The Renhai Pages: July 2012

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Trapped in Loneliness: Renhai No. XXX

by Rita Odeh (ro) and John Daleiden (jd)

the sudden silence
of the caged love bird...
cloudy sky       /ro

a kite trapped in an oak tree—       /jd
the tiny sparrow's song lingers     /ro

at the bistro
she sips wine alone...waiting...
laughter all around       /jd

Archive Id: xxx
John Daleiden: USA
Rita Odeh: Israel
Written: May 7-10, 2012

Theme: Trapped / Entrapment; a secondary and parallel theme of loneliness is associated with the trapped theme.
Season: Spring
Kigo: kite: "tako": Observances: The Haiku Handbook. William J. Higginson with Penny Harter, p. 269.
Verse Form:
Process: Forward: 2A,2B; 1; 3

Links 1 / 2: caged bird / trapped kite; caged bird / free sparrow (b)
Links 2 / 3: kite, bird are alone / the woman is alone
Links 3 / 1: laughter / silence (opposite emotions)

Another Scoop: Renhai No. 20

by John Daleiden (jd) & Vaughn Seward (vs)

An orange crane
lifts immense steel girders—
changing skyline. /jd

A piece of string in the beak— /vs
among tree buds, a new nest. /jd

Backyard sandbox—
the boy's backhoe lifts
another scoop. /vs

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 20
John Daleiden: USA
Vaughn Seward: Canada
Written: May 6-8, 2008

Theme: Horizons
Season: Spring (Middle)
Kigo: Tree buds; New nest
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Crane / Bird; Building / Nest; Macro / Micro
Links 2/3: Nest / Sandbox; Beak / Backhoe
Links 3/1: Crane / Backhoe; Construction site; Human; Child / Adult

Notes: The middle verse of this Renhai inspired two other Renhai by Vaughn and John which formed this triad:

Renhai 20: Another Scoop; Theme: Horizons
Renhai 27: Sringing Things; Theme: Making useful things; String
Renhai 40: Sunrise, Sunset; Theme: Cycle of change in the natural world

Stringing Things: Renhai No. 27

by John Daleiden (jd) & Vaughn Seward (vs)

In the Parlor
women stitch quilt blocks—
the twitter of birds. /jd

A piece of string in the beak— /vs
among tree buds, a new nest. /jd

Babbling brook—
for a fishing pole the boys
find a stick. /vs

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 27
John Daleiden: USA
Vaughn Seward: Canada
Written: May 6-8, 2008

Theme: Making useful things; String
Season: Spring (Middle)
Kigo: Tree buds; New nest
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2a: Birds.
Links 1/2b: Parlor / Nest.
Links 2a/3: Beak / Fishing pole.
Links 2b/3: Tree / Stick.
Links 3/1: Babbling / Twittering; Boys / Women.

Notes: This Renhai is part of a triad by Vaughn and John that was inspired a common middle verse: Renhai 20: Another Scoop; Theme: Horizons
Renhai 27: Sringing Things; Theme: Making useful things; String: Renhai 40: Sunrise, Sunset: Theme: Cycle of change in the natural world

Spring Essence: Renhai No. 31

by Gillena Cox (gc) & John Daleiden (jd)

Lost, lost! I am lost
in a dark and frightening wood —
full Spring moon tonight. /jd

The problem now resolved— /gc
my soul is up on the roof. /jd

With doubtful mind
timidily raising the lid—
stack of old letters. /gc

in Renhai Studio

Sunrise, Sunset: Renhai No. 40

by Vaughn Seward (vs) & John Daleiden (jd)

Coral ledge—
a seahorse expels babies
from his pouch. /vs

A piece of string in the beak— /vs
among tree buds, a new nest. /jd

In the garden rocks
a snake waits for prey—
sunrise, sunset. /jd

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 40
Vaughn Seward: Canada
John Daleiden: USA
Written: May 8-14, 2008

Theme: Cycle of change in the natural world
Season: Spring (Middle)
Kigo: New nest
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2a: Pouch / Beak.
Links 1/2b: Buds / Babies.
Links 2a/3: String / Snake
Links 2b/3: Nest / Garden rocks.
Links 3/1: Rocks / Coral Ledge.

Notes: This Renhai is part of a triad by Vaughn and John that was inspired by a common middle verse:Renhai 20: Another Scoop; Theme: Horizons
Renhai 27: Sringing Things; Theme: Making useful things; String
Renhai 40: Sunrise, Sunset; Theme: Cycle of change in the natural world

A Tie That Binds: Solo Renhai No. 43

by John Daleiden

telephone booth
dialing long distance to reach
your distant heart

in your burnished treasure chest
our tattered love letters

my photograph
in your gold locket
precious memories

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 43
John Daleiden: USA
Written: May 14-16, 2008

Theme: Love Remaining Ardent Despite Distant; Separation
Season: All Season
Kigo: n/a
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Telephone booth / Treasure chest.
Links 2/3: Treasure chest / Gold locket.
Links 3/1: Gold locket / Telephone booth.

Notes: The links above are physical connections to the abstract concept of a love relationship between two people. But at another level there are connections describing love that is "distant", "tattered", and "precious":

Link 1/2: Distant heart / Tattered love letters.
Link 2/3: Tattered love letters / Ancient memories.
Link 3/1: Precious memories / Distant heart.

The lines in verse 3 are unpunctuated because line 2 is a pivot line; this is a suitable choice because it indicates a line of continuation—the unbroken chain and links of love.

No end punctuation is used in this renhai; the love is continuous between the two people even though distance is a factor. The use of a period would indicate segments and lack of continuation.

The Last Rose: Renhai No. 45

by Shanna Baldwin-Moore (sbm) & John Daleiden (jd)

comet dust falls
from the milky way
another century /sbm

stargazer, reader of omens /sbm
divining tea leaves at breakfast /jd

the ultimate end,
catastrophic sky rocks—
the roses wither /jd

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 45
Shanna Baldwin-Moore: USA
John Daleiden: USA
Written: May 15-16, 2008

Theme: Prophetic prediction
Season: All Season
Kigo: n/a
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Comet dust & milky way / Stargazer & Divining.
Links 2/3: Omens & Divining / Ultimate end & Catastrophic.
Links 3/1: Wither / Century: here we have a juxtaposition of opposite — instead of additional centuries of time, we have an end of time as we know it.

Notes: The theme's prophetic prediction is of the end of life on earth as it is now known.

"The Last Rose of Summer" is a poem by Irish poet Thomas Moore, who was a friend of Byron and Shelley. Moore wrote it in 1805 while at Jenkinstown Park in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Sir John Stevenson set the poem to its beautiful melody and it was published in a collection of Moore's work called Irish Melodies (1807-34). It was made popular in the twenty first century in a recording by Charlotte Church and the Irish Tenors.

Comments about these verses:

Verse 2: Line 1: The "stargazer" who reads "omens" is a person seeking to know the future by looking into the depths of the physical universe, the galactic realms; from observations the "stargazer" can read omens; in Line 2, the same skill, "divining" the future by reading "tea leaves", is employed, but this time in a more confined time frame, "at breakfast". Hence, the two lines immerse the reader in the micro and macro frames of time.

Verse 1: The images "comet dust" and "milky way" are linked to "stargazer", verse 1, line 1. It is these objects that the "stargazer" sees: the "milky way" is a barred spiral galaxy. Although the Milky Way is one of billions of galaxies in the observable universe, the Milky Way Galaxy has special significance to humanity as it is the home galaxy of the planet Earth. The plane of the Milky Way galaxy is visible from Earth as a band of light in the night sky, and it is the appearance of this band of light which has inspired the name for our galaxy. A less observable object is the "comet dust" mentioned in verse 1, line 1. These two phenomena suggest an ongoing time continimum to the reader, hence, "another century". Line 3 suggests a longevity of time extending both into the past and the future. Cosmic scientists say it is extremely difficult to define the age at which the Milky Way formed, but the age of the oldest star in the Galaxy yet discovered is estimated to be about 13.2 billion years, nearly as old as the Universe itself. Thus, the two methods of fortelling the future in verse 2 seem to be suggesting a linear continumum extending through time and space as a future condition.

An omen (also called portent or presage) is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. Interpretation of omens and prophetic signs is a form of divination. Omens may be considered "good" or "bad", but the term is more often used in a foreboding sense, as with the word "ominous".

Verse 3 is a prophetic prediction of an end to "things" as we know it now in the status quo. Verse 3 is a doomsday prediction of catastrophe on a galactic level, where the skies of the earth are bombarded with rocks from the skies. One result is the destruction of life on earth as we now know it. The "roses wither" is a symbolic acknowledgement of this life altering change. The rose was selected for inclusion in verse 3 as a symbol of longevity of life on earth. Roses have been in existence for around 32 million years.

The meaning of roses: http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Pointless/Roses.html

The rose plant has many other symbols as well, the leaves of a rose symbolize hope, a crown of roses symbolizes superior merit, and many others. I like 'The Last Rose' as a title because it has the following literary overtones:

The Last Rose of Summer is a poem by Irish poet Thomas Moore, who was a friend of Byron and Shelley. Moore wrote it in 1805 while at Jenkinstown Park in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Sir John Stevenson set the poem to its beautiful melody and it was published in a collection of Moore's work called Irish Melodies (1807-34). It was made popular in the twenty first century in a recording by Charlotte Church and the Irish Tenors.

'Tis the last rose of summer'

Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
No rosebud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes,
To give sigh for sigh.
I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!
To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter,
Thy leaves o'er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.
So soon may I follow,
When friendships decay,
From Love's shining circle
The gems drop away.
When true hearts lie withered
And fond ones are flown,
Oh! who would inhabit,
This bleak world alone?

Blue Blue, God Loves You: Renhai No. 67

by Gillena Cox (gc) & John Daleiden (jd)

emancipation village—
hand dyed indigo cloths at
bargain prices /gc

Flash of blue grey; a Blue Jean! /gc
rain clouds converge on blue skies /jd

a touch of blue
in the monsoon sky—
arroyos awash /jd

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 67
Gillena Cox: Trinidad and Tobago
John Daleiden: USA
Written: July 29, 2008

Theme: Blue
Season: Summer (Rainy Season, Late Summer)
Kigo: Blue Jean
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Bargain intimating a convergence of buyers.
Links 2/3: Things happening in a flash (Bird / rainfall).
Links 3/1: Touch / Hand.

Notes: Blue Jean, called that in Trinidad & Tobago, is also referred to as Blue Bird, and Blue Grey Tanager:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Birds/Index/default.cfm?id=905

Emancipation village: a temporary site for an Afrocentric fair leading up to Emancipation Day, which commemorates the abolition of Transatlantic Slavery in the Caribbean; August 1st, Emancipation Day Holiday in Trinidad and Tobago:
http://kenyasaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/08/emancipation-day.html

Reading The Signs: Solo Renhai No. 73

by John Daleiden

in the autumn dusk
geese rest on the farm pond—
red sky tonight

color in the valley trees
dew glistens on the corn rows

a scarecrow dances
beneath the harvest moon
shadows lengthen

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 73
John Daleiden: USA
Written: October 1, 2008

Theme: Change of Season
Season: Autumn
Kigo: autumn dusk: "aki no kure": Season, Climate: The Haiku Handbook, William J. Higginson, P. 276.
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: The kigo, "autumn dusk" is a time when wild life begins their annual migration; geese fly long distances and rest in various places during the night before resuming their migration. The red sky is also a sign of seasonal change. These images of change link with Verse 2.

Links 2/3: In Verse 2 two effects of seasonal change are exhibited in the "color" change of leaves on decidious trees, and the morning "dew" left on the corn fields shortly after sunrise.

Links 3/1: In verse 3 the harvest moon lends an eerie effect to a scarecrow guarding a field; in this changing light the shadows move and lengthen as the moon traverses the skies; the image is one of change that is haunting, mysterious and beautiful. The night time beauty of the fall harvest season in verse 3 is linked conversly to the images of a fall sunset in verse 1. All three verses supply fall images of change—at "dusk", images in the daytime, and images in the moonlight. The theme of change is conveyed by the sense of time passing generated by the images in all three verses. The sensative inhabitant of this environment has only to "Read The Signs" to comphrehend the season.

Left Holding the Bag: Solo Renhai No. 80

by John Daleiden

morning dew—
The Wall Street Journal
drying in the sun

-700 points
retirement plans on hold!

vacation brochures
marked with red phone numbers—
a new moon

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 80
John Daleiden: USA
Written: October 23, 2008

Theme: Financial Roller Coaster
Season: Autumn
Kigo: Morning dew
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: The Wall Street Journal / -700 points stock fall; figuratively "drying in the sun" emulates "retirement plans on hold!" — both images suggest a plan to save an investment.

Links 2/3: Though the retirement plans are on hold / we can see from the vacation brochures that plans were under way — that phone numbers were marked and reservations probably had been made. In this verse there is a juxtaposition of opposite images.

Links 3/1: Wall Street Journal / vacation brochures: two sets of printed materials — The Wall Street Journal, a daily newspaper devoted to investments and trading of stock — a business orientated document which is juxtaposed with vacation brochures — a recreational advertisement — designed for pleasure — work contrasted with pleasure. In verse one the "drying...sun" / Verse 3 "a new moon" — the opposites of day and night. The final image, "a new moon suggests a bit of hopefulness which offers a stark contrast to the images of verses 1 and 2.

On All Hallows Eve: Solo Renhai No. 81

by John Daleiden

a candle flickers—
the broken tooth grin
of a pumpkin

a scarecrow stuffed with leaves—
the harsh cackle of a witch

drinking cider
around the blazing bonfire—
crops in the barn

in Renhai Studio

Ritual: Solo Renhai No. 82

by John Daleiden

"Oh, say can you see..."
after the anthem
the flag in the breeze

scent of bronze chrysanthemums—
touchdown! ...a cannon roars—

after the dance
we embrace in moonlight
Celebration

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 82
John Daleiden: USA
Written: October 23, 2008

Theme: Football Homecoming; Rituals; Traditions
Season: Autumn
Kigo: Chrysanthemum(s)
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Star Spangled Banner, anthem, flag: these are symbolic images of victory created in 1814 during the War of 1812, the US national anthem. These images link with traditional images of homecoming during the fall football season: Chrysanthemums / touchdown / cannon shot (to celebrate the touchdown). The anthem was written during the bombardment of Fort McHenry (1814).

Links 2/3: Chrysanthemum, touchdown (score) cannon shot / (Victory) dance, embrace (score), celebration.

Links 3/1: Celebration / flag in the breeze, singing an anthem.

Festive Expectations: Renhai No. 108

by John Daleiden (jd) & Vaughn Seward (vs)

Our last delivery
this quiet festive eve—
hugs and cheer. /vs

Coal and ash for our stockings— /jd
stomach in knots all night. /vs

An empty cookie plate
near the tree and wrap—
Christmas Morning. /jd

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 108
John Daleiden: USA
Vaughn Seward: Canada
Written: December 23-24, 2008

Theme: Christmas; Gifts; Empty
Season: Winter
Kigo: Christmas
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Cheer / Anxiety; Night
Links 2/3: Stomach / Cookies.
Links 3/1: Gifts (Under tree / Delivered).

Notes: This Renhai was inspired by John's childhood memories of past Christmases. John was born in 1935 and lived in a then small farming suburb directly 25 miles west of downtown Chicago—yes a real small town then—Wheaton, Illinois. Their biggest fear was that they were bad enough as children that Santa would only bring coal and ash for their Christmas stockings.

Duplicity #1: Renhai No. 125

by Gillena Cox (gc) & John Daleiden (jd)

Choosing tomatoes
at the street market—
the smell of pineapples /gc

A steady flow of traffic /gc
mid-spring, a sudden snow storm /jd

A farewell note
with the dozen roses—
the song of a lark /jd

in Renhai Studio

Duplicity #2: Renhai No. 127

by Gillena Cox (gc) & John Daleiden (jd)

The toasty crunch
Of breakfast cereal—
Spilt milk /gc

Rain clouds more and more greying /gc
counterfeit tens in the cash /jd

on Main Street
only empty store fronts—
Hollywood USA /jd

in Renhai Studio

Duplicity #3: Renhai No. 131

by Gillena Cox (gc) & John Daleiden (jd)

the hooker
works her street corner—
a five o'clock shadow /jd

street sweepers' voices at dawn /gc
flatulence of "corpse flowers" /jd

she melts in his arms—
one teaspoon of sugar stirred
into the coffee /gc

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 131
Gillena Cox: Trinidad and Tobago
John Daleiden: USA
Written: March 23, 2009

Theme: Duplicity
Season: All Season
Kigo: n/a
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: A worker of the night (a hooker) / an early morning worker — a street sweeper. The quietness of the early morning hours is broken / shattered by the voices of street sweepers talking loudly at dawn—the general quietness of the night is juxtaposed against the unnatural loudness at dawn of the street workers.

Links 2/3: A male masquerading as a female hooker (the five o'clock shadow) / the stinking corpse flower has male and female parts on each blossom. The hooker uses her outer beauty to attract customers as consumers for her sexualality. Generally, people regard a flower highly for its beautiful scent — the scent of the corpse flower is repugnant. In both situations the outer appearances seem to have one set of values and conditions, but the underlying reality is somewhat different — hence, duiplicity.

Links 3/1: Man/woman relationship: "she melts in his arms —" a metaphorical expression describing the woman's compliance in a mutual relationship — physically, of course she remains an independnt being; this first image is juxtaposed with the second image in this renhai verse, where sugar stirred into coffee physically combines with the liquid and becomes a new substance — sweetened coffee. Of course the man and woman relationship in verse 3 is linked to the hooker seeking a business encounter in verse 1.

Notes: In verse 1, "five o"clock shadow" refers to new beard growth late in the day on a man whose face was clean-shaven in the morning; the term comes from the traditional 9-to-5 workday hours. In this verse a man msquarading as a woman is "working a street corner" in the early evening.

Tipping the Scales: Solo Renhai No. 146

by John Daleiden

cherry blossoms
fall on kissing lovers—
a twilight breeze

La donna è mobile—
rainfall on her wedding day

divorce court—
the judge slams his gavel
on the man's rude talk

in Renhai Studio

Verse 1: While quite beautiful, cherry blossoms last only a very short time. With the added condition of a breeze at twilight, it is quite problematic how long the scene will last. Ironically, there is no way to tell if...

Verse 2: "La donna è mobile": Woman is fickle — the famous aria from Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto (1851) dramatically plays out the fickleness of characters in song and drama — an age old situation. The unpredictable of the weather on an important day, a wedding day, is always a crap shoot — you can never really know in advance what the weather will do — in this case, the day brings rainfall, a bit like the perils of daily living.

Verse 3: Set in a divorce court the relationship between a couple is in the process of being legally dissolved — the testimony of the man in this case is deemed by the judge to be "rude" even for a court of law. Did these two ever love each other — perhaps for a time, but then the element of fickleness intervened.

Italian — La donna è mobile" ("Woman is fickle") is the cynical Duke of Mantua's canzone from Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto (1851). The inherent irony, of course, is that the callous playboy Duke himself is mobile. Its reprise in the last act is chilling, as Rigoletto realizes from the sound of the Duke's lively voice coming from within the tavern (offstage), that the body in the sack over which he has grimly triumphed is not that of the Duke after all: Rigoletto had paid Sparafucile, an assassin, to kill the Duke but Sparafucile deceived him by killing Gilda, Rigoletto's daughter, instead. The aria is famous as a showcase for tenors. It has been recorded by Enrico Caruso, Mario Lanza, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Juan Diego Flórez, Jussi Björling, Vitas and hundreds of others.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_donna_%C3%A8_mobile

Oh, What Shall We DO?: Solo Reni No. 189

by John Daleiden

in the parlor
three empty porridge bowls—
not a soul in sight

one glass slipper left behind—
the tails of three blind mice

on the house lot
a jumbled pile of sticks—
call out the police

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 189
John Daleiden: USA
Written: December 2, 2009

Theme: Things left behind
Season: Autumn
Kigo: n/a
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Cavity-shaped (bowls / Glass slipper).
Links 2/3: Stick-shaped (Tails / Sticks).
Links 3/1: House / Parlor.

Notes: This renhai was composed according to the classical scheme described by the inventor, Vaughn Seward—Verse 2, line 1 then Verse 2, line 2. In the Cinderella fairy tale "one glass slipper" was left behind after the beautiful, mysterious woman overstayed her evening at the ball and hurriedly left - she lost her glass slipper in her haste. Through some mighty fine detective work, the prince finally found his mystery "gal" and wed her.

Likewise, in the nursery rhyme / song the farmer's wife cut off the tails of "three blind" mice with the carving knife. Although the song does not say so, those chopped off tails probably made a pretty gruesome sight lying about the farmstead.

Verse 1 reveals the "three empty porridge bowls" which a distraught family will soon discover; and even more frightening, is that fact that in a few minutes they will catch the culprit sleeping in their beds! Is there no safety in this crazy world?

In Verse 3 the devastation is complete, the rickety house of sticks lies in ruins on its foundation, and no one is in sight. It is time to call out the gendarmes! In each of the verses some object of value is used and left behind at the scene of evil doing. In each of the fairy tales a certain amount of "detective work" leads the reader to the certain knowledge that "evil" lurks in the middle of society, but through some careful "snooping" of the crime scenes, we come to a comprehension of what took place. Not everyone gets to live happily ever after! Not in real life and certainly not in the fairy tales.

While the renhai form was intended to be composed of three stand alone haiku like verses, this renhai is composed of three verses that display the characteristics of senryu. The tongue in cheek title adds to the good-natured humor.

Why Won't You Believe Me?: Solo Renhai No. 191

by John Daleiden

his greeting
a betraying kiss—
the clink of silver

the stream laced with fool's gold—
betrayal, the truth that clings

for courting too slow
on top of Old Smokey—
a false hearted love

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 191
John Daleiden: USA
Written: December 4, 2009

Theme: Duplicity
Season: All Season
Kigo: n/a
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Silver / Gold.
Links 2/3: Betrayal / Love.
Links 3/1: Courting / Kiss.

Notes: Duplicity Renhai series:

Duplicity #1: Gillena Cox & John Daleiden; #125
Duplicity #2: Gillena Cox & John Daleiden; #127
Duplicity #3: Gillena Cox & John Daleiden; #131

Duplicity is a deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech; there are many historical instances of it taking place.

Verse 1 depicts the Judas' betrayal to the Romans with his double-dealing kiss—he received 30 pieces of silver. According to the account given in the Gospel of John, Judas carried the disciples' money bag and betrayed Jesus for a bribe of "thirty pieces of silver" by identifying him with a kiss—"the kiss of Judas"—to arresting soldiers of the High Priest Caiaphas, who then turned Jesus over to Pontius Pilate's soldiers.

This moment is conveyed in various types of music according to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_kiss_of_Judas.

* The moment is represented in Bach's St Matthew Passion and other Passion settings by many composers.

* In Bob Dylan's "With God on our side," he says "Jesus Christ was betrayed by a kiss."

* Petra (band) had a hit in 1982 with a song called "Judas' Kiss". The song was controversial with anti-Christian rock critics for having a back-masked track before the song at a time when back masking messaging in rock albums was under public scrutiny. However, the message was a Christian one and was aimed at the critics.

* Dave Barnes, a Christian singer/songwriter, uses it in his song "On a Night Like This."

* Finnish power metal band Stratovarius describes the events around Judas betrayal from a first-person perspective in the opening song "The Kiss of Judas" from its album Visions.

* The politically progressive Canadian punk band Propagandhi references this in the song "With Friends Like These Who The F*** Needs COINTELPRO?" in the line "the crippling Judas Kiss to christen thee a sinking ship".

* The Academy Is... created a song called "Judas Kiss" about betrayal of a loved one.

* Metallica has a song entitled "The Judas Kiss" in their ninth studio album, Death Magnetic.

* Canadian rock band Triumph, used the lyric "30 Golden Pieces For The Judas Kiss", in the song Never Surrender from the album of the same name.

* U2's "Pride (In the Name of Love)" contains the lyric "one man betrayed with a kiss".

* The Hold Steady song "Citrus" has a repeating line "Lost in fog, and love, and faithless fear, I've had kisses that make Judas seem sincere"

* In Van Morrison's Days Like This he sings "When you don't get betrayed by that old Judas kiss".

* Filipino metal band Wolfgang have a song entitled Halik ni Hudas which ranslates into the kiss of Judas.

Verse 2, line 1: "fool's gold". The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide with the formula FeS2. This mineral's metallic luster and pale-to-normal, brass-yellow hue have earned it the nickname fool's gold due to its resemblance to gold. There is a story of an entire shipload of iron pyrite having been shipped over to England during the 1500's — the yellow stuff having been mistaken for gold.

Verse 3: betrayal of love:

On Top of Old Smoky

On top of old Smoky, all covered with snow
I lost my true lover from courting too slow

Though courting's a pleasure and parting is grief
A false-hearted lover is worse than a thief

For a thief will just rob you and take what you have
But a false-hearted lover will lead you to the grave

The grave will decay you and turn you to dust
Not one boy in a thousand a poor girl can trust

He'll hug you and kiss you and tell you more lies
Than cross-ties on a railroad or stars in the skies

Recorded by Ives

Verse 3: In the popular song, "On Top of Old Smoky" tells the simplistic story of the "false-hearted lover" who commits the ultimate betrayal—one lover runs off with a rival.

This renhai was composed in the traditional manner recommended by inventor Vaughn Seward, a Canadian poet.

Verse 2, line 1, composed first, details the placement of "fool's gold" in a stream, to deceive miners that gold is in plentiful supply. History records tales of intention and unintentional deception with fools gold. One example is the 1500's tale of "fool's gold", the mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, when an entire shipload of iron pyrite was shipped over to England—the yellow stuff having been mistaken for gold.

Verse 2, line 2, composed second, "betrayal, the truth that clings" is an abstract philosophical phrase. The image of clinging is haunting and it is documented in the historical images presented in Verse 1, Verse 2, line 1, and Verse 3.

Verse 3, composed last, depicts the betrayal in a romantic love triangle—the "true love" of one individual us forsaken for instant physical gratification (implied actions never directly stated in the song—gee whiz, what did you expect!).

Verse 2: 1—"fools gold" 2—"betrayal...clings"
Verse 1: Judas' betrayal of Christ
Verse 3: Old Smokey Mountain love betrayal

The Verse 2, line 2 word "betrayal" functions like a pivot word, allowing the presentation of three examples of "betrayal or deception" in each of the three Verses.

Leaving it Behind: Solo Renhai No. 192

by John Daleiden

headpiece of straw,
in blue denim he watches—
no birds in sight

newspapers caught in brambles—
an evening moon lights spilled corn

ancient space junk
collides in low earth orbit—
no phone calls today

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 192
John Daleiden: USA
Written: December 5, 2009

Theme: Cast off
Season: Autumn
Kigo: evening moon: "yuzuki": Astronomy: William J. Higginson with Penny Harter. The Haiku Handbook, p. 277.

Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2a: Straw / Brambles.
Links 1/2b: Straw - denim / Spilled corn.
Links 2a/3: Newspapers / Space junk.
Links 2b/3: Spilled corn / Space junk.
Links 3/1: No phone calls / No birds.

Notes: "Leaving it Behind": A Solo Renhai was composed in the original traditional method articulated by creator Vaughn Seward (i.e. 2-1, 2-2, 1, 3).

Discussion of Theme: "Cast offs" have diverse effects on people and the environment. In Verse 1 the entrepreneurial agriculturist has made a scarecrow out of the "cast off" blue denim. Ironically, although the scarecrow's headpiece is filled with straw, the ultimate effect is that the scarecrow keeps birds away from this field—the scarecrow is an effective communicator.

Verse 2: The ubiquitous "newspaper", randomly loose in the environment becomes ensnared on a bramble. The denim and the newspaper are man made objects; in this case, having become "cast off" objects — the denim has a useful second life, however, in contrast, the "newspaper" has become an unsightly spectacle. The sense of waste and being "cast off" is continued in verse 2, line 2 as we see some quantity of "spilled corn" lying in the field, "cast off" during harvest. Ironically, the corn is a crop grown by man, yet it now lies wasting in a field, and it offers an opposite contrast to the "denim" which is constructively being reused in a new way.

In Verse 3 the theme of "cast offs" is amplified with the example of "space junk" which collides in LEO, presumably with a communications satellite — the consequence is that phone calls on earth are interrupted. In verse 3 the effect of the "cast off" negatively impacts the human environment. Thus, in summary, "cast offs" can have various results for the human world.

Beyond the Pale: Renhai No. 193

by John Daleiden (jd) & Vaughn Seward (vs)

Torn wallpaper
dangling in the breeze—
abandoned building. /jd

Desert winter blossoms— /jd
snake skin shed between spokes. /vs

Derelict bomber—
all but the engine between
stony outcroppings. /vs

in Renhai Studio

Voices from the Past: Solo Renhai No. 198

by John Daleiden

an ancient column
from Cleopatra's temple—
reclaimed treasure

once she walked this courtyard—
distant echoes of the past

did you cry at night
afraid your heart might break?
the glitter of gold

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 198
John Daleiden: USA
Written: December 17, 2009

Theme: Past Historical moments
Season: All Season
Kigo: n/a
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links: 2a: courtyard
Links: 2b: past echoes
Links: 1: "ancient column", "Cleopatra's Temple", "treasure"
Links: 3: "heart...break", "gold"

"Voices from the Past" is based on an AP news story published on the internet on 2009-12-17: "Monument lifted from Cleopatra's underwater city" posted on http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ml_egypt_sunken_treasures

Notes: Verse 2: Once, long ago, 2,050 years ago, this "ancient column" was a part of the palace complex of Cleopatra, the 1st Century B.C. Queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a powerful Egyptian ruler. In the 1990's the column was found submerged in Alexandria's harbor. Archeologist believe an earthquake toppled this ancient palace complex into the sea during the 4th century. Now, the 9-ton, 7.4-foot-tall pylon, covered with muck and seaweed, has been recovered from the murky waters of the Mediterranean. Many granite temple pylons lined a courtyard where Cleopatra and others walked. The ancient artifact suggests "echoes" from past history.

Verse 1 details the artifact and the recovery process; through Archeologists, the remnant is connected to real people in past history, Queen Cleopatra of Ancient Egypt.

Verse 3 imagines a scene in the life of the adolescent ruling Queen of Egypt. Cleopatra, a popular figure of western literature and culture, was fabled to be an exotic beauty. Her legacy is preserved in dramatizations and the current media. Her persona is represented in many works: William Shakespeare's tragedy, Antony and Cleopatra, Jules Massenet's opera, Cleopatre, the 1963 Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton film, Cleopatra, and George Bernard Shaw's play, Caesar and Cleopatra.

Most depictions portray Cleopatra as a young adolescent woman of great beauty who has successive conquests with some of the world's most powerful men; these liaisons are thought to be proof of her aesthetic and sexual appeal. Ahh, if only the "purple" barge could be resurrected!

The composition process in this renhai was 2, 1, 3, working from the middle outward, the originally designed process established by Renhai creator Vaughn Seward.

The Polluters: Solo Renhai No. 199

by John Daleiden

last day of school—
the trash brim full of books
and soiled clothes

a half smoked cigarette butt—
lost and found—broken glasses

a roadside couch,
home to a flock of sparrows—
supreme decadence

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 199
John Daleiden: USA
Written: December 17, 2009

Theme: Cast off items
Season: Spring
Kigo: sparrows: "suzume": Animals: William J. Higginson, The Haiku Handbook. p. 269.
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links —>: (see notes)

Notes:
Links:
Verse 2a: half smoked cigarette butt
Verse 2b: lost and found—broken glasses
Verse 1: "school books" and "soiled clothes"
Verse 3: a "couch" abandoned at the roadside

Each verse contains an image of an item that has been used by a consumer and then discarded in a public place with total disregard to other humans. The "cast off" items suggest a level of social disrespect to the environment and other human beings—hence, the title "The Polluters" .

last day of school —
the trash brim full of books
and soiled clothes

4 6 4 = 14

In verse 1 "trash" portrays the notion of things that are "cast off"; some of the "cast off" items might be reclaimed—for example, the books may have been mistakenly placed in the trash, and perhaps the clothes could be laundered or cleaned. But in this case they have been abandoned, left behind for someone else to clean up. The verse suggests inappropriate wastefulness.

a half smoked cigarette butt— (7)
lost and found-broken glasses (7)

In verse 2a the "half smoked cigarette butt", discarded, usually in a public place is unsightly and certainly unsanitary.

Similarly, in verse 2b, the "lost and found" department is very interesting; some of the retrieved items are trashed, yet some are genuinely lost and should be restored to the owner so that they become functional once more. In this Verse 2b setting both items are discards and have become non-functional items left behind by careless persons who disrespect other people. The once useful items are now broken and abandoned.

a roadside couch,
home to a flock of sparrows—
supreme decadence

4 7 6

In verse 3 humans have abandoned a once useful household item—a couch; ironically, the "sparrows" now make it their home, but the broken and out of place item could damage the health of the birds and more importantly it is unsightly. This is a wanton act of environmental disrespect.

Rendering Service: Renhai No. 200

by John Daleiden (jd) & Vaughn Seward (vs)

Hand to bottom—
after ten hours, a new cry
comes to life. /vs

Waiting for the doctor— /jd
framed veterinary degree. /vs

On my jawbone
the vibrations of a drill—
a gold filling /jd

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 200
John Daleiden: USA
Vaughn Seward: Canada
Written: November 29 - December 6, 2009

Theme: Medical Practitioners*; Valuable Items**
Season: All Season
Kigo: n/a
Verse Form: 2-3-2, 3-3, 2-3-2 (Rhythm)
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Waiting, anticipation (New birth / For doctor).
Links 2/3: Framed (Degree / Tooth being filled).
Links 3/1: Noise (Drill / Crying).

Notes: Theme notes:

*verse 1: Pediatrician; verse 2: Veterinarian; verse 3: Dentist.
**verse 1: Baby; verse 2: Degree; verse 3: Gold.

Note: in the first verse before the 10 hours there is an implication that it was the mother "crying"; afterward it is the baby.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Presents To Be Wrapped: Renhai No. 202

Gillena Cox (gc) & John Daleiden (jd)

the scent of pine—
bright light, leading the faithful,
Star of Bethlehem /jd

a hand painted ornament /jd
string of unsalted popcorn /gc

lights blink on and off
one colour then another—
paranderos sing /gc

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 202
Gillena Cox: Trinidad and Tobago
John Daleiden: USA
Written: December 29, 2008

Theme: Decorating the Christmas Tree
Season: Winter (Ending Rainy Season)
Kigo: Kigo: pine [tree]: "matsu": Plant: Verse 1, line 1: The Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share, and Teach Haiku. William J. Higginson, p. 284.
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Star of Bethlehem / Ornament.
Links 2/3: Tree decoration / lights.
Links 2a/2b: Hand painted ornament / String...popcorn.
Links 3/1: Night / Star of Bethelem.

Notes: Parranderos are singers of Trinidad carols on the birth of Christ, traditionally sung in Spanish.

Heart Strings: Renhai No. 203

by Gillena Cox (gc) & John Daleiden (jd)

Santa tugs the reigns
his reindeers scamper off
Christmas movie /gc

cranberries twined in the wreath /gc
her gift wrapped in red paper /jd

we kiss
under the misteltoe
winter stars /jd

in Renhai Studio

Best Regards: Renhai No. 204

by Gillena Cox (gc) & John Daleiden (jd)

on the hearth
the crackle of a Yule log—
Twelfth Night /jd

sounds of sleigh bells in the snow /jd
aroma of hot chocolate /gc

the choir sings—
church bells ring in a new year,
Auld lang syne /gc

in Renhai Studio

Archive Id: 204
Gillena Cox: Trinidad and Tobago
John Daleiden: USA
Written: December 31, 2008

Theme: Christmas Traditions?
Season: New Year
Kigo: Church bells; Auld Lang Syne
Verse Form: Free
Process: Forward

Links 1/2: Celebrations: Yule log, Twelfth Night / Sleigh ride.
Links 2/3: Bells.
Links 3/1: 12th night / 8th day of Xmas.

Notes: Some Resources for Christmas Renhai # 3:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_log

A Yule log is a large wooden log which is burned in the hearth as a part of traditional Yule or Christmas celebrations in several European cultures. It can be a part of the Winter Solstice festival or the Twelve Days of Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Twelfth Night.

The expression "Yule log" has come to refer to log-shaped Christmas cakes, also known as "chocolate logs" or "Buche de Noel". The Yule log is related to other Christmas and Yuletide traditions such as the Ashen faggot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Night_(holiday)

Twelfth Night or Epiphany Eve is a festival in some branches of Christianity marking the coming of the Epiphany, and concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas. It is defined by the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking".

The celebration of Epiphany, the adoration of the Magi, is marked in some cultures by the exchange of gifts, and Twelfth Night, as the eve or vigil of Epiphany, takes on a similar significance to Christmas Eve.

A more recent tradition in some English-speaking countries holds that it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night, a belief originally attached to the festival of Candlemas (2 February).