Soliloquy No Renga – “moon rise” by Basho – May 30, 2015

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moonlight

tsuki shiro ya hiza ni te o oku yoi no yado

moon rise
holding their hands on their knees
evening at a house

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

reflecting on the moon rise
a long past spring evening

half-moon or full
laughing smiles and harmony
a hooty owl

mother in the kitchen
father drinking his rye

commenting moon shine
to pass away the night hours
young lovers smile

thinking of their love’s desire
forbidden for a while

future yet unknown
their passion would blossom
under a full moon

wedding bells pealed in June
now they watch young lovers

under a moon rise
sitting primly on the swing
evening at home

the moon smiles her wisdom
another owl hoots his song

© G.s.k. 15

Today’s episode on Carpe Diem Haiku Kai by Basho is a hokku … the beginning stanza of a renga.  Chèvrefeuille to challenge us has requested we write an eight stanza response known as a “soliloquy no renga” … which is what I’ve attempted to do with the series of haiku above – I imagine parents recalling their courtship as they watch their child courting under a moon rise.

9 thoughts on “Soliloquy No Renga – “moon rise” by Basho – May 30, 2015”

  1. this held my attention throughout. So well constructed.
    This prompt was a bit like a final exam 🙂 to test what we had learned over this Basho month. Such an enjoyable month.

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    • Thanks Joanna for the fine compliment … it was a bit of a tall order this one .. hadn’t thought of a final exam, but you might be right there!

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  4. Really beautiful and so well rounded and full 😉

    Definitely fell into the cycle and of it – so simple, yet so powerful – words that can echo like the wise owl’s cry. 😀

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