The Renku Sessions: Timber Smoke – Week 1
Greetings and welcome to The Haiku Foundation’s current Renku Session entitled, ‘Timber Smoke’. I am Marshall Hryciuk of Toronto, Canada and will be leading this session through a 36-link kasen renku.
You could get your English-language saijikis out and use them for inspiration or reference but since I don’t consult any myself, they probably won’t help you to have a link accepted by me. When I specify a season, what i’m looking for is seasonality in the whole link and not a specific ‘indicator’ word. And though my reference for flora, fauna and meteorological elements will be predominantly from the northern hemisphere i’d like maintain this renku as a global outreach including the southern hemisphere as well, so that, e.g., indicating winter by Christmas references or spring by those of Easter will not be accepted.
Ideally, a link should both link and shift with the verse previous to it and to that verse only. I like to think of each new verse as a magic lamp that casts a light back on the previous step conferring an added nuance or meaning to it while also maintaining the energy forward as in a relay run where the baton is placed where the new runner starting up doesn’t have to break stride to grab hold. Thus not every, in fact not even the majority of verses, are meant to be a ‘haiku’ but each is meant to pick up from the previous one and continue in a novel and open-ended way the relay.
The first verse, called the hokku is mine and it is:
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
What i do now as leader is set the specifications for the next verse that must link with that and these are: two lines, summer reference, either outdoors or indoors.
I will not be commenting on each submission. I will choose one of those submitted by noon EDT on a given Tuesday and you will be given that link on the Thursday morning of that week.
Happy linking -Marshall
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nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
— Marshall Hryciuk
another beautiful seaside town
destroyed by wildfire
Hello Marshall,
When I submitted my link, I didn’t realize the deadline “a given Tuesday” was yesterday Tuesday. And then I thought I made it but now I see I missed the Noon EDT deadline.
I’m very sorry. I understand the rules. I do love the plum poem. I have been enjoying this years crop of plums, apricots, and nectarines, and I can take these plums as I read this link.
I am enjoying the Tan Renga sessions. I am looking forward to the 36-link kasen renku!
It’s very nice to connect with everyone here!
Have a nice day!
Diana 🌸
Not “take” but “taste”… ☺️
Dear Marshall :
It seems you will give one, out of all these, as v2. Could you perhaps give a small number, say 3, of highly considered verses , as well?
These, along with the specification for the 3rd verse, might give us a a fuller idea of your criteria : examples being more useful than an abstract statement.
Thanks for a hokku with plenty of meat in it.
oak saplings overtake
irises on the hill
another version, less aggressive and removing any ref. and conflict with a coming moon verse….thanks to the reminders from Marshall!
summer drawings
curl on the fridge door
bumblebees hover over
lupine blossoms
.
bumblebees feast
upon lupine nectar
.
a hummingbird visits
each canna lily
heat haze shimmers
all round
Welcome, Marshall, and thank you for taking on this new session.
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
-Marshall Hryciuk
raspberry pie
cools on the sideboard
a volunteer sunflower
bends in the breeze
browned grass
prickles our bare feet
a frantic bird slams
into the window glass
a wicker chair rocking
outside on the porch
turning the car
for a quick getaway
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
— Marshall Hryciuk
her ashes stashed
along camping gear
~~~
rows of military beds
on the pickleball court
~~~
a soft mist inhaler (or asthma pump)
delivered by bike
~~
another ultimate chocolate cookies recipe
missed
~~
grandma’s new scooter
at the lemonade stand
~~~
Some of these are delightful two-liners, Sandra, but not quite what i’m inclined to include.
But, and this is to everyone who so generously offered their verses
my choosing doesn’t close til noon tomorrow EDT,
and even though i’ve asked Alfred booth if i could modify his verse
there is still time to contribute something new
and thanks for all the warm greetings -Marshall
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
runners beating the heat
but feeling the burn
in the evening breeze
smell of pittosporum
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +
from the compost pile
warm smell of cut grass
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
.
we detour around
a field of thistles
.
the long days
and short nights of war
.
ferns bend in the wind
whispering secrets
.
everyone tells lies
to the summer moon
dogs bark at mountainside glow
their names whisked away by the wind
dogs bark at mountainside glow
their names lost in the wind
welcome Marshall and thank you for guiding all of us.
a scented candle flickers
after the power cut
***
tucking ice cubes
inside of each other’s…
***
the shimmering heels
beneath the burqa
***
nude ice candies
stand by the beach
***
barbecue and tea
at the meadow turned cricket-pitch
***
a rose-tinted bedspread
covers the fractured knee
luckily the rain arrives
even if it is warm
++++
a refreshing wind
passes through the doors
++++
grandfather on the steps
coughs weakly
s’mores passed round
as a distant wolf calls
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
a splooting squirrel
tumbles from his drey
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
evoking memories
ancestors guidance
grandma’s laugh
home made apple sauce
pumpkins ripen
reminds me of balls of wool
a cup of coffee
steam curling
gathering moths
bump-bump the flyscreen
***
the airconditioner’s
discomfiting buzz
***
lumberjacks singing
up the lazy river
***
the slow enso
of the ceiling fan
s’mores passed round
as we watch the fireworks
sometimes we always blame
universe
the first to be saved was
children
i know you are confused
like me
feeling chest tight
problem increases
a burnt leaf falls
into the pool
beachgoers help
find a contact
cut watermelon
straight from the fridge
sliced peaches
floating in a Jell-O mold
climate change deniers
quiet in this heat
she loses her diamond
in the sand
My name was off there lol
Alexa can you hear
the ocean in seashells
she wears a kimono
from her youth
the distant sound
of thunder at sunset
love the first one
So do I
the chook pen full
of molted feathers
dandelions drift
at crack of dawn
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
chrysanthemums shining
from the mantel
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
robins bobbing
in time for grubs
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
windows fly open
autumn sun streaming
…
ravel on mom’s radio
even the teenagers stop
…
puppy dances down the hall
stopping to do a “sun” stretch
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
shouts erupting as a hydrant
goes geyser
*
a kettle lake boils
the summer away
*
correction, make that:
a kettle pond boils
the summer away
*
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
Farenheit 451
left at the beach
*
sparrows cooling off
after a dust bath
*
blue haze from here
to the sunlit mountains
***
old-timers’ stories
stretch out the long day
***
Stravinsky’s firebird
in the lingering light
***
sun-dried saltfish
on a pitch pine pole
***
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
—Marshall Hryciuk
—
a garter snake sunning
under the firehose
a car alarm
on the balmy breeze
the shimmering black
tarmac road through the forest
butterflies all heading
in the same direction
the jeep hot enough
to fry bacon
donning sunbleached denims
and a white hard hat
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
a host of baby animals
come two by two
assessing the damage
in the evening’s calm
premature the death
of our century plant
the runner left stranded
between third base and home
petrichor rises
from the scorched earth
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
the space invader moves
bees to a new home
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
.
radios tuned
to fire service reports
bat clouds exit the attic
uplifting blow-balls
leafcutter ants foraging
on through the night
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
inside the guest room stops
the sound of a rocking chair
what do the firemen
around my summer house
buzzing of mosquitoes
breaks the silence
monsoon mist permeates
through the evergreen forest
a swarm of bats
exit the attic
Oops! Should be:
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
a swarm of bats
exists the attic
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
drifting off to the sound
of the boat’s creaking cedar
beach-combing
in aviator sunglasses
blueberry pancakes
savoured on the deck
all the grandchildren
dogpaddle ashore
beach-combing
in aviator sunglasses
blueberry pancakes
savoured on the deck
all the grandchildren
dogpaddle ashore
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
pool splashes echoing
the crackle of flames
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
ghost stories still warm
from the campfire
Welcome Marshall! Thirty-six+ weeks is quite a commitment – looking forward to learning from you and the renku participants.
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
.
.
fireflies wink
at a distance
.
downwind
the bats are feasting
.
a thin dew
beads the lawn
.
the family dog turns
three times under the awning
.
a tin of cubans
kicks off the short night
.
in the store window
citronella candles
the sun-capped boy
chokes on his burger
the screams of tree frogs
in search of water
the sunset glow
that isn’t sunset
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
one by one
I pick up ripe plums
**
butterfly wings
different inside and out
**
a pilgrimage
to the mountain stream
**
titmice flit
to and from the fig tree
**
Hi, Alfred, i quite like the mood and pace of this but the word, ‘ripe’ seems over-aggessive
Could we change your link to: one by one
I pick plums off of the ground
-Marshall
Hello Marshall,
This is my second response today. The site seems to have treated my first as if I were a robot and I do not see it.
Yes, by all means drop the adjective “ripe” if it flies better with your intent.
I hope this one gets published.
Thank you,
Alfred
Great, i’ll use yours with the second line, “I pick plums off of the ground”
Very glad your response came through
cheers -Marshall
Marshall,
I’m honored. Thank you.
Alfred
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
the urgency of nebulizer
for half a second
the tilt of a wedding basket
in the corner shelf
the curtains open
to a turmeric sky
summer envelopes carry
sticky seashells
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
a rumble of thunder
from far away
my last offering should have read
the last day of school
comes a full week early.
Wow what a great start !!11
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
the boys of summer
try calling home
spitting out seeds from
a seedless melon
the last day of school
a full week early
home made jams
laughter echoes on the breeze
sudden unease
at the absence of midges
the whicker of a foal
with nostrils flared
the beaver dam breached
by the first freshet
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
– Marshall Hryciuk
cake stall bakes
the dust of powdered sugar
cries of children and gulls
at a red kite rising
Or …
cries of gulls and children
rising with a red kite
the sand on Juhu beach
still warm at midnight
Hi again, Marshall!
whipped up by a fresh breeze
spindrift cools sunburnt cheeks
bees deposit pollen
to the hive
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
–Marshall Hryciuk
toasting marshmallows
to make s’mores
.
awakening to the scent
of skunk in our campsite
.
braiding sweetgrass
into place mats and bowls
.
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
the swifts calls at twilight*
fading away
*Correcting typo from previous message, sorry
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
the swifts calls at wilight
fading away
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
eels intermingling
in the hawker’s bucket
Hi Marshall, hope you are doing great. Many lovely choices here. Hopefully here are a few more good options for you 🙂
slowly at first
frogs fill a dusking meadow
worn coneflower bows
as evening’s goldfinch alights
cooling off with a rollie
fire escape
sunset
the horizon a fire eater
*****
gentle breeze carries
the scent of jasmine
*****
a bee buzzes past
today, I don’t mind
*****
tinted windows
reflect summer skies
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
— Marshall Hryciuk
–
drone of cicadas
rising with the sun
seeking shade
behind the driftwood
the first sandcastle
succumbs to the sea
the keeper’s sultry voice
calms the bees
*
rabbits rabbits rabbits
around the campfire
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
— Marshall Hryciuk
deer fleeing through
the crackle of underbrush
the whole family brown
from months of drought
black bears in the shallow end
of the swimming pool
the underbelly
of grass perspiring
hungry cat eating
summer in the grass
sunflower petals
extending daylight
summer scratch drawings
eclipse the fridge
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
a bag of banned books
packed for the beach
*
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
fire devils dancing
through paradise lost
just for a split-second
a frisbee blocks the sun
the last hotdog
on a paper plate
a bottle fly circles above
the potato salad no-one eats
the impatient whine
pool floatie slowly inflates
the men debate again
wood vs. propane
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
sunlight changing shades
in the she-wolf’s eyes
A pleasure to meet you, Marshall.
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
the prize sunflower
takes on a new pose
no stomach for the pig
holding the bright red apple
at the bbq party
a sudden urge to swing
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
looping through branches
a squirrel’s tail
insects buzz
just out of beak’s reach
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
***
flip fops flapping
we aim for the sound of waves
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
kiddie pool a gigglefest
after “ashes ashes”
*
swift nestlings delay
our cleaning of the chimney
a steamy mirror veils
the sunburned face
tasty hot dogs
fresh off the grill
the collapsible bones
of carbon dioxide
Sorry ; that should have been ‘still burning within’
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
today’s encounter
still burning with
the camp fire a memory
of anguished youth
hearing the ring-dove
alight on my finger
Good morning, Marshall:
Best wishes on the new project. Here are a few potentials for verse 2:
what used to be an elm
used to be a thrush
rough-been timbers
cast long shadows
a pitcher of sweet tea
sweats untouched
-Joshua
sleeping child in her arms
with sand between his toes
oops–forgot summer
revising
logging on
for the latest AQI
*
to
sweating over the log in
for the latest AQI
a bee fly –
master of disguise
alights looking for a sip of nectar
Hi Melissa
for the second verse (wakiku) it should be presented with two lines of verse only.
Have a look for a book by John Carley – Renku Reckoner its a good reference book
Thanks! Will do…..
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
*
logging on
for the latest AQI
*
pouring a fresh cup
of iced oolong
*
nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house
— Marshall Hryciuk
—–
a warm sky
the color of rye whiskey
the first tomatoes
slow to redden
a gap in the fence
round the strawberry patch
a hatrack full
of sweaty stetsons
hungry for pork’n’beans
in the patio shade
(or ham’n’eggs)…
lemongrass rooting
in a beer mug glass