Best Rengay Poems
Words in italic by Angeline Lim
Words in regular font by Timothy Hicks
Hydrangea blues
blooming in seven colors
versatile at heart
Storm clouds in a tantrum and yet
the rainbow
Gently wipes away a facade
reveals a layer
hidden within
Pretty just like yesterday
red-hot pokers
Playing fireworks
on lovers' palates
scintillating senses
The shared spaghetti noodle
growing shorter
Sunlight fading
into a sweet dream
aromatic Osmanthus
'tween the slits of enclosed fingers
flashes of a firefly
Smolders of passion
unfolding within
Chrysanthemum mysteries
Instead of the bee
her tender touch
Frozen fixture
all the yellow once in the field
now in the moon
Aesthetic display
of a crystallized Rose quartz
The snowy hills
at this time a strange warmth
morning blush
Purplish Crocuses
pop their cheerful heads up kisses blown
Thinking himself
to be King Arthur
startled butterflies
Surprised Tulips
opening lips with an exclamation
August heat!
there goes the evidence
of the snail
Spiraling down a Corkscrew vine
into a time portal
P.S. Haven't been on lately ... hope all is well with everyone :)
Tender me a kiss
a brush of lips upon my cheek
gentle, loving, fragile wish, sheik
to set my soul afire, soft and weak.
Whisper love and comfort, joy and peace
to right this world so that war and hate will cease.
Tender me a kiss, some long goodbye
when all I sense and feel would make me cry
but hidden safe within the confines,
hope continues to abide.
In your hurry dispel all fears and worries compromising
tender me a kiss, anticipation waits on the horizon.
A collaborative poem, written in renga format, or "linked-verse", by Timothy Hicks and Jesse Whitehead.
Verses in normal font are by me.
Verses in italic are by Jesse Whitehead.
January jest
drawing mustaches
in the newspaper
coffee to warm the hands
walking the railroad
refusing
to stay put
a child's balloon
spring in her step
red moon overhead
has dusk come already?
the field of tulips
seem to say
unwavering and gentle
strong as stone
mountain peaks
wind through summer meadows
a tender caress
lying there still
a heart-shaped mark
steady rhythm
ebb of the tide
broken shells
spiraling earthward
the last golden leaf
fading in and out
memories sweetly touched
a dancing flame
burning through pages
another x on the calendar
NOTE: This was my first attempt at a Renga poem, written in collaboration, with one of my best friends from Idaho, Jesse Whitehead. He's one of the few friends of mine whom I could discuss writing with. Though he typically writes fiction and stories, rather than poetry, he was willing to give this poetry format a go; and to my knowledge this was his first time writing poetry. It's a fun little challenge that I hope you all will give a try!
Verses in italics by Jesse Whitehead
Verses in normal font by Timothy Hicks
birds in tuxedos
marching through snow
stifled laughter
a pair of short legs
behind the coats
patient as molasses
a surprise in waiting
tiny curled toes
it slipped through the claws
of a brown pelican
sharp as eggshells
words on deaf ears
nary a shrug
the stillness of earth
before receiving the rain
howling wolf
warm tears in the sky
silent moon
atop the pine-wood mantel
the treasured baseball
smoldering campfire
toasted marshmallows
precious longing
she pulls a Jurassic Park
turning on the gramophone
September sun
the wheels on the bus
through leaves and leaves
last stop
says the cattle driver
despite the breadth of these plains
my heart doesn't stray
chilly breath
beating drums
penny tossed to the curve
change of scenery
branches replacing winter
with wisteria
ladybugs gliding
through purple haze
hitting
the teacher's back instead
paper airplane
vapor trails
across the pale fields
did you see that one?
catching only the coattails
of a summer star
but alas
penguins cannot fly
children's laughter...
a boy and girl carve out
a jack-o-lantern
Deep orange pumpkin gutted
The scent of roasted brown seeds
gasps...
the small lantern's grin and eyes are lit
by flickering candle light
The eerie light's shadow danced
A coyote howled in tune
an owl hoots...
the moon emerges from clouds
as bats flap across the sky
Full moon reveals surprise
Ghosts' wispy gown races
shrieks and giggles...
little fingers drop candy and point
towards the sky
A tiny night rider floats
Little eyelids close softly
Written by Jack Horne and Sara Kendrick
For Diane's collaborative poem contest
Jack Horne the Haiku
Sara Kendrick the couplets
children's laughter
a boy and girl carve out
a jack-o-lantern
deep orange pumpkin gutted
the scent of roasted brown seeds
gasps - -
the small lantern's grin and eyes are lit
by flickering candle light
The eerie light's shadows danced
A coyote howled in tune
an owl hoots - -
the moon emerges from clouds
as bats flap across the sky
Full moon reveals surprises
Ghosts' wispy gown races fast
shrieks and giggles - -
little fingers drop candy and point
towards the sky
A tiny night rider floats
Little eyelids close softly
written by Jack Horne and Sara Kendrick for Diane's contest
a weathervane still
points east 'pon gray ancient barn...
fall's air rust tractors
the vain weathervane speaks east
and rust grows though no one knows
rusty John Deere sits
outside engine deep in grass...
bucks face off for fight
the leaves are falling
revealing the trees fractures
fall air thrust factors
crimson, gold, and red leaves fall
farm lake ~ mural of the scene
John Deere the artist
tractors in the grass like clouds
wearing the weather
Rengay
Collaboration between Poet # 1 and Poet # 2
Poet # One, 1, 3, 5
Poet # Two...2, 4, 6
Blue evening dress
Topographical cleavage
Nurturing mother
Father Sky reigns high
Soft touch on her horizon
Her head covered with
A wintery Arctic scarf
With white pumps to match
He caresses her
His radiant passion flames
Heating up her womb
Encompassing her with love
Warm and cold climatic touch
His breath cools her skin
Tenderly moistening earth
Life springs from within
Dancing breezes
Bursts of sun
Crisp apple autumn day
Leaves twirl upwards with a flourish
Spurning twigs that yearn to cling
Lovers pass by, their laughter lingers
Dark clouds obscure the sun
Colors change to shadows blurred
Gone is the beauty in the rust and gold
Longing is found in the chill as the sky surrenders
One drop of rain falls and a lonely blackbird takes wing
Windblown and cold
I breathe in your sweater's scent
Never more
Will you reach out to intercept
A falling leaf
____________________________________________________________________________
Collaboration between Sharon Weimer and Carrie Richards
for Debbie Guzzi's "Twining" contest
So confined to the boxes is she who
Tries to free herself from them
Breaking down barriers of all political and cultural design
Constructing opportunities and
Imagining their trite and expected
Downfalls
She, who reigns supreme in the art
Of lability
The morning being the promise
The afternoon, the despair
The night, a restless dance to
Hopeful unknowing
So that it may all begin anew
And she may float with ambition,
Flirt with lofty goals
(Which are so very tangible once realized to a more substantial degree)
All through which comes the
Bitter devastation
The cerebral revelation
For her mind and the World work in harmoniously demonizing tandem to erase the sketches of a life
Of her own craft
Awesome Faith
Ask and you will maybe see,
Seek an you will bloody find,
Listen, you might bloody hear,
Shut your eyes, and you are blind,
Visualize and it appears,
Comes forth, out of your mind,
Close your mind,
It dissapears,
Faithless always comes behind,
Now aint that ***** :)
Don Johnson
Karmic seeds once sown,
Thought, I’d reap fruits by me grown,
Spring came, soon was gone,
And turned to summer too soon,
And fruitless far my fortune!
It dawned: I might sow,
But it pays if I well know:
My job’s just to sow,
Man no more can than propose,
Someone sits there to dispose.
______________________________
Rengay |16.02.2022|
Poet’s note: A twelfth century poetic style in Japan, Rengay started as a collaborative form of poetry, with two stanzas, the first called Hokku, later became Haiku of seventeen syllables in three lines. The next stanza is a couplet of seven syllables each in both the lines.
The trees smile for its been a while
To see the sprinkle of colours
Bewildering shades in blues and reds
Celebrate the coming of Holi
The canvas of earth with tints of mirth
And happiness, peace and delight
Splashes of vibrant flashy hues
Spring colours abound in flowers
A full moon and people swoon
Lighting the holy fire
The crimson blaze and Holika in lace
Is devoured year after year
Holi-An Indian festival of colours
Holika- An effigy burnt in the purifying fire, an end of evil
Wotcha doin alookin at me dat way?
I can see you old enough an you wanna play.
Well let me tell ya sistah I may be a senior mistah
But I still know how to play.
Baby. I'ma dirty old man.
A Dirty old man.
I'm a Dirty old man you mama warned you about.
Dirty old man.
Wotcha doin alookin at me dat way?
Wotcha doin alickin on you lip at me?
I can tell you hot enough an want me t'see.
Well let me tell ya sistah I may be a senior mistah
But I still know what I see.
Baby. I'ma dirty old man.
A Dirty old man.
I'ma Dirty old man you mama warned you about.
Dirty old man.
Wotcha doin alickin on you lip at me?
Dirty old man. Dirty old man. Dirty old man.
I'ma dirty old man.
A Dirty old man.
I'ma Dirty old man you mama warned you about.
The Bulldog Gets Married
The day is perfect:
Sunlight gold
Sapphire blue
The skies smile down upon us
Silence rings with joy.
She too, stands perfect:
Her Beauty pure
Her dress like snow
Swirls about her flawless youth;
The quiet music starts.
Together we walk
Hand in hand,
Stone by stone
Her future waits before us,
Shining in the sun.
She who won my heart
Rules his today;
There he stands,
Ablaze with love and honor
Watching our approach.
The final end of Childhood comes
As with one kiss
All is sealed
With public vows and rings
All who witness much approve.
The photographs
Are duly taken
The friends all laugh in love
As my daughter rules her Day
With not the slightest show of effort
The Past enfolds the Present
As we lift each glass and toast
We all accept our Futures
As the sun smiles on us all,
Enfolding us in light
Shared memories fill
The festive air
The dying Summer
Stretches out in languid Peace
To make this Day Eternal
Yet even Eternities end,
Making way for others;
The Forever light of Childhood
Yields to Infinite Adulthood, that to Age,
On into the starry Night approaching with the shadows...
Pair by Pair
The guests depart
The Couple leaves to start their Life.
The silent Wheel turns ever on,
Bearing us upon its rim.
So she who owns my heart
Leaves holding his;
All is as such things should Be.
A Summer dies, a Fall begins;
The Quiet rains around us.
A Forever Day, this Day;
A piece of What Will Ever Be:
Love and Laughter
Wrapped in gold and sapphire,
In a Silence that rings with Joy.