Tan Renga Challenges

two sets of footprints
in freshly fallen snow
one pair from Kyoto                    

© Hamish Managua Gunn

the other from Osaka
did their owner’s pause to greet?

© Dolores

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Ishizuchi mo nankin no hana mo ooi nari

The flower of a pumpkin
as well as Mt. Ishizuchi
is great in scale

© Tomiyasu Fusei (1885 – 1979)

the moonflower
swallows the harvest moon

© Dolores

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The “hokku” of today is by me, so it is a tanka., not a Tan Renga

 

autumn evening
like whispered prayers
leaves float away
in the silence left behind
a hint of fresh hope

© Dolores

Day 2 – Summer Retreat unconditional love

Carpe Diem Summer Retreat 2017 (unconditional)

summer’s evening
love lies bleeding 
in the moonlight
anticipation flows
two red hearts beat as one

Credit – amaranthus “love lies bleeding” –

summer blossoms
an endless season
filled with love

Day 1 Spring Retreat unconditional love

Carpe Diem Summer Retreat 2017 (unconditional)

first full summer moon
unconditional love spills
across the miles

~~~

summer moonlight walk
air tinged with fragrant perfume
frogs serenading
your warm hand slips into mine
memories and dreams aroused

Potted Plant

Carpe Diem #1175 Theme Week Hafiz (1) potted plant

preparing seed trays
in celebration of spring
planting new species

removed from the dark
my potted plant plant takes a drink
reaches toward sunlight

 

 

earth day
pulling the wagon
we take a walk
in celebration
you pick up trash

 

weeding the garden
I leave some dead nettle
for emerging bees

Filtered Light

Carpe Diem #1172 filtered light

filtered light dances
across the bedroom floor
you try to catch it
I laugh as you play
filling my world with joy

Wounded Heart

frosted heads bow
aging before our eyes
youth not so long ago

 

spring storm
the rose buds now
encased in ice

 

autumn rain
drowning our tears
your hand in mine

 

 

I return
to your door way
broken
my hat in my hand
hope in my heart

 

 

Matsuyama City

Carpe Diem #1161 Matsuyama City birth-place of Shiki

Haiku Poems bMasaoki Shikiold

garden—she empties
a hot-water bottle
under the moon

fanning out its tail
in the spring breeze,
see—a peacock!

spring rain:
browsing under an umbrella
at the picture-book store

I found Shiki also wrote Tanka

the bucket’s water
poured out and gone,
drop by drop
dew drips like pearls
from the autumn flowers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I do not know the day
my pain will end yet
in the little garden
I had them plant
seeds of autumn flowers

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in memory of
the spring now passing
I drew
the long clusters of wisteria
that move like waves

My poms for Matsuyama

 

guarding the mountain
a serpentine rock rises
from Setonaikai

~~~

Matsuyama castle
lovely birds eye view
for cherry blossoms

My poems inspired by Shiki

late winter
browsing the aisles
at the flea market

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

in hopes of spring
I clean the wet leaves
from the garden
each shoot  of green
gently uncovered