The Renku Sessions: Side Show – Week 21 (last verse of the nijuin renku)
Greetings, Everyone—
What a journey we’ve taken—May 16th when we started seems a long ways away. We started at a carnival under the harvest moon, and with an inuksuk pointing the way and the strains of 2001 Space Odyssey in our ears, we have danced and Vespaed through heat and coolness, been visited by the paranormal, survived love in a harem and the physical devastation of toppling mountains, time traveled, and stood still to receive the gift of a baby doll, and now smelling the blossoms, we are approaching the final episode of our saga. How will it end? Let’s see what our community of writers has brought us; here’s the long list of possibilities:
each soap bubble floats
into its own tomorrow
in a drift of soap bubbles
all the colours of our dreams
Lorin Ford
*
seeds gently laid in
the spring garden bed
Eavonka Ettinger
*
soap bubbles
through soap bubbles
just a faraway soap bubble
morning star
carefully sown
the mystery seeds
the mystery seeds
sown with extra glee
we toast the (spring) breeze
with pink champagne
eager eager eager
the swing’s creak!
the spring tide brings (in)
a faint rainbow
Orense Nicod
*
precious mem’ries of my parents
always bloom in spring
Dan MacDonald
*
kites cover the tiles
on grandpa’s roof
Dan Campbell
*
the sound of the seeds still jumps
in the paper packet
the frisbee spin
of freed graduation caps
graduation gowns billow
with high spirits
pollen rests in the weave
of freshly laundered curtains
Laurie Greer
*
gentle spring rain
awakens the earth
canopies and gazebos
abuzz with pollen
spring forward and
rejoice!
Diana Ming Jeong
*
rabbit ears
gently pop through
she chases
dandelion puffs
taking the training wheels
off
fairies
delightfully dash to the spring renku party!
lady bugs bouncing
at the garden party
learning the crawl
miss swimleys spring swim schedule
madeleine Kavanagh
*
high in a balloon
the curve of our land
from our balloon
the broad sweep of land
the swing rises
into a blue, spring sky
the evening spring sky
a light show of color
spring rain awakens
the forest path
the herbs they collect
brewed in a tea that heals
spring dawn ripples
through my garden
soap bubbles
soap bubbles everywhere
with neighbors we mend
our broken fences each spring
we drink tea on a spring night
with Sisters of Mercy
nestled snug in our dreams
we point at spring stars
beyond our blue, spring skies
worlds for new magellan’s
we downsize in a thorough
spring cleaning
the April spring fool
clown hat on my head
spilled across a velvet sky,
we reach for those spring stars
families set out welcome
mats in the spring evening
on a starry, spring night
the watch cries out, “All is well.”
an agreement to end
strife with this spring dawn
mortarboards tossed high
at spring graduation
spring clouds in a blue sky
race above our heads
we listen to frogs
in the spring night
at low spring tide
we comb the beach
stars spill across the sky
on a spring night
John Daleiden
*
seed packets line a shelf
above the kitchen sink
Richard Straw
*
spring cleaning
candyfloss webs
John Hawkhead
*
sweet nothings
in a spring breeze
Pamela Garry
*
spring and all things
being yin and yang
Michael Henry Lee
*
a cluster of soap bubbles
soars above the clouds
this tranquil gathering
inspires the novice
Carol Jones
*
dandelion wine
at the spring bacchanal
they pick dandelions
for spring wine
butterflies chased
by a spring zephyr
Nancy Brady
*
stratospheric balloon
releases its sulphur salve
windmill welcomes the rain
with the wave of a sail
faery queen blesses
every seed she sees
Rob Barkan
*
lambs skip
around their mothers
Tracy Davidson
*
spring surprises
the kind we plant in each other
first to come & last
to leave the spring soirée
in a brook’s spring rainbow
the colour gurgle
Wendy C. Bialek
*
in each mail box
the new seed catalog
Curt Linderman
*
10,000 ripples of 10,000 minnows
bless the warming river
in a whisper of mist
a sprite invites us to follow her
Jonathon Alderfer
*
a walk in the park
the robin sings
Christopher Hicks
*
spoon-pilot delivering
a slice of timeless joy
Sandra St-Laurent
*
a bumblebee
hums gently in the garden
sowing seeds
full of hope and expectation
a feather floats to earth
from nest building birds
the plop and splash
of mating frogs
the comforting smell
of hot cross buns
that new growth smell
after rain
they erect a cross
high on the chevin
entangled ribbons
around the maypole
Melissa Dennison
*
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
pure spring water
either side of the path
Harrison Lightwater
****
I found these eleven possible endings to be the most promising:
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
seeds gently laid in
the spring garden bed
Eavonka Ettinger
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
eager eager eager
the swing’s creak!
Orense Nicod
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
precious mem’ries of my parents
always bloom in spring
Dan MacDonald
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
canopies and gazebos
abuzz with pollen
Diana Ming Jeong
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
spring cleaning
candyfloss webs
John Hawkhead
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
spring and all things
being yin and yang
Michael Henry Lee
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
dandelion wine
at the spring bacchanal
Nancy Brady
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
in each mail box
the new seed catalog
Curt Linderman
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
a walk in the park
the robin sings
Christopher Hicks
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
spoon-pilot delivering
a slice of timeless joy
Sandra St-Laurent
*
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
Harrison Lightwater
*****
From these, I chose these five finalists:
seeds gently laid in
the spring garden bed
Eavonka Ettinger
*
eager eager eager
the swing’s creak!
Orense Nicod
*
canopies and gazebos
abuzz with pollen
Diana Ming Jeong
*
dandelion wine
at the spring bacchanal
Nancy Brady
*
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
Harrison Lightwater
Any of these five would make a fine ending to our renku. I finally chose Harrison’s quiet verse as the ending. The way it reads following Richard’s verse has a beautiful rhythm and gives a moving sense of closure with the promise of meeting again. And so, our final verse is:
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
Harrison Lightwater
And our renku is:
Side Show
the moon joins
a juggler’s side show
harvest festival
Wendy C. Bialek
a swirl of moths
orbits the yellow lamplight
Jonathan Alderfer
drifting leaves
pile up at the lock gates
on the old canal
Andrew Shimield
an inuksuk points the way
to the next adventure
Carol Jones
Earthrise
to the tune of Strauss’s ‘Thus
spake Zarathustra’
Lorin Ford
may I have this dance
for the rest of my life?
John Daleiden
I swing onto
his Vespa
fully committed
Clysta Seney
letting off a stowaway
in the middle of the heat
Laurie Greer
the cool
of the house
at the back of her mind
madeleine Kavanagh
unidentifiable
vibrations
Pamela Garry
the dog’s ears
prick up
before the doorbell
Keith Evetts
death
is listening
Barbara Anna Gaiardoni
love bound
in the hereafter
of 1001 nights
Betty Shropshire
gracias mi amor
for melting my frozen heart
Dan Campbell
cold moon
indifferent
as mountains topple
Rob Barkan
in the time machine
we chart a different course
Melissa Dennison
still a blow-in
even after
thirty years
Marion Clarke
the stork brings a baby doll
in Amazon packaging
Tracy Davidson
as soft as
a child’s breath the scent
of blossoms
Richard Straw
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
Harrison Lightwater
I thank you all for your submissions and for your participation. It has been my great pleasure to read your work every week and I hope that you have enjoyed our collaboration. I wish you good writing in the coming year—and may your renku-writing community prosper.
Thank you, Robin, for your assistance as we bring this renku to a close. I know we all wish John well and hope that his recovery comes soon.
—Patricia
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
Comments (57)
Comments are closed.
Many thanks to Patricia for leading us through this renku.
And to all who contributed to it over all these weeks.
thanks and appreciation for the extra jobs taken on by THF’s jim, mr. russo, and robin!
my wishes for john to mend well and come back to renku sessions soon.
looking forward to the next renku sessions.
Congratulations!!
Beautiful.., your work, Harrison
See you again for all of us
❤️❤️
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
Harrison Lightwater
What an excellent final verse, congratulations Harrison!
Patricia your guidance and insights were so essential to the success of Side Show. It’s been a great pleasure for me to play a small part in it these past twenty weeks.
John, wishing you the very best in your recovery. Holding you in the light.
Thanks to THF and everyone who helped to make this journey possible, especially Robin and Jim.
“polite vows to meet again”
Jonathan
Congratulations Harrison! This is a fine verse for the ageku, and everything that an ageku should be:
.
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
.
Harrison Lightwater
.
I would like it even more if we didn’t already have the theme of “vows” implicit in a couple of previous verses:
.
may I have this dance
for the rest of my life?
.
John Daleiden
.
I swing onto
his Vespa
fully committed
.
Clysta Seney
.
.
“May I have this dance for the rest of my life?”
.
This line directly implies a commitment to a lifelong partnership. It’s a common metaphor used in wedding vows, symbolizing a shared journey together.
.
“I swing onto his Vespa fully committed”
.
The image of “swinging onto” suggests a leap of faith, a full commitment to the relationship. The word “fully committed” reinforces this idea.
.
.
What a fun and lively renku! I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s contributions from week to week, and the lively discussions that occasionally result. Many thanks to Patricia for her commentary and patient guidance, and best wishes for John Stevenson’s recovery and return. Hope to “see “ you all at the next renku.
.
Hi princess Hmmmm I think that makes sense…
This is what I come up with.
promises to meet again
float on a spring breeze
Either way it is still a beautiful verse by Harrison. ❤️
hi princess k….
i would like to play devil’s advocate here.
John’s and Clysta’s verses are love verses….
John’s is a question, and although this is sometimes said during a wedding ceremony and included in a couple’s vows…..doesn’t make it a vow, it could be considered a proposal of marriage but it needs to be answered…. and Clysta’s is a verse that appears to answer…John’s question.
Harrison’s verse is the ageku….NOT a love verse, the vows he refers to are agreements or promises made amongst participants of a joint activity, perhaps this renku party, not lovers.
For these reasons, above, it can argued, that no changes need to be made in Harrison’s verse, and there are no repetition occurrences.
may I have this dance
for the rest of my life?
.
John Daleiden
.
I swing onto
his Vespa
fully committed
.
Clysta Seney
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
.
Harrison Lightwater
Wendy,
I feel it is redundant to say polite vows as I know no other vows. What would the word be for vows of malice? That is why I think maybe “promises” is a simpler word to use rather than “polite vows”. Or maybe just take out “polite”. The nature of the verse is already positive from “float on a spring breeze”.
My two cents.
-Diana
diana,
my response to pk was only concerning the theme of “vows”, (which is what i believe is the issue she is posting about)
we, (pk and myself) have not mentioned anything about “polite”.
what i hear you saying is that you want to change two words
in Harrison’s ageku. polite and vows….to read promises.
Now, that is a whole new issue.
Perhaps, you may want to address that with Patricia.
To me, i agree with Keith, “polite” makes this verse so special!
It is its strength.
btw: ‘promises’ also means ‘vows’, so that wouldn’t have solved
pk’s request…. to limit the same theme verses.
re: diana
“I feel it is redundant to say polite vows as I know no other vows. What would the word be for vows of malice?” diana
Someone could say if they were negatively motivated:
“I vow to get even with him” or “I promise to get even with him”
as i see it, there are nice vows and not nice vows.
Hi Wendy,
I was just making a suggestion to princess k per her comment. No need for a change. It’s nice to leave it as is!
diana,
i just googled, ‘polite vows’….this is the first thing that came up:
…………………………………………………
AI Overview
Learn more…
Here are some examples of polite wedding vows:
Declaration of love
Start by expressing your love for your partner and how they make you feel. You can say who your partner is to you, such as your best friend, lover, or everything.
Thanks Patricia for the extraordinary amount of work assessing & sorting 100+ verses every week ; and to fellow rengistas for always lively verses & comments. Each Thursday was a was a welcome occasion for linking practice. The last verse exemplifies the oblique delicacy of many of the chosen links : still idyllic. humorous, and yet a return to the everyday.
Here’s eager & hoping for our next.
Wow—I can’t believe we began in May! Side Show is such a fine poem, and much deserving of a place in the renku archives. Well done, Harrison, on your delightful closing verse.
Thank you so much Patricia, it’s been an absolute pleasure reading your commentary—also thanks to Jim and Robin for stepping in to make sure our renku could continue.
Thanks to all participants: even though I didn’t make it here every week, it was fun reading your verses afterwards.
Finally, dear John, I hope that your sight is recovering well and will be back to full health soon.
Thank you so much Patricia. You made this a delightfully inclusive renku experience.
Thanks to all who participated. Until next time Peace Love and Light
Hi Michael,
so glad to hear you post…and know you are able to connect/ after storm ”Hell’ene. Stay well. and safe….for our next renku party!
Ah so it is indeed the ageku, I saw opening sequence somewhere so I was holding out hope this might be the last verse of the opening sequence.
Thank you Patricia for including my contribution in your selection, a truly wonderful collection of verses. Congratulations Harrison for the addition of your lovely verse, a fitting end to this renku.
I stumbled into the party late but very much enjoyed the process. May I ask how regular an occurrence these renku sessions are as I’d hate to miss the fun next time? :)
ORENSE
at this point, with John Stevenson, with the uncertainty of his time to heal, there is no telling. Like you, and plenty other members, we may need to watch for announcements on THF site to hear when the next renku will be starting up and who will be sabaki-ing it.
So glad you joined, see you at the next one! Have a good-day!
Thank you Wendy for answering my questions. I shall be on the lookout:)
Orence,
I see this morning (AEST) that my response to your question has been deleted without any explanation to me by email, and a shorter response by Wendy C, Bialek has been posted in its place.
This is a first for me (having a comment deleted, in all these years) and I’m surprised because I believe I wrote nothing that wouldn’t be helpful. Perhaps, in someone’s view, my inclusion of the url to THF’s Renku Archives was out of place? Perhaps I rambled on a bit?
Never mind. Wendy C. Bialek has the gist of it:
“. . .we may need to watch for announcements on THF site to hear when the next renku will be starting up and who will be sabaki-ing it.”
We will need to wait for news of any upcoming THF renku, as has always been the case.
Thank you Lorin for your helpful answer, sometimes things can be boiled down to the mysteries of the internet:) I understand there is no precise date to point to for the next renku especially since John who I am assuming is an important figure (the regular sabaki?) is ill. But I was also wondering at what was the usual frequency for these renku. One a year, two a year, or maybe several almost constantly? I suppose it would depend on the kind of renku and if there is only one at a time. As I’m a newcomer I have no notions of what is the norm.:)
Orense,
John Stevenson is a Master sabaki who brought active renku sessions to The Haiku Foundation. (My guess is that Jim Kacian might have invited John to do this… that’s just a guess,. I may be wrong.) John lead the first Renku Sessions and then encouraged and invited others to lead various renku.
Yes, there is/ has been one renku at a time. How often will depend on the availability of a leader / sabaki who is both willing and capable of taking on the role. People such as Patricia, like John, have been involved with renku before agreeing to lead these online renku.
In my experience to date, THF renku are featured one at a time. Do look up the THF Renku Archives, where each completed renku is available. The type of renku and the dates of each beginning and ending are there. For instance, the first of the THF Renku was ‘Tawny Jacket’, lead by John Stevenson:
“A Twelve-Tone Renku led by John Stevenson
Composed on-line at The Haiku Foundation
November 2019 — February 2020 ”
‘Side Show’ will soon take its place in THF Renku Archives, with the relevant dates included.
Yes, I don’t know why I wrote that ‘Tawny Jacket” was the first THF Renku. I had the list in front of me. It was ‘Pilgrim’s Stride’, completed in 2014. That’s 10 years ago! I was one of the participants.
Here is the THF Renku Archive, where you will find all of THF Renku to date:
https://thehaikufoundation.org/the-haiku-foundation-renku-archive/
( “Side Show” will be posted there sometime in the not too distant future.)
Thank you Lorin for being so helpful and kind:)
ORENSE
Just for the record:
this is the first renku (listed in archives) that THF offered…
hosted and lead by J. Stevenson
Pilgrims’ Stride, led by John Stevenson (2014)
Thank you Wendy for your kind help, I’ll go explore:)
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze ——— Harrison Lightwater
Harrison,
such a smooth ageku, a perfect verse that makes the transition to our next renku. i picture people leaving a party and on the way out, sharing
their, “polite vows…..to meet again…those conversations follow them out through the doorway to be greeted by a spring breeze which carries their vows to when they may meet again.
Totally in-line with the pattern requested by Patricia….” I will be looking for a verse that will leaves us smiling as we read it, a verse that carries our feeling of goodwill and gladness that we participated in creating this poem;”
Congratulations! Harrison, so glad you wrote this one and that Patricia has placed it in our renku.
A delightful renku, assured by an expert and patient sabaki. A lot of thorough work, well worthwhile. Once again, I learned a great deal from the extensive and thoughtful commentaries; and also the reactions and interactions of our fellows.
Thanks too to Jim then Robin for standing in for John Stevenson as enablers; and all thoughts for John. I hope the renku sessions will continue: they are so addictive!
And congrats to Harrison! I loved the insertion of “polite” into the final verse. How one little word suggests so much, and not without subtle humour too…
keith, perfectly selected words, you echo my feelings and observations precisely!
Patricia, many thanks for taking on the job of sabaki . . . not an easy one at all, in my view.
I’ve very much liked reading the verses as participants posted them and, subsequently, in your lists, which I found to be quite an educational study.
Thanks also for tweaking my ‘Earthrise’ verse so that it read more smoothly.
I’m happy that ‘ Side Show’ will soon take its place in The Haiku Foundation’s Renku archives for us to re-read when we wish to and for all who come later.
—
I’m looking forward to hearing /reading that John Stevenson’s recovery is progressing well.
https://thehaikufoundation.org/the-haiku-foundation-renku-archive/
Congratulations, Harrison, on an outstanding concluding verse for our renku!
Thank you so much, Patricia, for your long, short, and top lists which taught me so much about your process and how to make better renku verses. I was honored every time I appeared there.
So much gratitude to Jim and Robin for stepping in to ensure this renku continued.
My heartfelt wishes for John’s healing and hopefully, return.
Lastly, but most importantly, my absolute joy at reading the verses from all the talented poets who participated and helped create this wonderful renku.
I can’t say it any better than Eavonka did, so I echo her post, adding another congrats to Harrison
echo 2 !
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze
Harrison Lightwater
a totally fitting beautiful coda to
patricia’s magnificent renku.
with gratitude i thank you harrison
for creating a perfect verse to end side show.
another spot on selection from a master sabaki.
kind of you to select my verses for the list patricia.
this has surely been a shared journey to treasure.
thanks for keeping us moving on time
every week, jim and robin.
come back very soon john stevenson.
please patricia after a well-deserved break,
return to lead us again!
ditto!
Much gratitude and very best wishes to one and all for a wonderful Renku experience. Until we meet again!
That’s really beautiful Harrison! Congratulations! This has been a very fun journey and a delightful side show!
Here is my rewrite inspired by your verse….
canopies and gazebos
spring open with laughter and good cheer
Thank you Jim and Robin for helping us while John recovers. I hope you all are doing well!
Thank you Patricia for guiding us along the way. Thank you to all the Renku Faeries here and those who have stepped away. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your verses and all the while learning more to fill my gossamer haiku pouch.
I wish you all the best!
🌝 🌸 🧚♀️
Okay, one more edit 🤗
canopies and gazebos
abuzz with laughter and good cheer
Diana Ming Jeong
Both beautiful, Diana!🥰
diana,
LOL!!!!!!!
still going….like the energizer batteries in the bunny!
Wendy,
HAHA! Yes, I’m still going. I enjoy participating with everyone!
Thankyou, Patricia, Jim and Robin for a memorable renku session, its been a delightful experience.
Wishing John all the very best for the future, and hope to read one day in the near future, he will be recovered to the extent to lead us in another session.
I am surprised and delighted! Thank you, Patricia. I am new to renku, this is memorable. Thank you for your clear guidance all along.
I hope there will be another, and above all that John Stevenson’s sight is preserved. Thank you Jim and Robin for stepping in to keep Side Show running.
polite vows to meet again
float on the spring breeze — Harrison
. . .
Congratulations, Harrison. An excellent ageku with a gentle charm, far from the raucous crowd and well-chosen (in my view) by Patricia.
Congratulations, Harrison! Wonderful ending! Thank you so much, Patricia and a Robin, for making this all happen!
Harrison and Patricia, this is such a splendid verse to end our amazing renku… Thank you Patricia for your wisdom and steady guidance, throughout. Thank you to all for sharing your exquisite poems and wonderful thoughts. Patricia, I hope you will come back for another one…Hope you and everyone has a great rest of the year, see you all again!
Thank you Robin for all your help in keeping our renku going and John, many good wishes towards your recovery.
Thank you Patricia for posting the beautiful long list of possibilities each week…much looked forward to highlights of each week!
Congratulations Harrison. Thanks Patricia for leading and Robin for making this happen. It was fun. I look forward to spending more time here in future.
Harrison, congratulations on your closing verse for the Side Show Renku. Patricia, thank you for your leadership in this renku—it has been a fine 20 week journey. I appreciate your inclusion of a long list of possibilities each week. To Robin Smith a gracious nod for keeping the renku up to date weekly. John Stephenson, may your recovery continue t0 progress.
Thank you renku participants—I have read all of your verses more than once each week. Your offerings have taught me many things about writing renku verses. I know we will meet again in future renku writing.
Congratulations Harrison for your gentle closing touch and thank you Patricia for bringing out our best. It was a pleasure to partipate in the THF’s Side Show renku over twenty plus weeks. A port in a storm. Thanks to all who made it so.
Ps what a marvellous poem!
Yes congratulations. Well what a great renku. Well done everybody. I really enjoyed participating, reading all your verses, adding my contribution. Thankyou so much. Its been great. 😁
Congratulations, Harrison, on a wonderful conclusion to an exciting journey.
Best of health always, John.
Thanks for all of your work behind the scenes, Robin.
And thanks especially to Patricia for guiding us each week from station to station along the way.
Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity, Patricia. I wish you every happiness for the future.
Congratulations to all for reaching the finish line.
Best,
Barbara Anna Gaiardoni
Congratulations, Harrison! I only wish I could be linking to this lovely verse.
Thank you again Patricia, for a spot-on, pitch-perfect choice, and for including me in the long list, with so many fine verses. This has been a wonderful experience. Who knew 20 weeks could pass so quickly!
I enjoyed reading your verse Harrison. Thank you Patricia and I hope you can return again soon to guide us on another renku journey, I looked forward to each week.
Congratulations, Harrison, a lovely gentle verse of memories to take with us as we prepare to part, and those to come. A wonderful choice, Patricia.