Jane Reichhold

embracing light ~ haiku

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr / 4 Comments

Carpe Diem #1782 freestyling haiku … Devouring Apricots invites us to revise four haiku by Jane Reichhold (in blue) in a way that does not adhere to the rule of 5-7-5 for haiku, instead having minimal wording.

Source: ukiyo-e.org
Asters and Bluebird
Yoshimoto Gesso

light carried in my arms
apple blossoms from a neighbor
on my doorstep

devouring apricots
the fine hairs of er mustache
moist and juicy

broken by the storm
the asters’ fragrance rises
out of damp earth

rusty red the bracken
its shape lost as the cold
takes the bird’s wing

© Jane Reichhold

embracing light
apple blossom gift
most welcome

apricots
on luscious lips
moistening

damp earth
yields spent asters’ essence
storm’s fragrance

bracken darkens
wilting in the cold
of lost wings

cricket meditates ~ haiku

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr / 9 Comments

cricket meditates
considers silence of loss
broken by dry leaves


September 11th brings to me a need to write something about the loss of that day in 2001,
but each year I find myself at a loss for words. All I have for today is this haiku.


Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #101 Photoshopping Haiku “Cricket Silence”
asks us to revise the following haiku:

cricket silence
between scraping sounds
autumn begins
© Jane Reichhold

Image source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Earthworm and Cricket, by Kitagawa Utamaro

dancing on the beach ~ renga

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr / 12 Comments

Carpe Diem #1697 Renga with Jane Reichhold … placing the flute
asks us to create a renga (or chain of verses) by following
each provided haiku by Jane Reichhold (in blue), in any order, with two lines.
A “closed chain” is attained when the hokku (starting verse)
and ageku (closing verse) connect in a way to make “the circle” complete.

dancing on the beach
I jab a stick into the sky
to break up the blue

sun giving way to shadow
welcome relief of evening

days so complete
words become the calls of birds
the high tide wind

carries the scent of sea foam
mingling with all most pleasant

wind perfumed
from a woman’s shoulder
desert night

carried across the mountains
like a song riding the breeze

placing the flute
against her lips something
slips into place

a tune that piques the senses
with charms that arouse desire

moon white water
lovers in the secret cove
Saturday night

long hours gazing at the stars
wisdom reaching through the years

I’m not old
all night my eyes have held
the ancient stars

until deep dark of night sky
yields to light of morning’s blue

Images source: pexels.com / Dominika Roseclay

fragrance of flowers ~ fusion troiku

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr / 14 Comments

The prompt for Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation # 88 Crossroads – sea cliffs
starts with two haiku by Jane Reichhold (in blue) to be used to create a “fusion” haiku,
which then is to be the base to create a troiku.

coming to sea cliffs
the off-shore breeze raises
a flower fragrance

curving with the land
a rainbow of clouds
moves out to sea
                      © Jane Reichhold
~~~~~~~

fragrance of flowers
warm breeze rising from sea cliffs
rainbow between clouds

fragrance of flowers
floating on the summer air
gulls fly overhead

warm breeze rising from sea cliffs
bringing sweet scent of fresh air
rain a memory

rainbow between clouds
reflection of scene below
flowers above cliffs

A troiku is three haiku, with each of the three lines from a suggested haiku as the first line of each haiku in the troiku. It’s not always possible to have a 5-7-5 format in the second haiku, due to the limitations of the suggested haiku. The name of the form is derived from “troika,” a sled or carriage drawn by three horses harnessed side-by-side, an iconic symbol of Imperial Russia.

Troika

In addition, this troiku also fits the prompt
for Frank Tassone’s #Haikai Challenge 89: fragrant breeze.

Image sources:
ukiyo-e.org – Tshushima, by Utagawa Hiroshige
wikimedia.org (troika)

gathering flowers ~ troiku

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr / 25 Comments

Carpe Diem #1672 Troiku Month – unexpected guests offers
a haiku by Jane Reichhold (in blue) to be used to create a troiku.

gathering flowers
unexpected guests
come to dinner
               © Jane Reichhold
~~~~~~~

gathering flowers
hidden bee loose in the house
unpleasant surprise

unexpected guests
pleased by colorful blossoms
many compliments

come to dinner
join our impromptu party
all guests are welcome

A troiku is three haiku, with each of the three lines from a suggested haiku as the first line of each haiku in the troiku. It’s not always possible to have a 5-7-5 format in the second haiku, due to the limitations of the suggested haiku. The name of the form is derived from “troika,” a sled or carriage drawn by three horses harnessed side-by-side, an iconic symbol of Imperial Russia.

Troika

Image sources
ukiyo-e.org – Flowers in Vase, by Bakufu Ohno
Wikimedia Commons (troika)

leading away from the shore ~ tan renga

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr / 10 Comments

grass on river bank.jpg

late summer
alone on the beach
with only tracks
               © Jane Reichhold

leading away from the shore
to unknown destination

journey continues
following unknown footsteps
with new direction

traveler seeking answers
absent for many seasons

beyond falling leaves
lessons learned in falling snow
blossoms come and go

wind whispers in drying grass
all revealed on reaching home

The challenge for Carpe Diem #1664 Tan Renga Hineri “only tracks” is one with a twist (hineri). A haiku by Jane Reichhold (in blue) is to be followed by two lines, as usual. These must be followed by another haiku, and then another two lines – with the optional challenge of adding another haiku and two lines. In effect, it’s almost a solo renga, except for the first haiku by Jane Reichhold. As with renga, the last stanza (ageku) should lead back to the first (hokku).

Image source: Wikimedia Commons
(Wind Blown Grass Across the Moon, by Utagawa Hiroshige)

From Ashes to Ocean Spray ~ tan renga

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr / 14 Comments

These are my responses to Tan Renga Challenges #1654 to #1657. In a Tan Renga, a two-line stanza is written to follow a single given haiku, creating a tanka. Below, each of the given haiku (in blue) is accompanied by the name of its author, followed by my response.

#1654 Smoldering Fireplace

smouldering fireplace
the sweet perfume of burned herbs
loneliness grabs my throat
               © Chèvrefeuille

love completely exhausted
leaving nothing but ashes

#1655 Beautiful Ugliness

banana-tree
unworthy to look at
beautiful ugliness
               © Yozakura

staying cool within its shade
thankful for its tasty fruit

#1656 Dandelion and Butterfly

a dandelion
now and then interrupting
the butterfly’s dream
               © Chiyo-Ni

airy white and fragile wings
both dancing on gentle breeze

#1657 Ocean Sanctuary

sunday morning
all the waves in white
kneeling on the beach
               © Jane Riechhold

sun shining through ocean spray
seeing beauty in new light

dreaming of moonlight ~ tanka

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr / 22 Comments

your sleeping breath
night rain revives the earth
waves of sea air
in bright yellow daffodils
nod to the dark wind
                    © Jane Reichhold

dreaming of moonlight
finding its way through the clouds
moving in the breeze
wet grass shining in new light
as tree frogs call in response

The prompt for Tanka Splendor – Daffodils is to write a tanka
inspired by one written by Jane Reichhold (in blue).

Image source: Green Tree Frog – Missouri Department of Conservation