Renku Sessions

The Renku Sessions: Timber Smoke – Week 15

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Greetings and welcome to The Haiku Foundation’s current Renku Session entitled, ‘Timber Smoke’. I am Marshall Hryciuk of Toronto, Canada and I will be leading this session through a 36-link kasen renku.

 

A beautiful moon verse:

 

evening begins
with a gift of opal
moonlight   

Marion Clarke

 

A whirligig has subsided, a deck, a platform is clear and with “evening begins” we have at once the turning or tipping level between day and night, and by extension the horizon of the autumnal equinox. And what we see isn’t the result of a search but a sight given as a gift.

Another shift that brings the moon’s light closer earlier is the end of Daylight Saving Time. With this, the evening can be dark enough to see the moon appear on the horizon as if it were a semi-precious stone.

What excites me about this altogether is that, on a grander scale, it invites all of us to view life as a gift, but not without effort on our part to receive it. This is afforded by the third line, “moonlight” that suggests that perhaps the moon is not whole, or wholly visible as an orb, yet the reflection it relays to earth completely permeates this particular momentous evening and turning point.

Further, is the verse’s originality in that most ‘designer verses’ contain, in my mind at least, a kireji, something that gives it the stamp of being a haiku. Contrary to that expectation, this verse can be read without a stop, continuing the relay of energy at a day’s expiration and on through our renku.

Thank-you very much, Marion Clarke

 

For our next verse we need 2 lines of no particular season. The platform is still clear and we could be anywhere

 

Happy linking,
Marshall

 

 

 

Timber Smoke (so far)

 

nothing dimmed yet
timber smoke scent
sifts into the house

Marshall Hryciuk

 

one by one
I pick plums off of the ground

Alfred Booth

 

a file of cars
overtaking a tractor
on the mountain road

Keith Evetts

 

drawn out deer notes
echo in the coolness

Betty Shropshire

 

even paler
than the clearing fog
day moon

Mary White

 

handprints  and crumbs
I would miss them

Pamela Garry

 

giving pollen
a lift
on the bicycle bells

Laurie Greer

 

the tiffany blue
of 3 eggs in a nest

Eavonka Ettinger

 

scattered spores
following a random trail
through landmines

John Hawkhead

 

attempted murder
by the morality police

Rob Barkan

 

next door’s dog
barks
at our snowman

Carol Jones

 

the mailman’s breath
faintly white

Keith Evetts

 

Jacques Brel singing
“in the port of Amsterdam”
on the radio

Alfred Booth and Marshall Hryciuk

 

a whirligig of leaves
sweeps the deck clean

Wendy C. Bialek

 

evening begins
with a gift of opal
moonlight

Marion Clarke

 

 

 

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This Post Has 183 Comments

  1. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight

    Marion Clarke

    ###

    night butterfly
    vibrating in silence

    ***

    subtle smell
    in the maze’s turns

    ***

    the firefly’s flash
    in the silence of the falls

    Ivan Gaćina

        1. Awww! Thanks Pamela! … I’m smiling! … Your poem is so inspiring! I’m envisioning yo-yo playing somewhere in Italy and it’s sunset!

  10. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight

    Marion Clarke

    —

    despite the wrinkles
    still a boy at heart

    —

    a rare moment of thanks
    at thanksgiving

    —

    headlights dowsed
    at the drive-in movie

  11. a found rock
    painted with a blessing

    an unidentified portrait
    in an antique frame

    the smell of spaghetti sauce
    from the neighbor’s window

    deciding to leave up
    the familiar wallpaper

  12. I don’t know if verses from Psalms are permissible in the renku, but couldn’t resist posting…

    “How beautiful on the mountains
    the feet that bring good news”

    Isaiah 52, Verse 7

      1. Thanks Wendy! Our local lake is refuge for overwintering ducks. It was so calm and serene the other day as I drove by and voila! There is the verse.

  16. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    the presence of the elders
    in the potlatch dances

  19. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    — Marion Clarke

    following his own tail
    infinity

    who will unearth
    the time capsules

    the cracked globe
    from grandma

    the burnt-out bulb
    inside the globe

  21. Congratulations Marion! A hallmark moment.
    .
    evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight

    Marion Clarke
    .
    grandpa’s leather bomber keeps her warm
    and cool
    .
    ergo the half-eaten sheep
    at the zoo
    .
    and that’s when i realized
    it was just a pippi longstocking wig

  22. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    the blessing of the saint’s
    open stone eyes
    *
    saints and innocents calling
    for rescue from stones
    *
    pulling yet more innocents
    from the rubble
    *

  23. waving farewell
    to a falling star

    guessing the time left
    of my own brief orbit

    a falling star
    painting the sky

  29. swimmers darken
    the coral reef

    the opah warmer
    than surrounding water

    hermaphrodite snails
    mate in the shadows

    the Administration
    surrenders Ukraine

    1. Being a fan of Dan, I just looked up 413 and was introduced to angel numbers. I have a few of my own! Fun to learn they are a thing!

  36. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight

    walking in night air
    an open door invites us in

  39. A belated congratulations to Wendy, smashing verse, full of movement and colour.

    And, congratulations, Marion. A very beautiful verse. Well done.

  41. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    ——-Marion Clarke
    .

    beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in
    .

    a driftwood log
    adrift in the darkening sea
    .

    sparks and laughter
    rise up from a distant campfire

  42. serenading the sunset
    with a stolen saxophone

    pawnshop windows
    filled with wedding rings

    light gray
    the color of minor regrets

      1. It is, Melissa! Arrived in my email this morning as a ‘word a day’. So down the rabbit hole I went. 🙃

  44. moon casts spell
    on evening dust and mist

    2)regular power cut
    moon shine through window a timely gift

  45. Congratulations, Marion, in your verse.
    evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight

    a bracelet of moonstones provides
    the je ne sais quoi

  46. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    — Marion Clarke
    *
    a mite trapped in amber
    for the rest of time

  47. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    — Marion Clarke

    one more gale force storm
    hits the French Atlantic coast
    **

    the Happy Holidays debate
    add a sting to eggnog
    **

  49. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke

    just now noticing
    the beating heart of bait

    such a bitter wind
    feeling more deciduous than evergreen

    happy hour
    tripping over a tombstone

    hoots of an owl
    echoing in the night

  51. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    an inkstone brimming
    with fresh birthday wishes
    *
    inscribing best wishes fresh
    from the inkstone
    *

  52. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    a twinkle of mica
    in the pebbledash walk
    *
    a few shells amid the sand
    in the pebbledash mix
    *

  59. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    — Marion Clarke

    candles burn brightly
    during the longest nights

  63. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    —Marion Clarke

    —

    batteries
    not included

    twenty-one candles
    on the cake again

    the wardrobe malfunction
    destined to happen

  64. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    what the ice sheet left
    they took for a wall
    *
    taking stone from the ice sheet
    to shore up the wall

  65. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    the artistry that turns stones
    into walls
    *
    the blessed addition
    to her grandmother’s ring

  66. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    the high of pitch inhaled
    from a pine
    *
    choosing the granite
    to remember his life by
    *
    choosing the granite
    that best celebrates his life
    *

  68. the tag still on
    her stolen party dress

    a broken locket
    spills the old woman’s secret

    joie de vivre
    in every jive step

  69. 1) sports’ day
    returning spirited children tired

    2} mother’s chiding
    time for homework and cup of tea

  70. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    — Marion Clarke

    an owl sails through
    a shivering of mist

  73. and now for something
    completely different

    a doe with her fawn
    pose for the trail cam

    no refunds
    or exchanges allowed

  74. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    — Marion Clarke

    —

    knowing by instinct
    the oboeist’s blind

    low vibrations
    from a mobile phone

    that frisson at first sight
    of a meteor shower

    aromatic congeners
    drip from a copper coil

    a copper still
    hidden in the gorse

  80. A delightful verse, Marion Clarke!

    evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    Marion Clarke

    the silent passage
    of the balloon race

  81. lovely verse, Marion

    evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    ——-Marion Clarke
    .

    the ping of goat’s milk
    as it hits the pail
    .

    newborn kittens
    suckle and purr as one
    .

    I tried hugging trees
    when I was alone . . . not bad
    .

    faintly, the cricket’s song
    of absolution
    .

      1. thanks Madelaine, this was inspired a childhood memory, summer at the family bungalow colony in the mountains, bed right next to a wide open window letting in the cool night air.

    1. so uplifting to be with all of you on this beautiful poetry journey! Congrats and thank you- Marion and Marshall!

  85. Beautiful, Marion! Congratulations!!

    +++

    children chasing puppies
    through wrapping paper

    a ball drop rehearsal
    atop One Times Square

    the night watchman’s eyes
    nearly closed by daybreak

  87. a whirligig of leaves
    sweeps the deck clean

    evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight

    words fail the moment
    silence crowns the space

    shadows’ softnesses glimmer
    as wood’s enchantments beckon

    a cat sets out to prowl
    on silhouetted rooftops

  88. Thank you so much for your wonderful words about my verse, Marshall. I’m so delighted you enjoyed it.

    (I’m presently in a concert arena in Dublin waiting on a rock gig to start : thanks to Keith Evetts for alerting me about this!)

  89. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight

    Marion Clarke

    just exquisite Marion, perfectly beautiful.
    Marshall your picks continue to be superb.

  91. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *

    oysters asleep
    in rainbow-lined lockets

  92. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    the ribbon of silk
    around her little girl curls
    *
    even a stone can be
    a softie at heart

  93. dawn scintillates
    through wavy oak branches
    …
    a chrysanthemum blossom
    glimmers forth the silvery mist
    …
    the house
    full of pumpkin scent

  95. Lovely verse, Marion.

    evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    Marion Clarke

    the moment she knows
    he’s going to propose

    the crunch of potato chips
    in the back row

  96. a mesmerizing and beautiful verse, Marion! it opens up many places to go. so very well done! excellent Moon Verse pick, Marshall and sensitive and wise commentary.

  97. Congratulations and thank-you Marion for this exquisite addition. And Marshall, for a precious explanation. Our renku, what a beautifully woven tale of life as seen through poets’ eyes.

  99. What a beautiful poem you are creating. Hats off to Marshall for choosing these wonderful Verses.

  101. Congratulations, Marion! And thanks for providing such a masterful, beautiful verse.
    *
    evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight
    *
    Marion Clarke
    *
    the shifting light of the dream
    within a dream
    *

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