Tag: Tan Renga

silent stories (tan renga)

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.

© Sahara Desert – Live Science

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

river heals (Tan Renga)

Such a lovely prompt today at Carpe Diem to complete a Tan Renga.  Our host shares his heart warming delight that Carpe Diem has become an engaged and loving family. Here are two completions by our host.

river stones
caressed by flowing water
pale moon shines (Becca Givens)

the sound of a waterfall
makes the night more silent (Chèvrefeuille)

river stones
caressed by flowing water
pale moon shines (Becca Givens)

behind a thin veil of clouds
she, the one I love, smiles at me (Chèvrefeuille)

Indeed, I am a late comer, more like the half-sister or step-sister whichever seems the nicest {grins}.  A family that creates an art painters do, a mood great writers do and encouragement and guidance a caring parent or older sibling do.  In that vein I have written this.  I am starting with the completion that suits the mood of this prompt best.

river stones
caressed by flowing water
pale moon shines ©Becca Givens

intermittent trickle
winks of the milky way © Tournesol

Water is actually my lifeline in so many ways.  At first I looked at this prompt and attempted several completions that appeared morose and yet it is meant to show the power of water and how its presence in my life changes the currents in my heart, soul and moods.   So I wrote several and reread the instructions of our host giving us a choice to write another haiku or completion.  Ah, so back to the drawing board and here are my haiku that map a part of my journey before I arrived to the above completion.

© Roger Kenner – Richelieu River, Chambly, Quebec

toes in icy water,
sting in hope, tingling
mollifies the soul 

tears of despair
finally, river swallows
I can breathe

© Tournesol

scent of pine trees (Tan Renga)

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

Couples (Carpe Diem – Tan Renga Challenge #47 “How rare the sight”

This prompt is a tan renga challenge. Our host, Chèvrefeuille at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai,  has chosen a haiku written by Magical Mystical Teacher (MMT).

It was her response on this haiku by Basho:

how rare!
on leaving the mountain
the first eggplant

MMT’s response haiku was the following:

how rare the sight—
yellow blossoms brushing
the sky with light

© MMT

now we are to write a tan renga two lines of 7 syllables to this haiku. Our host`s tan renga is here:

how rare the sight—
yellow blossoms brushing
the sky with light (MMT)
I always will love her
underneath the Laburnum (Chèvrefeuille)

I struggled with various responses because I had several images of “yellow blossoms” from my personal life. So I broke it down to two and here they are:

(c) Clr ’14

 

(c) Clr ’14

 

 

Across the street from the church at my hometown, there is a small garden by the river, with various flowers. I remember taking a picture in June of the lovely yellow lilies and wished I could come back later in the summer to catch the flora at its peak in blossoming. Well, I did not but here is snapshots from June.

 

(c) Clr ’14

 

(c) Clr ’14

 

 

how rare the sight—
yellow blossoms brushing
the sky with light   (MMT)
Across the church, newly weds
yellow lilies cheer them on.
(c) Tournesol ’14

Of course there are also lovely daisies and sun roots in my friend’s garden in Bromont facing several mountains. This is where we went to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary last Sunday. A huge tent was pitched next to the Willow tree…what a lovely day celebrating such a lovely couple. To this day, I have never met a loving couple like these two people. You can feel the love they share. They still cuddle and always hold hands sitting close together.

how rare the sight—
yellow blossoms brushing
the sky with light  (MMT)
Underneath the Willow tree
sun roots scan the mountains.
(c) Tournesol ’14

Originally posted  at Tournesol dans un Jardin

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #47, MMT’s “how rare the sight”

Double Rainbow (Tan Renga)

Credits: Double Rainbow

What wonderful haiku and the photo provided is stunning.

 

double rainbow 1(c) Clr 2013 October

 I could not help but be reminded of the double rainbow I had seen on my way from work one day I finished unusually early. It had been raining in mid October and the sky had darkened already save for Montreal street lights, only the rain, my umbrella and bumping into pedestrians kept me alert walking to the Métro. Then as I gazed at the sky, just above the church facing the Métro, I saw a rainbow. I was quite astonished to see it this late in the day and I don’t think I have ever seen such a sight in the Fall. In the country and small towns we are graced with such views but in the city there are too many distractions to really notice. City workers were leaving their buildings and I could not help but notice their faces look up at the sky and smile even after a hard day’s work. Then some people cheered as a second rainbow faintly joined it’s cousin. Thank you Ese for this lovely reminder and haiku and Chèvrefeuille for offering this prompt, it brings me back to fond memories in the country and especially that October fest of colours … and now I have added two Tan Renga to focusing on “time to count blessings” as I am also reminded of that moment last October in Montréal on boulevard Laurier.

 
double rainbow
arches across stormy sky
time to count blessings (Ese)

the joy and laughter of my kids
resonates at the family barbecue (Chevrefeuille)

double rainbow
arches across stormy sky
time to count blessings (Ese)

yuppies stare up openmouthed
filled with wonder and reverence (Tournesol)

double rainbow
arches across stormy sky
time to count blessings (Ese)

gauchely holding umbrella
photograph a miracle (Tournesol)

© Tournesol ‘14/08/02

Submitted for: Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #45, “Double Rainbow”

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #43, Basho’s “The Old lady cherry”

Photo credits: Sara Desjardins Photography – Toronto

At Carpe Diem Haiku Kai, our task was to take Basho’s “The Old-Lady Cherry” and add two lines in approximately 7-7 for tan renga. Here is the original poem and chèvrefeuille’s example:

the old-lady cherry

in bloom: a remembrance

of her old age

(c) Basho)

 

a day to celebrate

the first cherry blossoms

(c) Chèvrefeuille

 

revel in ornate hues

time enhances your splendour.

© Cheryl-Lynn ‘14/07/19

Submitted for: Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #43, Basho’s “The old lady cherry”

 

 

 

A fallen flower (CP Tan Renga Challenge #41)

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #41, ”a fallen flower” by Moritake

This week’s Tan Renga Challenge is a beautiful haiku written by Arakida Moritake (1473-1549), a Japanese poet who also wrote haiku (in his time it was called haikai or hokku). This is a Dutch translation of a wonderful haiku written by Moritake.

a fallen flower

flew back to its perch

a  butterfly

© Moritake

 

 

a fallen flower

flew back to its perch

a  butterfly     © Moritake

wings shining with dew’s presence

trying out its new freedom.        

© Cheryl-Lynn 

Submitted for: Carpe Diem tan renga Challenge /41 

© Cheryl-Lynn 2014/06/28

Celestine’s Ribbon of colours – Carpe Tan Renga Challenge #37

Carp Diem Haiku Kai – Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #37, Celestine’s “ribbon of colours”

ribbon of colours
streaks across the endless sky
dance of the spirits

© Celestine of Reading Pleasure

ribbon of colours
streaks across the endless sky
dance of the spirits
ancestors’ rainbows whisper,
swirl in rhythmic harmony.

© Cheryl-Lynn 2014/05/31