Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #68,

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's my privilege and my joy to present another Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge to you. It's really a great feature, because it gives us the opportunity to respond on a haiku written by one of Carpe Diem Haiku Family members. In a way the Tan Renga Challenge is a way to connect with each other through haiku. And I know for sure that you all enjoy this Tan Renga Challenge a lot.

This week I have a wonderful haiku written by Ese of Ese's Voice which she submitted in response on a haiku which I gave by our featured haiku poet, Iio Sogi (1424-1502). Ese wrote this one in response on the first CD-Special by Sogi.

the endless night

unable to count the stars
in the frozen pond

(c) Ese

Isn't it a beauty? I remember that I commented on this haiku with a kind of adoration ... Ese's haiku was a beauty (and still is) and I was immediately "in love" with it ... I felt a kind of Biblical sphere in it and I think you will have that same feeling.

The goal of this Tan Renga Challenge is to compose/write the second stanza of two lines respectively counted 7-7, but that's not an obligation as you all will know, towards this "hokku" (starting verse) by Ese by associating on the images in her haiku. With that second stanza you continue or complete the Tan Renga.

Here is my attempt:

the endless night
unable to count the stars
in the frozen pond                   (Ese)

it seems so easy to count the stars,

but try to count your blessings                (Chèvrefeuille)

I thought I will go further on my thought of the Biblical sphere and came up with this second stanza. I like it.

This Tan Renga Challenge is open for your submissions today at noon (CET) and will remain open until next Friday January 16th at noon (CET). Let your muse inspire you ...