Friday, May 16, 2014

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #35, Managua's "let the ravens come"


Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's time again for a new CD Tan Renga Challenge ... time flies. For this week I have chosen a haiku composed by Managua of "Fresh From a Hermit's Forest" in response of our prompt "Raven".

As you all know the goal of this Tan Renga Challenge is to write/compose a second stanza (classical 7-7 syllables) towards the given haiku. You don't have to use the 7-7 rule, but if you would like to do so, well feel free ...

Here is the haiku by Managua which is our first stanza (5-7-5) of this Tan Renga.

let the ravens come

let them smile as they pick the flesh
from the battlefield


Credits: Raven

It's a ''dark-toned'' haiku, but that is also haiku and I think Raven is associated to darkness and death. It will not be easy to write/compose a second stanza towards this haiku to make the Tan Renga complete, but ... I have to try ...

let the ravens come
let them smile as they pick the flesh
from the battlefield
         (Managua)

all what remains of this battle
the sweet dreams of green grass
            (Chèvrefeuille)

I think this is a great second stanza it's inspired on the day after the battle as peace has returned and with a haiku composed by Basho in mind. That haiku by Basho is the following:

summer grass--
all that remains
of warriors' dreams

© Matsuo Basho (this haiku is part of his wellknown haibun "The Narrow Road into the Deep North'' (or Oku-no-Hosomichi)

Well ... it's a real challenge this week so good luck ... have fun, be inspired and share your continuation or completion of this Tan Renga with us all here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. This episode of our Tan Renga Challenge is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until Friday May 23rd at noon (CET).


3 comments:

  1. I love your first tan renga here.

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  2. When I read your haiku I think of the (more or less local) preserved battle of Gettysburg, PA

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg,_Pennsylvania

    While it is always a tragedy to go to war I think it is worse when brother vs. brother in civil (or rather very uncivil) wars.

    Thank you for your visit to my post on this piece (and other pieces too).

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  3. What a beautiful Haiku by MG and an equally fitting completion by you Kristjaan :-)Am back after a long hiatus and was thrilled to read a story on Indian mythology-that too one I wasn't aware of:-)I have been writing very less recently-some health issues and it is too hot here to do anything.Missed CD and everyone here.Feels good to be here and will go and post my Tan Renga now-hope to read all the entries though I may not comment as much as before-hope you all will understand .Will also check out the challenges that are open and hoping to participate in more of these.Take care and God bless :-)

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