Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #55 Renga With Basho Hineri ... picking flowers in the rain

!! Open for your submissions next Sunday October 21st at 7:00 PM (CEST) !!

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at a new episode of our weekend meditation our special feature for the weekend to meditate and contemplate before submitting our inspired poems. This weekend meditation I have chosen to challenge you with a new "Renga With Basho Hineri" episode. As you (maybe) know "hineri" means "with a twist", so there is a "twist". This time that "twist" is to start with a haiku that is original the "hokku" of a renga Basho attended. The "hokku" to start with is the fifth haiku of the given series. In that haiku you also find the title of this "Renga With Basho" episode "picking flowers in the rain".

Here are the haiku to use. Except the hineri-hokku you can choose your own "line-up" of the haiku. Create a renga together with Basho by adding your two lined stanza between the haiku and try to complete the "chain" in your "ageku" (closing verse).

Here are the haiku to use:

more reassuring
than in a dream
the real hawk

now farewell
for snow viewing we'll fall down
until we get there

frozen dew
a dry brush draws
clear water *

wine cup
don't drop in any dirt
village swallows

wearing a paper robe
even if it gets wet
picking flowers in the rain

go naked
one needs to wear more clothes
in February's storm **

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold; taken from "Basho, the complete haiku")

* In ink paintings, the white of the paper is used to indicate water. Because the dew is frozen, Basho cannot moisten his ink and brush and thus can only draw clear water on his painting.

** This one is based on the legend of Saint Zoga (917-1003), a Buddhist priest who gave away his clothes and went naked after receiving a divine message from the god of Ise Grand Shrine that he should throw away fame and wealth.

Enjoy your weekend.

This weekend meditation is open for your submissions next Sunday October 21st at 7:00 PM (CEST) and will remain open until October 28th at noon (CEST).

By the way ... I have to apologize to you all, because I am far behind with commenting. I hope to visit all of your wonderful contributions a.s.a.p.