Renku Sessions

The Renku Sessions: Timber Smoke – Week 16

renku_300

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.

 

The next, no specific season verse is:

 

beachcombers trade shells
as the tide comes in 

Jonathan Alderfer

 

Much going on in these two lines that seem so calm as to be unremarkable. But under the gift of moonlight, a reflection from one celestial body of another’s light, humans have here initiated a most terrestrial activity, that of the exchange of objects ovalued by both sides of a given transfer. Thus, a lateral movement of defined goods against the backdrop of the infinite quality of light.

Not only does the mention of shells suggest the cycles of life and the retraction of life on a platform where land meets sea, but reiterates the moon’s presence in “as the tides comes in”. An unseen but inevitable surge of water that would cover over, momentarily enough, such intricately marked shells.

Thus, we have a transfer of focus from the vertical to the lateral but also this verse gives our renku a surge in its momentum as we ride it into our first blossom verse of spring.

Thank-you Jonathan Alderfer.

 

So, for verse 17, it’s time for a designer blossom verse. This could have a kireji or break in it, but doesn’t have to; but i would expect it to be one of the few verses in “Timber Smoke”that could be read as a stand-alone haiku.

Further, John Stevenson and i are going to take a two-week break in the reading and transcription of your verses, so you will have fourteen days and nights to consider whatverses you would like to ride in the tide with. Our next posting will appear on December 14.

 

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

 

beachcombers trade shells
as the tide comes in

Jonathan Alderfer

 

 

 

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

John Stevenson

Comments (133)

  1. blue iris
    in the sun
    her eyes
    .

    under an audience
    of clouds
    a drift of white daisies
    .

    blue dashers
    and green pondhawks
    patrol the water lilies
    .

    lost ant, trapped
    in the spiraling folds of
    a white calla lily
    .

  3. the freewheeling petal
    on the snail’s back
    reaching the summit

    Wendy, thank you for pointing the way towards Issa, aka “cup-of-tea”. Time for me to read the classics! Anyone have a favorite translation?

  4. foamflowers
    arranged by chance it seems
    upon the driftwood

    left by
    the leaning lampost
    a jar of daises

    fragrant breeze
    a garland of hibiscus
    swaying in the hula

    opium poppy
    the extra thrill
    when it blooms

    1. “left by
      the leaning lampost
      a jar of daises”

      oops

      left by
      the leaning lamp post
      a jar of daises

  8. five daisy petals
    she carefully presses
    into melted soap
    …

    twelve sunflowers
    his intention to paint
    this humble gift

  12. street corner
    a flower girl’s basket brims
    with cherry blossom
    .
    dog violets
    a splash of purple rain
    along the hedgerow

      1. wooops, that didn’t bring me to first base lol!!!….it was the “first base ” one i was remarking on.

    1. Or…
      night jasmine
      under the stars
      their first kiss

      their first kiss
      under night jasmine
      begins a life journey

  19. Pilgrim’s Way
    spotted orchids hidden
    by the tall grass

    creeping along
    unnoticed
    scarlet pimpernel

  20. gender fluid
    jill-in-the-pulpit
    blossoms

    * The transition from male to female continues until eventually the plant produces female flowers only. This is an example of dichogamy, a rare phenomenon in flowering plants. Due to this sex-change lifecycle, this species is sometimes called colloquially as Jack or Jill in the pulpit or Jill-in-the-pulpit.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org › wiki
    Arisaema triphyllum – Wikipedia

    (And probably too close to the Jacques verse but putting it out there anyway)

  21. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer

    silent memories
    lost in the downpour
    fading drops of ink

    smudged ink
    full of lost letters
    emerging waves

    the diversity
    of my inner characters . . .
    blossoming camellia

    Ivan Gaćina

  22. pink lady’s slippers
    taking a walk
    on the wild side
    .

    deliciously yellow
    the trumpeted half-truths
    of daffodils
    .

    cherry blossoms
    more than honeybees working
    under the influence
    .

  25. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in — Jonathan Alderfer
    —
    at the lilac grove
    ladies with white canes pause
    beneath each tree

  26. deep in the soils
    of a rain shadow
    skeleton flower seeds

    and also:

    deep
    in a rain shadow
    skeleton flower seeds

    1. deep in the soils
      of a rain shadow
      skeleton flower seeds

      Wendy C. Bialek

      this one my favorite, exquisite!

  27. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in
    –Jonathan A.

    apple blossoms mingle
    with her tears
    –wedding proposal

  28. Congratulations, Jonathan, in your verse.

    beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    last chemo
    her newest wig
    cherry blossom pink
    .
    spring breeze
    dried hydrangea blooms tumbleweed
    across greening yard

    the red tulips
    open up
    –first kiss

  41. Congratulations, Jonathan, on your link, and thanks for your helpful directions, Marshall.

    +++

    seaside oats
    facing a gray sea
    the surf pounds

    the hidden dune
    a dandelion wreath
    left behind

    seaside oats
    rooted in a dune
    life will end

  42. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer
    *
    real blossoms
    join silk
    drying on the umbrella

  45. also blooming
    wave upon wave
    of pampas grass

    in harmony
    different faces
    of the pansy

    dawn light tiptoes
    through the tulip field
    silent windmills

  46. evening begins
    with a gift of opal
    moonlight – Marion Clarke

    beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in – Jonathan Alderfer

    tea-tree blossoms
    all along the foreshore
    that sweet, warm scent

    1. ah, I imagine “scent” would be out, considering there is a “scent” in the hokku. Duh.
      Next try:

      tea-tree blossoms
      all along the foreshore
      that sweet, soft air

  47. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer
    *
    the hermit crab finds a home
    in a blossom covered
    bottle

  49. *
    beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer
    *
    every year
    a different
    favorite blossom
    *
    eagerly swept away
    by the tsunami
    of blossoms
    *
    gold standard–
    blossoms worth more
    than their weight
    *
    the AI version
    of a blossom
    fools no one
    *

  50. the mailman’s breath
    faintly white

    Keith Evetts

    (:-) … and not a duck in sight! Nicely done, Keith.

  55. camellia blossoms
    warming to the idea
    of a rendezvous

    black eyed susan
    the announcer calls
    swing and a miss

    tumble weeds…
    breaking free of
    all pretension

  57. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in
    Jonathan Alderfer

    …

    morning glory
    the artillery
    falls silent

  58. thousands of petals
    falling :: flying
    a man reads the newspaper
    .

    imagine
    all the plum blossoms
    lighting up the sky
    .

    red tulips
    regardless of how
    we feel

  62. *
    beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer
    *
    a prayer
    by the muddied waters–
    kneeling Angelica

  64. scent of sweet peas
    a walk
    in the foothills
    …

    first break of dawn
    a morning glory
    unfolds
    …

    a morning glory
    the hummingbird
    unfolds

  65. *
    beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer
    *
    a gentle wash of rain
    polishes
    the toothwort
    *
    bending closer to catch
    the finest
    of toothwort

  66. Lovely verse Jonathan, and expert commentary. Marshall! Something to give thanks for, indeed!
    *
    beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer
    *
    the mix and match petals
    of snow
    and snowdrops
    *

  69. wisteria blossom
    the war still
    ebbs and flows

    a shower of blossom
    almost covers
    the hidden easter eggs

    peach blossom
    he tucks a petal
    behind her ear

  72. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer

    drifting blossom
    sunlight plays with shadows
    on an unmarked grave

  73. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer
    *
    six bitcoins
    for adding a block
    to the chain

  77. Thank you, Marshall. A lovely Thanksgiving day surprise. Your commentaries are always so insightful. I live on a tidal river in Maine and a very horizontal world. I realize that—until now—hadn’t deeply considered the extended implications of a “lateral” world view. Thank you for that!

  83. Thank-you Jonathan for such a wonderful verse, another jewel in our renku:) Thank-you Marshal for the richly worded explanation!

  84. beachcombers trade shells
    as the tide comes in

    Jonathan Alderfer

    the smell of blossoms
    to come
    prisoner swap

  87. And the shells link back to the gift of opal! How very lovely and wonderful, Jonathan!

    ######
    How does an opalized fossil form?

    Most of the fossils found in these areas are either crustaceans, shellfish, or animals that lived in or around the water’s edge that have been buried through sediment.
    The organic matter or shell breaks down and leaves a cavity where the animal matter was.
    The sediments that buried animal remains in the opal fields were rich in silica from ancient volcanoes, the silica spheres seep down into the cavity to fill it and the fossils are preserved as silica in the form of opal.
    Some examples are Shells, Yabby Buttons, Pipi’s/Molluscs , and Turtle Bones which have turned into opal.

    https://blackopaldirect.com/blog/opalized-fossil/#

    ######

  89. a very special addition to our renku, lovely, verse, Jonathan….congrats
    i enjoyed your commentary, Marshall.

Comments are closed.

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