Rengay Through the Seasons #3 [1-6] Summary

by Masago: Rengay 3, Verses 1-6 (of 6) Summary

Pile of Spruce

Little beggar... squirreling away pine cones / in our roof.
A layer of dark moss, on each cedar shake.
Yellowing larch — the wind shakes more needles / onto the ground.
A seedling fir, nearly covered in leaves — forest clearing.
Alpine meadow flowers... the added scent of juniper.
A field mouse / darts into the pile of spruce — mountain hut.

This rengay's first verse about squirrels is based on a real-life battle we've been fighting. We live in an old neigbourhood (circa 1930) with lots of tall evergreens which attract many squirrels. In past years they somehow found a way to get into the attic and they loved to store pine cones up there. When I first went in the attic I was amazed at the huge pile of pine cones in one corner. I have since repaired the few places where they were getting in and we now currently are winning this battle.

The central theme of this rengay is "conifers" (evergreens). Each of the main species of conifers are mentioned in different verses: Pine, Cedar, Larch, Fir, Juniper, and Spruce.

There is a second theme of "accumulations": pine cones in the attic, layers of moss on the cedar shakes, larch needles on the ground, fallen leaves on the seedling fir, the scent of juniper added to that of the alpine flowers, and the pile of spruce firewood.

As the first verse references a small animal (squirrel) it seems appropriate to have the last verse also reference a small animal (mouse). Both little animals are unwelcome intruders. Although our house is not a mountain hut we sometimes feel that it is.

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