Carpe Diem Special #191 A Trip Along Memory Lane #2 Soliloquy no Renga

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at the second CD-Special of this month in which are on a trip along memory lane through the special features of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. In this episode I love to bring you back to one of the special features which I haven't done much, Soliloquy no Renga. In that special feature I challenged you to create a Soliloquy no Renga.

Logo of Soliloquy no Renga

The goal of this feature is to write a Soliloquy no Renga, a Renga composed by one person. With this feature it is possible to help you to be more associative, because you have to compose an all new renga with at least six (6) links.As you all know a renga has stanzas of three and two lines. The first verse "hokku" gives the title to the renga and sets the entire image of your renga. By association on the verse before the verse you have to write you can make the renga a complete story. The Soliloquy no Renga is just for fun and I hope it will bring you the fun and inspiration as I had in mind. You can choose on your own how much links you use, but at least (as I said above) six (6) links. The last link has to make the "circle complete" and in that way has a link with the first verse. That last verse is called "ageku".

Here is an example of a Soliloquy no Renga by Cheryl Lynn of Tournesol dans un Jardin:

Hokku:

Ah! those cherry blossoms
their beauty amazes me again –
finally spring is here

© Chèvrefeuille

soft petals come to life
puffs off the ocean

in all its glory
cherry blossoms boast
festooned Stanley Park

strolling through the park
birth of new relationships

lovers holding hands
pause, admire blossoms’ fair
dawn of spring fever

midsummer dreams
first kiss turns to lustful bliss
autumn weddings set

September comes and goes
couples seek shelter indoors

cozy fire crackles
lovers recall their first kiss
budding spring day

Ageku:

longing for romantic walks
beneath the cherry blossoms

© Tournesol ’15

A wonderful Soliloquy no Renga I would say ... For this CD-Special I love to challenge you to write a Soliloquy no Renga starting with the following "hokku" chosen from my archives.

Celebrating the Summer Solstice

at the seashore
wind of summer through my hair
the shortest night

© Chèvrefeuille

This CD-Special episode in which we "revisited" the Soliloquy no Renga is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until January 12th 7.00 PM (CET). I will (try to) publish our next episode, first light, later on. Hev fun!