The Renku Sessions: Way of the Wind – Week 14
I am John Stevenson and I am your guide for a twenty-stanza, nijûin, renku.
You proved, in the earlier round of love verses, that you were ready for them. Sometimes people are shy about this.
Here are some of the many verses that I enjoyed this week:
rolling
in the surf with her
to eternity
John Hawkhead
whether to accept
his marriage proposal
mid-skydive
Chris Patchel
fellow feelings
rekindled
with an old flame
Carol Jones
he sure
looks cool
in shades
Kanjini Devi
the satin sheets stick
to sweat-slicked
bodies
Nancy Brady
her open robe
reveals
a 666 tattoo
Jonathan Alderfer
when I first saw him
it was like
a volcanic eruption
Pauline O’Carolan
As usual, some great offers came from poets who have already been included in the renku. I am so grateful that you continue to play along.
This time, we had quite a few tempting offers from one poet, in particular:
Daddy Bear
wants Goldilocks’
phone number
Keith Evetts
after several doses
still not immune
to love
Keith Evetts
how we giggle
at the gurgles
of her waterbed
Keith Evetts
damned
if she’ll give the boss
a blow job
Keith Evetts
And Keith was far from alone in being among those “playing along.”
afraid at first
to call love
by its name
Laurie Greer
through the
tunnel of love
down the river Styx
Michael Henry Lee
risked my life
to paint her name
on a suspension bridge
Dan Campbell
fanning the fever
after my lover’s
last pfizer shot
Wendy C. Bialek
that itch
not even marilyn
can scratch
princess k
true confessions
of a committed serial
monogamist
Betty Shropshire
shouts
of “get a room”
at the party
Carol Judkins
The final choice comes down to four offers:
sometimes the steamiest
sex you’re having
is in your own sconce
Kanjini Devi
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a love verse like this. When explaining the intent of love verses to new renku partners, I usually say that it involves love “between adult human beings.” But this does not preclude the possibility that one of them is imaginary or, at least, absent. And “sconce” is such a unique word, coming to English via a French word meaning “to hide” or “obscure.” I am, however, concerned about something that Kanjini could not have known: that two verses from now we will be writing a moon verse and the night illumination of that image would likely be read as back-linking to the sconce in this verse.
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
Here is another lovely word – fillip. This verse captures the essence of temptation and sin. All of the “l” sounds giving the tongue something to do. And while the previous verse engages in vigorous hyperbola about the heat of the porridge, this one is exactly focused on a stimulant and one’s reaction to it.
his devilish smile
when I suggest
role-play
Tracy Davidson
It could be fun to link to this verse. The next verse is “autumn love” and it may be that his devilish enthusiasm might turn out to be the high point of the act.
I hate this laughter
between you
and her young lips
Margherita Petriccione
In the same way that I was tempted by the opportunity to have a winter verse containing the phrase “hotter than the fires of hell,” I am tempted to have a love verse that contains “hate.” I like the way that this verse has two readings without a true grammatical break. The speaker hates the imminent contact between “you and her” and also resents her youth. We do have “hips” in verse five, though an interval of seven verses may be enough.
Here is what I have selected as our thirteenth verse:
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
Here is what we have, so far:
Way of the Wind
green barley—
we follow the way
of the wind
Lorin Ford
kids playing pooh sticks
with plum blossoms
Linda Weir
the long day opens
with a chime of pots
on the kitchen island
Laurie Greer
a coin in the cap
of a street busker
Andrew Shimield
summer moon
low on the hips
of the horizon
princess k
mosquitoes know that my wife
has sweeter blood
Dan Campbell
still drawn to him
after all the bumps
along the line
Wendy C. Bialek
queuing up to enter
the Escher exhibit
Carol Judkins
do you think
they discovered chaos theory
by chance
Keith Evetts
three-martini lunch
with old pals from sigma nu
Betty Shropshire
wolves
in relentless pursuit
across the frozen tundra
Sally Biggar
pidge porridge hotter
than the fires of hell
Michael Henry Lee
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
We will now conclude our second pair of love verses with an autumn image. Verse fifteen will be an autumn moon verse, so please refrain from any suggestion of the moon in verse fourteen.
The requirements for verse fourteen will be as follows:
- A two-line verse of fourteen syllables or less
- With an autumn image (kigo) but not the moon or moonlight
- Without a grammatical break
- Linking in some way to verse thirteen (and in no obvious way to previous verses)
For this renku, we will be using this site (http://www.2hweb.net/haikai/renku/500ESWd.html) as the source for our season words and images.
I will be reviewing your offers until midnight on Monday, August 2 (New York time). On Thursday, August 5 there will be a new post in which I will announce my selection of the fourteenth verse, comment on some of the other offers, and issue instructions for writing verse fifteen.
Thanks, everyone!
John
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://www.thehaikufoundation.org/code-of-conduct/
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he watches my mouth
opening pumpkin seeds
8/2/2021 by wendy © bialek
he watches my mouth
extracting pepitas
8/2/2021 by wendy © bialek
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
——Marietta McGregor
*
the dew of our youth
rises from the scented grass
*
head over heels
in the morning chill
her potato voodoo
doll looks just like me
*
her persimmon pie
tastes just like vinegar
*
I’m still waiting
but your phone is off
Nani Mariani
the lovers found
in the new straw
.
the autumn lamplight casts
shadows on the pair
.
the pair discovers
the scratchiness of new straw
.
how scratchy the new straw is
on bare bottoms
let’s dance, papà ..
teach me to take care of myself
Nani Mariani
the power of mother’s prayer
relieve anxiety
Nani Mariani
perfect in photo
after that lonely
Nani Mariani
feeding each other
sardines by the campfire
*
square dancing around
a lantern in the barn loft
*
waving farewell to
salmon in eagle claws
*
crickets chirp in cans
to hear the echo
fall of willow trees
diluting all your concerns
***
mother’s quick dish
in mushroom of breakfast
****
all grasses image
of her poems in sleep
**
worms cry
all through autumnal rhythm
**
tattered bashoo easy
victim of speedy wind
***
counting her days
in withered tips of leaves
Wonderful verse, Marietta! And I learned a new word too!
first storm forgotten
in the back seat
can’t resist
a haystack kiss
—
rolling her net stockings
downstream of the sweetfish
—
inclined to overlook
her tattered lotus
desolate I can’t marry
the Google Maps lady
—
this long night
we actually sleep
—
her lantern lights
my better side
—
hard to find refreshing rhymes
for spoon and swoon…
two scarecrows dancing
in the flame’s shadows
a cricket scratching
broken love songs
a drift of incense smoke
caressing your fingers
our soft flesh bruises
slipping into shadow
my love pities
the crickets in cities
*
horns and sirens
drown out a city cricket’s chirp
*
pears ripening
on the porch rail
*
are those mushrooms good
or poisonous?
*
the short-lived sparkle
of morning dew
*
My apologies for jumping in late this session. A work transition and cleaning out two storage units of family belongings has taken up my mental head space. I’ve enjoyed reading the imaginative entries, and John’s informative guidance.
Never too late to join in. I’m hoping people will join us whenever it works for them.
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance Marietta (congrats!)
*
strongly encouraged
by the double dragonfly
*
a goose am I
for coming back for more?
*
soft cheeks against mine
at the Chrysanthemum Festival
*
even in this lamplight
some before unseen allure
my love juggles peaches
while I juggle pears
*
she still laughs about
the kilt on my scarecrow
*
(It has been raining for days here…)(Maybe these will spark better ones)
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
—-
happy ever after
this windfall peach
cwtch by cwtch
under the Milky Way
on the sixteenth night
she lets me sleep
swingtime in the pampas grass
she plants in the front garden
refreshing variations
on tantric poses
giving her bush clover
a brazilian
the zenith of a windstorm
we can’t stop
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
– Marietta McGregor
*
the scarecrow waves
back to us on windy days
*
her talent for catching
maple leaves blowing in the wind
their late-found love
of mushrooms also
they stir potato soup
on their golden anniversary
the scarecrow a witness
to their first kiss
we use Google maps to find
a field with haystacks
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
*
the crickets singing
just for you and me
still slow dancing
when the music stops
in the bed of red leaves
lovers rustling
composing love tanka
deep into the long night
a sudden chill
crosses the lovers’ path
wind in the reeds
whispers sweet nothings
Heartfelt thanks John for showing interest in my poem and congratulations on your choice.
in the autumn mist you look
like a step back in time
*
resting on you, my love,
even the fig leaf blushes
*
a pinch of madness
seeing the new haystacks
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
the hit in a peach
of a kiss
love slippery as sardines
in the shower
caught in the lamplight
courting
worms cry
in the fruit of love
she becomes a scarecrow
to fit the wedding dress
“love slippery as sardines
in the shower”
Ann Smith
—
I love all the layered meanings in this one. Bouquet.
Thankyou Keith
Verse 1:
…
new coolness
in her gaze
…
Verse 2:
…
new coolness
in the way she looks at me
…
Verse 3:
…
long night of passion
out in the garden
…
Verse 4:
…
when she called me a goose
I knew it was over
…
Verse 5:
…
blind to the danger he posed
when lightning struck
Rick and Ilsa
in the airport fog
morning fog seeping
into our leaky tent
*
fog horns sound
like my mating call
*
holding hands while
watching fog land on the riverbank
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
*
we awaken to
one paulownia leaf drop
.
finding our place in line
for the online Obon Parade
.
he scrawls me + you
on a foggy window
our silly photo of you
pinching that sweet scarecrow
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
*
together for life at a stroke
of the lightning
*
her curiosity of crickets
delights him
.
explain why you have
a scarecrow in your closet
.
utterly tempted
to a romp in the haystacks
.
whispering sweet nothings
as willow leaves fall
.
we wake up to watch
morning glories unfurl
7/30/2021 by wendy © bialek
perhaps, better to avoid “chill”… so revising to:
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
– Marietta McGregor
•
comes the dew
as I weep by your grave
– Betty Shropshire
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
– Marietta McGregor
•
comes the dew chill
as I weep by your grave
– Betty Shropshire
a fine rear view
of the sumo wrestler
the old scarecrow
outstanding in his field
Hahaha – brilliant, Carol!
Thank you, Marion 🙂
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
*
renewing their vows
with a frolic in the knotweed
*
no holds barred as they grapple
in the knotweed
*
yes to “filip”! a lovely choice .. congrats, Marietta .. ☺
**
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance Marietta McGregor
**
the path for the newlyweds
carpeted with red oak leaves
Thank you, Maxianne!
darn, I forgot about not naming a season directly again. So….
our ups and downs
in mackerel clouds
her place or mine determined
by migrating birds
Ivy goes crimson
up against the wall
a few old chestnuts roasted
in the best man’s speech
for God’s sake Eve
don’t give Adam the apple
the pillowed morning glory
of her wurzle hair
Getting a late start, but hope to catch up–wonderful verse, Marietta! And many thanks, John, as always for the guidance and comments.
*
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
*
his Tanabata wish
rising to her occasion
*
the scarecrow ignores
his wedding proposal test-run
scarecrows never worry
about getting cold feet
7/30/2021 by wendy © bialek
scarecrows never have to
worry about knees or feet
7/30/2021 by wendy © bialek
never a tired cock’s comb
plume on my writing desk
7/30/2021 by wendy © bialek
Ah, Marietta, what an interesting word! So it’s something that moves things along—delightful!
Hopefully your verse will provide me with a much-needed fillip to be more productive in this renku! 😂
marion
marion
Go, Marion! 🙂
his linguistic gymnastics
that soak to the bone
*
not all the lightning
strikes outside of the bedroom
*
I come out on top
while sumo wrestling
*
in a hidden corner
our private game of sardines
*
my discarded panties
hang on his banana plant
Congrats Marietta!
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
– Marietta McGregor
Who hasn’t experienced “that delicious fillip”? (Happy to learn the right word to describe it 🙂
he drools as i slit
sea bass like a ther/mom/eter
7/30/2021 by wendy © bialek
and/or:
he drools as i slit
sea bass like a thermometer
7/30/2021 by wendy © bialek
https://www.africanbites.com/whole-baked-seabass/
in case ‘thermometer’ is too close to michael’s:
pidge porridge hotter
than the fires of hell
then i edit this to:
he drools as i slash
the whole sea bass
7/30/2021 by wendy © bialek
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
—
autumn lamplight in her eyes
draws me down the streets of home
at our goodbye the autumn rain
disguises my sad eyes
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
* *
[more in the hope that these might spark others:]
a kiss with raincoats
glistening in the lantern’s light
taking a gander
at a saucy goose
how delicate and rare
the maiden flower
voice of the reeds
whispering sweet nothings
mother’s chilly glare
at her dress askew
the frisson as we kiss
a thousandth time this l o n g night
still looking for my princess
in the fog
autumn’s voice whispers
we’ll always have Paris
John, thank you so much for selecting my love verse from so many worthy offers. I’ve been greatly enjoying ‘Way of the Wind’. I thought the week’s responses were particularly lively and fun, so it was a happy surprise to wake up this morning to find one of mine was chosen!
Thank you for mentioning my verses, John. Fantastic choice as always. Well done, Marietta!
Thank you very much, Kanjini! I liked both of your verses!
Thank you Marietta for adding fillip to my vocabulary!
*
lone scarecrow with an empty
nest for his heart
*
cross dresser scarecrow
in my wife’s nightgown
*
scarecrows resemble
prophets in the fog
*
building scarecrows together
beats marriage counseling
*
lovebirds kissing
in front of the scarecrow
Thanks Dan! Glad to do my bit for vocabulary building! 🙂
again commiserating
with the scarecrow
how long these nights
without her
more lonesome
than the night is long
expecting scarecrows
to see eye to eye
7/25/2021 by wendy © bialek
correcting
the wrong date:
expecting scarecrows
to see eye to eye
7/29/2021 by wendy © bialek
the wrong date
thinks about eating a peach
7/30/2021 by wendy © bialek
A sensual and demanding verse, Marietta. Great choice, John.
Thank you for pausing on one of mine.
Thank you, Carol!
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
**
she tickles my chin
whispering tsukutsukubooshi
in bed a different slant
on sumo wrestling
or:
a different slant
on sumo in the sack
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
– Marietta McGregor
•
sumo wrestling
still keeps ’em feisty
– Betty Shropshire
tasty memories from
No Secrets in the morning cold
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
– Marietta McGregor
•
squashed that katydid
before gunning him down
– Betty Shropshire
Fillip…sigh! such a great word and verse, Marietta!
Glad you like it, Betty!
Just to say how much I am enjoying this, my first proper renku, and learning a lot. I love the richness of everyone’s ideas. Grateful to be noted for contributions. Endearingly, there seems to be something about love (in all its forms…) that sparks the group. I relished Dan Campbell’s zestful ways of showing his love, and Kanjini Devi’s two were instantly my own favourites:
sometimes the steamiest
sex you’re having
is in your own sconce
and the brilliant:
he sure
looks cool
in shades
Wish I’d written that. And the selected verse is another cracker – congratulations, Marietta.
Thanks so much for your appreciation, Keith_()_
You are inspiring, with your many wonderfully creative verses!
Keith, I sure so appreciate your kind comment, many thanks!
Thanks Keith! I’m really enjoying your verses as well!
No better compliment than “Wish I’d written that.” Good one Kanjini!
marietta….a sensuous, tongue-twister of a verse! congrats!
john, great comments!!!
that delicious fillip
of excitement
from a sidelong glance
Marietta McGregor
grape leaves
gave me privacy
7/25/2021 by wendy © bialek
oops! i forgot…..it’s a love verse!
grape leaves
gave us privacy
7/25/2021 by wendy © bialek
correcting the wrong date:
grape leaves
gave us privacy
7/29/2021 by wendy © bialek
Thank you Wendy! It was fun to write as well as say out loud. I’m enjoying your verses each week, too!