The Renku Sessions: Pilgrims' Stride 26
Welcome to The Renku Sessions. Renku is a participatory literary game, following a set of rules that are implemented by the leader of the session. If you would like to learn more about renku go here. And if you would like to see a sample of a complete renku go here.
I’m John Stevenson, and I will serve as your guide for this session, a thirty-six verse (kasen) renku. I have supplied the opening verse (hokku) and each week I will select an additional verse from among those submitted prior to the Tuesday deadline.
Twenty-one poets entered sixty-nine verses in this round. My post will be abbreviated. I’ve been traveling and don’t have the full array of computer resources that I use at home.
While we had several really excellent offers from poets already included, we also had some good offers from others and I will once again be able to introduce a new participant poet. I’ll also use this opportunity to say something about love verses.
While you won’t find love as a topic on our season word list (other than “cats in love”), love verses do have the same kind of forward-only movement as a group of seasonal links. You might ask yourself, “Is this an early, middle, late, or all love image?”. Early might be an initial attraction, middle might present something like a tenth wedding anniversary, late might feature an older couple, and all would be something that is clearly about love without suggesting any particular stage of a relationship. I probably should have thought of telling you this while soliciting the verse you’ve just been writing. Since what I have selected might register as a “late” love verse, it would be best if the next love verse was either “late” or “all” love.
Our twenty-sixth verse comes from Ellen Grace Olinger. Linking through “paper,” this love verse contrasts the soft edges of aged paper to the cutting edge in the preceding link. The used books in this verse may not have been signed by an author or authors, though this thought provides one of the strongly resonant readings. They may have been more recently inscribed with a special message for that special someone. All the same, the image of “used” makes it advisable that we avoid “young love” in our next, and final, love verse.
Here is the verse you must link to:
used books signed
for someone special–Ellen Grace Olinger
The next verse, the twenty-seventh, is the second of two love verses. Here are the formal requirements for verse twenty-seven:
- Non-seasonal “late” or “all” love image (should not include words or phrases from our season word list)
- Written in three lines, without a cut
- Linking with the twenty-sixth verse, and only the twenty-sixth verse
- Shifting widely to a new topic and setting
Add your suggested three-line link below, in the Comments box. You have until midnight EST, Tuesday, September 9, 2014. You may submit as many verses as you like, but please use a new comment box for each one. I will announce my selection for the next link on Thursday, September 11 here on the blog, and provide information and instructions for submitting the next link.
What We’ll Be Looking For — Throughout the Session
There are many schematic outlines for a kasen renku. We will be using one set out by Professor Fukuda in his book Introduction to World-linking Renku. It will not be necessary for you to have a copy of this book since instructions will be offered before each verse is solicited.
It is a good idea for those participating in the composition of a renku to make use of the same list of season words. There are a number of these lists available and I intend no judgment of their relative value. For purposes of this session I am suggesting the use of The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words.
Pilgrims’ Stride to Date
comparing maps
to the mountain pass–
pilgrims’ stride–John Stevenson
a sun-warmed stone bridge
over snowmelt–Billie Wilson
dampened soil
of seed trays
in the glasshouse–Margaret Beverland
grandmother’s silverware
polished every monday–Polona Oblak
a sonata
on the concert Steinway
played to the moon–Lorin Ford
dragonflies hover
by the swaying reeds–Karen Cesar
slight hum
of a drone
in fog–Alice Frampton
the atmosphere
thick with teenage pheromones–Norman Darlington
I stumble
trying to reply
“I plight thee my troth.”–Paul MacNeil
thinking of a red wig
during chemo–Asni Amin
the woodland
of silent stories
and shadow–Alan Summers
he makes a wish
to become real–Marion Clarke
each mirror reflects
only the cool moon
rising–kris moon
freshly-caught fish
sizzles in the pan–Aalix Roake
a wealthy prince
exiled in Nigeria
soliciting my help–Christopher Patchel
sugar plum fairy came
and hit the streets…–Jennifer Sutherland
a milky nimbus
at dusk
beneath the cherry tree–Scott Mason
pulling in spring clouds
with a telephoto lens–Dru Philippou
plain truth
of a skylark’s
song–Stella Pierides
our yoga instructor
tells us to breathe–Priscilla Van Valkenburgh
smoldering dung cakes
burning in the blackened pit
flavors the curry–Betty Shropshire
the family’s grudge
celebrates a century–batsword
first snowfall
covering little by little
all the dirt–Vasile Moldovan
scraping the ice rink
of blood, sweat and tears–Carole MacRury
the sting
of a paper cut
on her tongue–Terri French
used books signed
for someone special–Ellen Grace Olinger
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Dear John and the poets,
This was a first for me. I appreciate your encouragement and am very grateful to all the poets for their verses.
Charles Waugaman (1932 – 2010) was the Editor when I began subscribing to Time Of Singing. In the late 1980s, I stopped at a bookstore after turning in my grades at school. I found Poet’s Market and then this magazine and others.
Charles was one of the first editors to comment on my work and then publish. I remember dancing in the living room when my poems began to find their homes. Charles and I became friends after he retired and moved to Vermont. After his passing, I wanted to read his early books. I found a few used books on Amazon, and he had signed them. Then I continued with wanting to buy used books. The markings from a library, another time and place, all add to the mystery of the books. I love seeing books at thrift stores too. Have enjoyed including poetry with donations, and then I find what I need at the same stores as well.
Grateful to all the editors for their labors of love. It’s hard to express what a lifeline a poetry journal is when life sort of sets you aside for another purpose for a time. When my mother was no longer reading, even the physical presence of books, her New Yorker and New York Times, journals from me, helped her hang on to her identity. That’s really my best work. The art of caregiving. Nothing is perfect, unconditional love.
Thanks again
Many blessings, Ellen
Look forward to all your hard work John, it really is much appreciated.
And thank you Dave Russo for the mammoth task of getting THF blog back online. From what I hear it was one helluva job to do, but you are one helluva person. 🙂
warmest regards to John and Dave, and all who sail with them,
Alan
Glad to be live again! I have not been able to prepare as usual because of the site maintenance and because of high demands on my day job. Please look for Pilgrims’ Stride 27 at 9:00 p.m. eastern US time, approximately nine hours from now. Thank you for your patience.
they blow out
a candle for each decade
of married life
stiff – jointed rockers
with fresh blunts punctuating
“Easy mon easy!”
rockers in tandem
steer the conversation
to the afterlife
singing that old dirge
mourners follow
matching caskets
mourners following
matching caskets
singing that old dirge
we celebrate
our 43rd
over leftovers
used books signed
for someone special
–Ellen Grace Olinger
trading groaners
over their first date
decades ago
surprising her
with his old term
of endearment
looking into empty
eyes as the disease
steals old memories
most days they sit
in silence as the old
memories fade
net of hydropsyche
plastering the wounds
of Christ
-Patrick Sweeney
Slight revision:
Pawnshop one word instead of two
a chipped diamond
nestled inside
the pawnshop ring
his wedding band
overlapping hers
on the antique dresser
this love letter from
the woman prison is by far
the most beautifuly
marking down
her wedding dress
at the garage sale
buffing out
the scratches
on his wedding band
a chipped diamond
nestled inside
the pawn shop ring
a photograph
of our younger selves
laughing in black and white
used books signed
for someone special
–Ellen Grace Olinger
packed away
with mothballs
her mothers wedding dress
pausing in the hallway
to straighten
our wedding picture
the flicker of candles
as we renew
our vows
used books signed
for someone special
–Ellen Grace Olinger
words of love
worn away
inside a wedding ring
sharing a pair
of glasses
to read the menu
the dry leaf
caught in the spent daisies
his bookmark
used books signed
by someone special
the dry leaf
a bookmark
surprising him
used books signed
for someone special
– Ellen Grace Olinger
thinking of taking
a mistress, he trims
his nose hairs too
– Sandra Simpson
used books signed
for someone special
– Ellen Grace Olinger
thinking of taking
a mistress, he colours
his eyebrows too
– Sandra Simpson
used books signed
for someone special
– Ellen Grace Olinger
for the woman who may
become his second wife
a large voddy tonny
– Sandra Simpson
used books signed
for someone special
– Ellen Grace Olinger
handling her scarf
he recalls that his wife
loved yellow
– Sandra Simpson
revising to:
introduction
to Social Media
sells never-too-old
introduction
to Social Media
for never-too-old
always wanting
the bargain store
to be a lotto
used books signed
for someone special
alarmingly
the word “forever”
loses meaning
used books signed
for someone special
on the headstone
only his
first wife’s name
used books signed
for someone special
left wondering
if these lovers
ever met again
used books signed
for someone special
well thumbed, each
steamy page leads
to a romantic climax
his callused hands
intertwined
with mine
used books signed
for someone special
–Ellen Grace Olinger
everyone loved
her Down syndrome baby
except its father
castaways
queue
Walmart
Slight revision:
he gives me a ring
that holds as many diamonds
as we have children
I know it’s a number, but not specified . . .
Haha . . . over 100?
his last letter
beneath
her pillow
in the garden
the old flowering plum
is in love again
his fingertips
along his wife’s
headstone
a double headstone
reveals their story of
two becoming one
corner workbench
where the easy chair
looked out for him
our love letters
in a shoebox
beneath the bed
used books signed
for someone special
–Ellen Grace Olinger
reluctantly
his wife ends
her emotional affair
* From Wiki:
An emotional affair can be defined as:
“A relationship between a person and someone other than (their) spouse (or lover) that has an impact on the level of intimacy, emotional distance and overall dynamic balance in the marriage. The role of an affair is to create emotional distance in the marriage.”[1]
on the divorce certificate
the salt grain
of a tear
his initials
tattooed across
her wrist
I give him golf clubs
for our next adventure
of empty-nesting
nothing left
on the shelf
but ourselves
he gives her a ring
that holds as many diamonds
as they have children
the end of the story
means the most
to him
holding hands
at the christening
of their grandchild
unable
to make porridge
like he did
he notices
a new light
in her eyes
the old memories
dimly remembered as they
left home the last time
used books signed
for someone special
-Ellen Grace Olinger
with one wave
his words of love
washed from the sand
used books signed
for someone special
-Ellen Grace Olinger
in the album
about the silver wedding
godfather is missing
Vasile Moldovan