Tan Renga Invitation: A Silent Cry

flight of the eagle

flight of the eagle, used by permission of Kristjaan Panneman

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #28, “a silent cry”

flight of the eagle
stepping into the world of dreams –
a silent cry

[.........(c) Chèvrefeuille]

message from my spirit guide,
pale head pacing the north wind

arctic air crushes
frost settles over rivers
cold bites off dreams

[…………..your two lines here]

Note: In Tan Renga, poets alternate writing of haiku and “rejoinders” which are two lines, seven syllables each. The first haiku was written by  Kristjaan Panneman (Chèvrefeuille). His challenge is for another poet to add two lines to his 3-line haiku, making the combined poem a tan renga. I then added another haiku, and I invite anyone who wants to, please write a 2 line (ideally 7 syllables each) rejoinder to my new haiku in a comment or on your own post…

Further Note: Tan Renga is a Japanese poetry tradition of one author supplying a haiku and then next a 7-7 syllable rejoinder. (The form would be a tanka if written by one person, but is a tan renga if written by two.) Poets can alternate haiku and 7-7 rejoinders as long as they like, sort of a crazy poets party game.

Edit: Jules and Beth both added more rejoinders (aka 7-7s) and haiku, and we have written a long, dreamy sequence on Jules site. Thanks to everyone, this crazy poet has really enjoyed the back and forthing!! 

References:

http://thewordshop.tripod.com/asian/Japan/tanrenga.html
http://thewordshop.tripod.com/asian/Japan/rengadef.html
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Renga

Oak Leaf Tanka

IMG_2789

small oak sapling sways
leaves bob in the bitter wind
frosted with snowflakes

waving to fallen leaf friends
oak leaf lingers to kiss spring buds

Copyright 2014 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: A Tanka is a Japanese poetry form that has five lines with syllable counts per line of 5, 7, 5, 7, and 7. In another way of thinking of it, a Tanka is a haiku with two longer seven-syllable lines added as a second stanza. Some purists find fault with any rhyming within the poem. The third line is intended to be a turning point, or a pivot, about which the meaning of the poem turns or changes. I don’t know if my poem achieved that or not. I enjoyed learning about it, and I hope you’ll give it a try, too.

References:

http://www.edu.pe.ca/stjean/playing%20with%20poetry/Hennessey/how_to_write_a_tanka_poem.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/reference/examples/examples-of-tanka-poetry.html
http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/news/how-to-write-a-tanka-poem/