Renhai Reflections 1: Introduction #1

Kick-off

Starting this week we will be embarking on a new linked-verse project for the coming year. We will be working with a new poetic form that I created a year ago called Renhai. Renhai has some similarities with Rengay as you may observe in the following Renhai. However, Renhai has some important differences and some unique qualities. The following Renhai was written with Zhanna P. Rader and is the first Renhai that was ever written:

A Night Out
A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (vs), and Zhanna P. Rader (zr)
Renhai #1, Aug 10-25, 2007

Still autumn night —
each patch of the forest,
full of darkness. /vs

Blanket of velvet-gray fog — /zr
a crow pierces the silence. /vs

Coffee aroma
permeates the morning air —
sudden rain... /zr

Over the next few days I plan to describe how this new form came into existence, what its essential features are, and how Renhai are typically written.

Rengay Through the Seasons #52 Summary

by Gary Gay (gg), and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #52 (Aug 24-30, 2008) Summary

Finding the Sun

Summer thunder —
fireflies blink among
the tall corn. /gg

Corndogs in each hand —
we wade through the crowd. /vs

From the top
of the ferris wheel —
so many stars. /gg

Up-turned bike —
a ladybug on a spoke
of the spinning wheel. /vs

Between the fence slats —
a daisy finds the sun. /gg

Journey's end —
the lighthouse among the rocks
flashes a welcome. /vs

The central theme in this rengay is "Among" which is appropriate for this last rengay in the year-long series as it is one rengay among the 52 written, we are each among many writers of poetry, and we are among the many creatures in this amazing creation.

Please click here for link details and other notes:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pcytHc47X3uAxb9JhF9qGXg&gid=0

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #52 [1-6]

by Gary Gay (gg) and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #48 (Aug 24-30, 2008) Verses 1-6 (of 6):

Summer thunder — fireflies blink among / the tall corn. /gg
Corndogs in each hand — we wade through the crowd. /vs
From the top / of the ferris wheel — so many stars. /gg
Up-turned bike — a ladybug on a spoke / of the spinning wheel. /vs
Between the fence slats — a daisy finds the sun. /gg
Journey's end — the lighthouse among the rocks / flashes a welcome. /vs

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #52 [1-5]

by Gary Gay (gg) and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #48 (Aug 24-30, 2008) Verses 1-5 (of 6):

Summer thunder — fireflies blink among / the tall corn. /gg
Corndogs in each hand — we wade through the crowd. /vs
From the top / of the ferris wheel — so many stars. /gg
Up-turned bike — a ladybug on a spoke / of the spinning wheel. /vs
Between the fence slats — a daisy finds the sun. /gg

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #52 [1-4]

by Gary Gay (gg) and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #48 (Aug 24-30, 2008) Verses 1-4 (of 6):

Summer thunder — fireflies blink among / the tall corn. /gg
Corndogs in each hand — we wade through the crowd. /vs
From the top / of the ferris wheel — so many stars. /gg
Up-turned bike — a ladybug on a spoke / of the spinning wheel. /vs

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #52 [1-3]

by Gary Gay (gg) and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #48 (Aug 24-30, 2008) Verses 1-3 (of 6):

Summer thunder — fireflies blink among / the tall corn. /gg
Corndogs in each hand — we wade through the crowd. /vs
From the top / of the ferris wheel — so many stars. /gg

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #52 [1-2]

by Gary Gay (gg) and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #48 (Aug 24-30, 2008) Verses 1-2 (of 6):

Summer thunder — fireflies blink among / the tall corn. /gg
Corndogs in each hand — we wade through the crowd. /vs

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #52 [1]

by Gary Gay (gg), and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #48 (Aug 24-30, 2008) Verse 1 (of 6):

Summer thunder — fireflies blink among / the tall corn. /gg

[This rengay was written with Garry Gay who was born in Glendale, California in 1951. He received his B.P.A. degree in photography in 1974 and has been a professional photographer for the past 33 years. Gary started writing haiku in 1975 and was greatly influenced by Basho’s Narrow Road To The Deep North. He has steadily written haiku ever since.

He is one of the co-founders of the Haiku Poets of Northern California and became their first president in 1989 and again served as president between 2001-2008. As president in 1989 he founded the "Two Autumns" haiku reading series. In 1991 he was elected president of the "Haiku Society of America". In 1991 he co-founded "Haiku North America". In 1996 he also co-founded the "American Haiku Archives" in Sacramento, California. He is the creator of the poetic form called "Rengay" and is the author of several works including: "The Billboard Cowboy", "The Silent Garden", "Wings of Moonlight", "River Stones", "Along The Way." The work "The Unlocked Gate" was recently been published with John Thompson. Gary currently lives in the California wine country in a small town called Windsor with his wife Melinda and daughter Alissa.

Gary's photography web site:
http://www.photogarry.com/

Gary's online haiku book, "The long Way Home":
http://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/ggayweb/

When Masago started writing Haiku in 2005 he had heard of Gary Gay as being the creator of the Rengay form. When planning this one-year project of "Rengay Through the Seasons" it was thought it would be appropriate to have a rengay written with Gary. When he replied to the affirmative it seemed appropriate and an honour that this last rengay in the project be written with him.]

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #51 Summary

by Masago: Rengay #51 (Aug 17-23, 2008) Summary

Bits of Sunset

Summer's end —
covered with a yellow
polka-dot bikini.

Hot-dog... a bite leads to
mustard spots on my shirt.

Somebody forgets
to bring the insect repellent —
mosquito welts.

Ta-ta, ta-ta-ta...
a sapsucker peppers
the birch with holes.

The odd leaf has turned
colour — late summer.

Bits of sunset
through the branches, a dance
on his back.

The central theme of this rengay is "Spots". The "Summer's end" of verse 1, of course, is a play on words. The 'end' being either that of the summer season or that of a young woman named "Summer".

Please click here for link details and other notes:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pcytHc47X3uCqad-QTye5dQ&gid=0

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #51 [1-6]

by Masago: Rengay #51 (Aug 17-23, 2008), Verses 1-6 (of 6)

Summer's end — covered with a yellow / polka-dot bikini.
Hot-dog... a bite leads to / mustard spots on my shirt.
Somebody forgets / to bring the insect repellent — mosquito welts.
Ta-ta, ta-ta-ta... a sapsucker peppers / the birch with holes.
The odd leaf has turned / colour — late summer.
Bits of sunset / through the branches, a dance / on his back.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #51 [1-5]

by Masago: Rengay #51 (Aug 17-23, 2008), Verses 1-5 (of 6)

Summer's end — covered with a yellow / polka-dot bikini.
Hot-dog... a bite leads to / mustard spots on my shirt.
Somebody forgets / to bring the insect repellent — mosquito welts.
Ta-ta, ta-ta-ta... a sapsucker peppers / the birch with holes.
The odd leaf has turned / colour — late summer.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #51 [1-4]

by Masago: Rengay #51 (Aug 17-23, 2008), Verses 1-4 (of 6)


Summer's end — covered with a yellow / polka-dot bikini.
Hot-dog... a bite leads to / mustard spots on my shirt.
Somebody forgets / to bring the insect repellent — mosquito welts.
Ta-ta, ta-ta-ta... a sapsucker peppers / the birch with holes.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #51 [1-3]

by Masago: Rengay #51 (Aug 17-23, 2008), Verses 1-3 (of 6)

Summer's end — covered with a yellow / polka-dot bikini.
Hot-dog... a bite leads to / mustard spots on my shirt.
Somebody forgets / to bring the insect repellent — mosquito welts.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #51 [1-2]

by Masago: Rengay #51 (Aug 17-23, 2008), Verses 1-2 (of 6)

Summer's end — covered with a yellow / polka-dot bikini.
Hot-dog... a bite leads to / mustard spots on my shirt.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #51 [1-6]

by Masago: Rengay #51 (Aug 17-23, 2008), Verse 1 (of 6)

Summer's end — covered with a yellow / polka-dot bikini.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #50 Summary

by Masago: Rengay #50 (Aug 10-16, 2008) Summary

A Rosy Shade

Sweltering day —
he tries to cook an egg
on the sidewalk.

A few hours on the beach —
she turns a rosy shade.

Panting dog —
if only this pink lemonade
could help.

Hot night —
we try to sleep above
the sound of the fan.

An afternoon siesta —
sounds of an ice-cream truck.

Heat shimmer
on the pavement... gone,
as we drive near.

The central theme in this rengay is, of course, "Hot Weather".

Verse 1: When I was kid I recall on a summer day it got so hot that a newspaper reporter tried the stunt of trying to cook an egg on the hot sidewalk. I don't recall if he was successful but it made an interesting story on the front page.

Verse 3: Since dogs are covered in fur and have very few sweat glands (only in the pads of their paws), they aren't able to cool off by sweating. The breath dogs expel through their mouths when panting is about 10 degrees warmer than air exhaled during normal nose-breathing, evidence that a lot of body heat is being released.

Verse 6: Perhaps this is an appropriate last verse in this rengay as the summer itself seems to come and go so quickly, at least in the northern latitudes where I live.

Please click here for link details and other notes:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pcytHc47X3uBBj6VnabBefA&gid=0

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #50 [1-6]

by Masago: Rengay #50 (Aug 10-16, 2008), Verses 1-6 (of 6)

Sweltering day — he tries to cook an egg / on the sidewalk.
A few hours on the beach — she turns a rosy shade.
Panting dog — if only this pink lemonade / could help.
Hot night — we try to sleep above / the sound of the fan.
An afternoon siesta — sounds of an ice-cream truck.
Heat shimmer / on the pavement... gone, as we drive near.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #50 [1-5]

by Masago: Rengay #50 (Aug 10-16, 2008), Verses 1-5 (of 6)

Sweltering day — he tries to cook an egg / on the sidewalk.
A few hours on the beach — she turns a rosy shade.
Panting dog — if only this pink lemonade / could help.
Hot night — we try to sleep above / the sound of the fan.
An afternoon siesta — sounds of an ice-cream truck.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #50 [1-4]

by Masago: Rengay #50 (Aug 10-16, 2008), Verses 1-4 (of 6)

Sweltering day — he tries to cook an egg / on the sidewalk.
A few hours on the beach — she turns a rosy shade.
Panting dog — if only this pink lemonade / could help.
Hot night — we try to sleep above / the sound of the fan.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #50 [1-3]

by Masago: Rengay #50 (Aug 10-16, 2008), Verses 1-3 (of 6)

Sweltering day — he tries to cook an egg / on the sidewalk.
A few hours on the beach — she turns a rosy shade.
Panting dog — if only this pink lemonade / could help.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #50 [1-2]

by Masago: Rengay #50 (Aug 10-16, 2008), Verses 1-2 (of 6)

Sweltering day — he tries to cook an egg / on the sidewalk.
A few hours on the beach — she turns a rosy shade.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #50 [1]

by Masago: Rengay #50 (Aug 10-16, 2008), Verse 1 (of 6)

Sweltering day — he tries to cook an egg / on the sidewalk.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #49 Summary

by Masago: Rengay #49 (Aug 3-9, 2008) Summary

Between

The wipers almost
clean off the windshield —
bugs rest in pieces.

Pansies from her garden —
plated between panes.

Two slices
of fresh deli rye —
watercress.

Picnic table —
seven of us try
to fit around.

We all pose for the shot —
the shutter, slowly pressed.

A frog in water
flicks out its tongue —
catches a fly.

The central theme in this rengay is "Squashed".

Please click here for link details and other notes:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pcytHc47X3uCgMUukZyW0LQ&gid=0

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #49 [1-6]

Rengay Through the Seasons #49 [1-6]
by Masago: Rengay #49 (Aug 3-9, 2008), Verses 1-6 (of 6)

The wipers almost / clean off the windshield — bugs rest in pieces.
Pansies from her garden — plated between panes.
Two slices / of fresh deli rye — watercress.
Picnic table — seven of us try / to fit around.
We all pose for the shot — the shutter, slowly pressed.
A frog in water / flicks out its tongue — catches a fly.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #49 [1-5]

by Masago: Rengay #49 (Aug 3-9, 2008), Verses 1-5 (of 6)

The wipers almost / clean off the windshield — bugs rest in pieces.
Pansies from her garden — plated between panes.
Two slices / of fresh deli rye — watercress.
Picnic table — seven of us try / to fit around.
We all pose for the shot — the shutter, slowly pressed.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #49 [1-4]

by Masago: Rengay #49 (Aug 3-9, 2008), Verses 1-4 (of 6)

The wipers almost / clean off the windshield — bugs rest in pieces.
Pansies from her garden — plated between panes.
Two slices / of fresh deli rye — watercress.
Picnic table — seven of us try / to fit around.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #49 [1-3]

by Masago: Rengay #49 (Aug 3-9, 2008), Verses 1-3 (of 6)

The wipers almost / clean off the windshield — bugs rest in pieces.
Pansies from her garden — plated between panes.
Two slices / of fresh deli rye — watercress.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #49 [1-2]

by Masago: Rengay #49 (Aug 3-9, 2008), Verses 1-2 (of 6)

The wipers almost / clean off the windshield — bugs rest in pieces.
Pansies from her garden — plated between panes.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #49 [1]

by Masago: Rengay #49 (Aug 3-9, 2008), Verse 1 (of 6)

The wipers almost / clean off the windshield — bugs rest in pieces.

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #48 Summary

by Zhanna P. Rader (zh.r), and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #48 (Jul 27 - Aug 2, 2008) Summary

Tender Moments

The fisherman's shirt —
she breathes in its sea smell,
this summer night. /zh.r

He touches her negligee —
tender moments together. /vs

A nun walks by him,
with downcast eyes, trembling —
white lily, pink-edged. /zh.r

Roomful of people —
he, without even trying,
keeps noticing her. /vs

Alone with a nude model —
the young artist wipes her brow. /zh.r

Early beach morning —
he applies suntan lotion
on her sculpted form. /vs

The central theme in this rengay is, of course, "Romance". There is also an alternating pattern of Him / Her throughout each of the verses. In verse 5 there is an intentional ambiguity in that a young male artist could be wiping the female model's brow or it could be that it is a female artist wiping her own brow (and the model is a male).

Please click here for link details and other notes:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pcytHc47X3uCb-4Z9-POZTg&gid=0

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

Rengay Through the Seasons #48 [1-6]

by Zhanna P. Rader (zh.r), and Vaughn Seward (vs);
Rengay #48 (Jul 27 - Aug 2, 2008) Verses 1-6 (of 6):

The fisherman's shirt — she breathes in its sea smell, this summer night. /zh.r
He touches her negligee — tender moments together. /vs
A nun walks by him, with downcast eyes, trembling — white lily, pink-edged. /zh.r
Roomful of people — he, without even trying, keeps noticing her. /vs
Alone with a nude model — the young artist wipes her brow. /zh.r
Early beach morning — he applies suntan lotion / on her sculpted form. /vs

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.