Poetry ~ Waka
© Tournesol ’14
mystic purple flames
arise from the spirit’s stalks
chill my autumn heart © Panchali
bringing offerings to the gods
grateful for pointing the way (Chèvrefeuille)
© Tournesol ‘14
Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge
I decided to add a haiku underlining American Thanksgiving.
I reread this beautiful early morning haiku and felt bad that I had not written a more classical haiku with a softer ending that makes you think…a little. I don’t know the names of many birds, most flower and trees. So honestly, Carpe Diem DOES keep me on my toes…haha…and even before that reading many of Georgia’s poems has taught me a little more each day.
I looked at that photo Chèvrefeuille posted with those lovely shiny droplets hanging from the branch and wrote another completion. The only thing I was missing was the name of a bird that IS still here in Quebec, Canada during late autumn and winter months. So I searched again and found this lovely video about winter backyard birds in Canada. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Well, I actually learned a think or two…again (grins).
early morning
silence before the rising sun
raindrops on a branch © Georgia
early morning
silence before the rising sun
raindrops on a branch
last night’s jeweled remnants
goldfinch stirs from its dream
sky gently
comes to life
daybreak
© Tournesol ’14/11/08
In my search for riverbeds, rocks and deserts for Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge “River Stones” by Magical Mystery Teacher ,I came upon another great find. Apparently this recording has gone viral on YouTube since March 2014, one that I had yet to see.
For centuries this dry area, a massive creek bed, has seen the disappearance and return of water in a series of flash floods. I found it fascinating that the Zin river in the Negev desert suddenly transformed due to heavy rains from the mountains. This river runs 75 miles long and drains into the Dead Sea. (read more here)
In the Old Testament it is said, that Moses sent twelve spies to cross the Promised Land and that the Zin River, in biblical times, marked the border of Israel.
Now watch this video and you will see as these bystanders also witnessed the flow of water into a once barren river. I had to watch it twice so I could immerse in my feelings of that moment of wonder. It felt like the Great Spirit was smiling down on our planet in one part of the world, in the Negev desert.
in a desert land
stones from rivers far away
muttering dark tales © MMT
youths too young to understand
they pitch for future games © Tournesol
wonder heaves
water floods murky tales
born-again river
© Tournesol ‘14
Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge, Magical Mystical Teacher “River Stones”
I was so pleased to see this haiku offered as our prompt to complete a tan renga. When I first saw it, I could think of so many completions simmering in my mind. I sat with pen on notebook, scratched a few but was not satisfied. I decided to do some research. One thing ( of many) I like about Carpe Diem is that our host as well as many of his family members often add a tidbit, a story, a history or background about the topic accompanying their stanza. Sometimes it is written, other times it is a video but certainly it is enough to inform readers of something they may not have known. So imagine how wonderful it is to learn more how to master (I’ll settle with compose for now) a haiku but to acquire knowledge about nature and the world around us. I can name just a few of whom I have learned so much at the top of my head such as Hamish Gunn, Waka Blogitorloseit , Jules’Gems and our host and yes, I know I am missing many…but remember, I said at the “top” of my head, there are many more on the first floor!
Searching under themes like desert and river rocks, I discovered several interesting stories. A story of the Wild West was my first stop but then I wanted to learn something of which I had no clue…and I came up with two. To facilitate reading, I am writing two separate posts.
Over 9,000 years ago monsoon rains swept into the Sahara desert. This allowed regions to be transformed into habitable areas for humans and animals…beyond the Nile Valley. It was between 9,000 to 7,300 years ago that also led to the introduction of domesticated livestock like sheep and goats. I find that so fascinating! I wonder which animals were bred. I am sure it is written somewhere…
Retreating monsoons eventually stopped and the Egyptian Sahara revisited its “dry spell” and inhabitants had to leave; many returned to the Nile Valley. I wonder what life was like then, how they communicated…they did leave traces with stone etchings.
in a desert land
stones from rivers far away
muttering dark tales © MMT
echoes beyond Nile Valley
silent stories etched in stone © Tournesol
monsoon gives birth
burgeoning life
drought takes it back.
© Tournesol
Related article and photo credits: Live Science – Sahara Desert
The goal of this Tan Renga Challenge #54 at Carpe Diem is to write a second stanza of two lines (classical syllables-count 7-7) towards the haiku by Ese. To make the Tan Renga complete … but this haiku evoked so many memories, I could not choose only one so I am posting them all.
Our host’s completion
fingertips
stroking scales of pine cone
-forest memories © Ese
sunlight strokes my naked body
blankets have slipped away
© Chèvrefeuille
and now my attempts:
fingertips
stroking scales of pine cone
-forest memories © Ese
tap dancing on a tin roof
a lazy sultry afternoon
© Tournesol
fingertips
stroking scales of pine cone
-forest memories © Ese
kindling scents of woodsy pine
clumsy kiss of innocents
© Tournesol
fingertips
stroking scales of pine cone
-forest memories © Ese
lips softly brush my shoulder
like wings of a butterfuly
© Tournesol
Tournesol dans un Jardin 
