes respectful and appropriate behavior from all parties. Please see our Code of Conduct policy: https://thehaikufoundation.org/about-thf/policies/#code-of-conduct
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first thunder
above the skyline
a fluster of crows
office wall
a picture of wild iris
where sunlight falls
after months
without attention
the phoenix tree blooms
Congratulations on your film, John!
blue flag irises
wrapped in cellophane–
the shine in her eyes
fragrant breeze
Van Gogh’s blue flags
on the porch banner
cloud peaks…
dangling our feet from the top
of the Ferris wheel
*
short night
stars continue
their dance
south wind . . .
officially approved
Juneteenth
cool sun rising
over blades of grass
wiggling worms
cloud peaks…
making up the song
as we go along
*
cloud peaks
bracing for the heat wave
sure to hit soon
**
green paddy
the coolness of soil
under bare feet
rice planting
the rhythm of a chorus
and birdsong
or
rice planting
the rhythm of a chorus
in the dawn breeze
power outage
a posse of fireflies
escorts me home
I’m really thrilled the renku has begun. Thank you so much for taking it on again, John.
…
red cheeks and bright eyes
mugs of mulled wine and stories
by the fireplace
cooling on the porch
dad doing nothing
for a klondike bar
06.19.2022 by wendy © bialek
to a wonderfully peaceful, laid-back father’s day
a sunflower
greeting dawn with its
one good eye
***
sunflowers
by the outhouse
have brighter blooms
God
like sunflowers
has one good eye
Thank you, John, for bringing us together for a new renku session. I was hoping one would start again soon. And congratulations on your newly completed creative venture.
the thunder calls
neighborhood children
back to their homes
like a movie
they meet in the pool
of a waterfall
workers return
from the fields
in the evening lull
fair and freckled
she spends afternoons
in the shade of a tree
cooling breeze…
wind chimes swing
with a new song
switching clothes
the chameleon sips
a cold brew coffee
06.19.2022 by wendy © bialek
waterfall…
diving into
the bucket list
*
waterfall–
the now or never
of a bucket list
*
slap and whine–
delivered
from a mosquito
*
evening lull
anchored boats point
every way
straw mats
placed in the time capsule
to outer space
Hope you don’t mind, John, giving this one another twirl around the dance floor, from 2021 but, with a little tweek.
ready to rock
silkworms flex
in their glossy cocoons
charcoal embers
last night’s bbq
and the morning after
It is certainly summer here in Southern California, and across the northern hemisphere, but inspired by the Kigo list.
first snow fall
second coffee for
a snowball fight
premonition
from cold crow’s beak
his fortune ahead
butterbur…
unwrapping the first cool
of a summer night
*
cool nights…
warming up with stories
on the wrap-around porch
*
cool evenings
on the wrap-around porch…
story leads to story
*
lighting fireworks
to spell out
her name
***
falling star
joining
the fireworks
green leaf shade
young cardinals flutter
into the light
fragrant breeze
the undulating flight
of a bluebird
shady side
of the backyard
birdsongs
the cool water
scrubbing the birdbath
with a pine cone
summer-like
long into the day
children’s shouts
cloud peaks
seeing faces
not here
cooling off
beside the sprinkler
with a spritzer
thunderstorm
airing out the garage
for the cats
garden full of roses
he said friendly
Welcome …
open the car door
she says
Good night
short night
barely time
to count the stars
green bamboo blind
the biggest culm saved
for a flute
city river
at the wellspring
waters ran clear
old bush warbler
his song unchanged
by rain
casting all day
without a bite…
but a kingfisher!
fireflies
a congregation
seeks the light
Or:
city river
the clear waters
of the wellspring
Great to have a new renku on the go. Thank you for leading, John! Here are my winter offers for your consideration. Cheers, Marietta
.
pride of place . . .
an exuberance
of white sasanquas
.
market hijinks . . .
one lad says it’s rude
to point with daikon
.
circling the block . . .
a cold crow barely
raises a croak
.
full moon
I am still here
on the same bench
because of the heat
she’s carrying an umbrella
even if small
evening downpour
friends make merry
in the hospitality suite
washday blues
a fragrant breeze
dries the clothes
wild rose petals
in the moonlight . . .
somewhere a nighthawk
this summer
the oriole only sings
in the present tense
a forest thrush is fluting
or is it a river frog . . .
the long road home
class reunion
nobody orders
the fugu soup
.
or
.
class reunion
nobody orders
the blowfish soup
or just ‘reunion’:
reunion
nobody orders
the fugu soup
or
reunion
nobody orders
the blowfish soup
Wonderful. I learned such a lot last year, and I’ve really missed the renku sessions. Thank you, John.
Some shots:
Friday night
how the city sparkles
after rain
plum rain
a street beggar
wants change
fragrant breeze
passing by
the classroom door
summer rain
taking time
to watch a snail
mandarin blossoms
the nodding
white heads
summer solstice —
the blackbird’s alarm
in his garden
the heat!
ivy climbs the wall
all day
or #1 could read:
summer night
how the city sparkles
after rain
if it is judged that ‘rain’ alone is not sufficiently a summer kigo by default.
Yes, Keith, John has stated that the kigo for this renku must come from ‘The 500 Essential Season Words ‘ and he’s given a link to access that kiyose. This keeps us all on the same page so there are no arguments about what qualifies as a season word/ kigo and what doesn’t, as far as this renku goes.
.
“Your verses should feature either a summer (Northern Hemisphere) or winter (Southern Hemisphere) kigo from the list of 500 Essential Season Words on the Renku Home web site. ”
.
Here is the url (same as John’s link, above) http://www.2hweb.net/haikai/renku/500ESWd.html
Yes, Lorin, thanks to last year’s participation I’m aware of that good principle and had studied the saijiki. Among the wetter summer options it gives rainy season, plum rain, midsummer rain, and evening downpour. My question – and the reason for the two options – is whether we have to use the exact very same words or is there some flexibility? For instance, it strikes me that “rains” or “the rains” should be a perfectly adequate kigo within the saijiki to express “rainy season”. And in version #1 of my offering, that Friday “night” and “after rain” together should be entirely compatible with “evening downpour.” But in case it wasn’t, I offered the unambiguous “summer.” What do you think?
Keith,
This is a good question and a complex one. In general practice, and especially when writing a renku framed by a local sense of the seasons (mainly live sessions), I think a degree of leeway makes good sense, so long as the variation on a kigo is readily understood by all participants. But in this world-wide setting I’m going to urge that we stick to what the specified, on-line kigo list offers.
John, Thanks for sharing all the great things you have been involved in.
It’s wonderful to see both you and this new Renku. We all know how much work is involved on your end. It’s much appreciated.
.
I’m going to put all my offerings in one entry here:
.
.
basket after basket
of ripe peaches,
cheeky side up
.
.
wild fluttering
in a dust wallow
. . . summer afternoon
.
.
the delicate tracing
of lace cap hydrangea –
evening comes
.
.
cicada song—
an invitation
to the last dance
.
.
painting the bench
in the garden,
but dreaming of Giverney
.
.
cicada song—
summer shifts
into high gear
.
Nice dactyls in “painting”
My summer just got more complicated! Great to be back on the renku path. Thanks, John.
somewhere
over the rain
the why
summer frost . . .
little is certain
except the tide
no runs, no hits
no errors
only sunlight on grass
What a pleasure to have John and the renku sessions back at THF.
.
.
heat wave
even the octopus
goes barefoot
.
switching clothes
the octopus
all thumbs
.
heat at zenith
the octopus
melts into a pot
.
evening lull
forest bathing
in an octopus pot
.
fresh ink
the octopus
swimming in it
.
octopus, octopus
please don’t while away
in the sitz bath
.
short night
the price of a
fleeting dream
.
.
An excellent sequence, Princess, in my view and it has a perfect end verse. I think it should be published as a whole, somewhere suitable. (I’m not kidding.)
Wow! Thanks for your kind words, Lorin, much appreciated. You’ve made my day!
I agree with Lorin. That being the case, I am reluctant take anything from this group that might disqualify it from publication somewhere else.
Thank you John and I truly appreciate the vote of confidence from both you and Lorin. That said, I have no intention of submitting anything for publication, I simply enjoy the creative and collaborative process of the renku. There’s a lot of great material to choose from for the hokku and I look forward to reading and enjoying everyone’s contributions.
cicada song –
the cool water
of the waterfall
glad you’re back in business John.
summer wind
rolling down the patio
bells from the foxglove
summer meadow . . .
an open picnic basket
and a bottle of wine
snow moon
father builds one
for his blind child
summer grasses
where once stood
the tall empire
cicada shells
a place to store
the unheard cries
06.18.2022 by wendy © bialek
all wintry jackets
back into shelf
close of the year
cloud peaks
from below a new shift
lovers’ arena
confessing
my sins under
the waterfall
. . . first bonito
leaps from the depths
of a star studded calm
– Betty Shropshire
myriad green
the variegated wardrobe
of the ground
06.18.2022 by wendy © bialek
highflyer
crow’s shadow undulates
across the snow
other versions:
smouldering feud
a sonora swift swears
he was only staring
06.18.2022 by wendy © bialek
hot feud
a sonora swift swears
he was only staring
06.18.2022 by wendy © bialek
kindly note:
‘it’ could be a replacement for ‘he’ on all versions of this offering.
spelling correction….it should read…”sonoran” swift
fifty shades-
the ant on the page
it passes slowly
#2 offering
thunder . . .
after the flash
then silence
Hello John, so glad to hear of your activities this year, best to you always.
shadows stretching
along the shady side
of an old shanty
winter fly —
Kerouac’s cat takes
a swipe at it
.
summer feud
a sonora swift swears
he was only staring
06.18.2022 by wendy © bialek
spelling correction: it should read, sonoran swift, and if summer can;t be used by itself, as it is not on the list, then here is a revision:
hot summer feud
a sonoran swift swears
he was only staring
06.18.2022 by wendy © bialek
Love this Lorin.
Love that one, Lorin!
winter fly —
Kerouac’s cat takes
a swipe at it
Thanks, Keith and Princess. This happened before the fly took refuge in the medicine cabinet, of course. 🙂
.
glad the renku’s running again. Thanks, John. and all best in making movies ..☺
rainy season
tarantula beneath a hand
of green bananas
…a hand / of green bananas – great imagery Patrick.
scorching heat
new gathering to pond
slow spill of chill
evening lull
a ho-hum day folds
into a whistle
evening lull
a ho-hum day folds
into a whistle
– Lamart Cooper
.
.
enjoyed this Lamart
Thank you princess k! I appreciate the comment – I also enjoyed your octopus sequence 🙂
Always good to be busy, John, and congratulations on your latest venture.
afternoon rain
guests make their way
to the hospitality marquee
# 2 hokku offering
helping new mom
through the drought
hanging bottles of nectar
06.17.3022 by wendy © bialek
(using ‘drought’ from the summer kigo list)
date correction:
helping new mom
through the drought
hanging bottles of nectar
06.17.2022 by wendy © bialek
butterbur
still a trace of cool
in the rich sunshine
Best wishes to everyone for a great weekend
####
morse code –
the dots and dashes
of fireflies
I’m lonely
say the dots and dashes
of fireflies
luxuriance
leaving no room
for loneliness
06.17.3022 by wendy © bialek
date correction:
luxuriance
leaving no room
for loneliness
06.17.2022 by wendy © bialek
faces upturned
to the evening downpour
to the blue’s melody
– Betty Shropshire
Revising:
faces upturned
to the evening downpour
to a new melody
john s. what a wonderful wave of creative multi-tasking….bravo!.!
so glad we are all reunited for renku.
just curious, john, ….will there be a limit to offerings….this time?
here is my first offering for an arizonian summer hokku:
“wings of a rainbow”
beat on a bladeless fan light
cool father’s day
06.17.3022 by wendy © bialek
(choosing from the summer season kigo list….’cool’)
Wendy, and everyone,
Let’s see how it goes. I haven’t set any limit on the number of offers but I may want to later. Right now, I just want to be sure we get a good start.
John
okey-dokey!
“wings of a rainbow”
beat on a bladeless fan light
cool father’s day
06.17.2022 by wendy © bialek
Great!!! I’m so glad to be participating in another renku John. It’s great to be busy with worthwhile projects. Congratulations
pride parade
appropriating
a rainbow
John, thank you for the hosting. I have been waiting for this renku session.
“Voices of peace”, sounds strong! All the best with it.
My offers for the hokku below:
long wait
in the window
a strawberry full moon
again and again
in my wet courtyard
the wandering moon
airport lounge
the afterglow in handprints
on flight side glass
airport lounge
an afterglow of handprints
reach to the sky
maple leaves
seep into short days –
mulled wine
What a nice surprise to see THF renku open again. Lovely to have you back, John, and congratulations on all your interesting activities.
.
Ah, yes, re 500 ‘Essential Season Words’ , I too have concluded that it’s usually better to have a kiyose for all participants in a open, online renku.
.
1. *cold mums (kangiku, all winter)
cold mums
and cold dads, too, hugging
cold toddlers
.
Greetings from cold Melbourne, where mums are mothers and chryssies are another thing altogether. 🙂
(“dawn crows the scuffle of nomenclature” – Cherie HunterDay, probably my very favourite haiku. )
.
2. *short day (tanjitsu, all winter).
.
short day –
a card game with migrants
from Minnesota
.
(sketch from life, I swear.)
John—thanks so much for hosting. My proposal for the hokku:
evening coolness—
father pops the cork
on a bottle of red
Awed by your endeavors, John!! Thank you for this . . . have missed interacting with everyone.
***
translucent cocoon
daydreaming among
the forgotten toys
– Betty Shropshire
skinny dipping
in the quarry –
her brand new body
watching her
skinny dip in her
brand new body
bamboo leaves…
giving way to the pressure
to tell a new story
*
or do I need to have:
fallen bamboo leaves…
giving way to the pressure
to tell a new story
John, it’s great to learn about your film experience, I will add a link to the film on my Music and Arts for Peace blog, https://harmonicas4peace.wordpress.com/
———————————————-
thunder, then the barn
doors open and a call to cows
chewing on clover
Very exciting to have a new renku! Thanks for taking this on once again, John.
Also looking forward to watching your film–sounds excellent.
Perhaps prompted by that, this offering:
*
waterfall…
advancing the film
frame by frame
**
school sports day
Mum’s and dad’s gather round
the ice cream van
Great to see you back John. Congratulations on your recent co-director.
I’ve been looking forward to another THF renku. If for nothing else, the experience.
summer solstice
the postman brings
good news of the war
.
summer rain
not that much to talk
about these days
.
clear moon
on the glass house
one more tale
.