d
iam
ondia
mondiam
diamondiam
ondiamon
diamon
daim
on
d
b,,,,
l,,,,,,,
a,,,,,,,,,
d,,,,
e,

o
,f

,,,g
,,,,,r
,,,,,,,a
,,,s
,s

b
,,,,e
,,,,,n
d
s,,


================================================

She balanced a diamond on a blade of grass,
She made everything sparkle and shine.

Tom Waites, Bottom of the World

And I'm lost
And I'm lost
I'm lost at the bottom of the world
I'm handcuffed to the bishop and the barbershop liar
I'm lost at the bottom of the world.

Well God's green hair is where I slept last
He balanced a diamond on a blade of grass
Now I woke me up with a cardinal bird
And when I wanna talk
He hangs on every word

And I'm lost
And I'm lost
I'm lost at the bottom of the world
I'm handcuffed to the bishop and the barbershop liar
I'm lost at the bottom of the world

Renga

the back of the house
standing stone still, listening
hearing bamboo grow

Silently reaching
for a new day of brightness

*thanks to the walking man for the assist on these last two lines

================================================

a curious crow
digging the ground in search of
the last year's walnut

*thanks also to Human Being for this next haiku in the chain

=========================================================


dandelion on the lawn
always looks up at the sun

*two more from me

================================================

I watch you watching
little bugs, making their way
thoughtful stillness breathes

*a haiku from Harlequin

=============================================

Exchanging vision seeing
watchers in breathless exchange

*a couplet from the walking man

==============================================

silently watching
for a new day of brightness
Trembling bleeding hearts

*this segment from my friend Enemy of the Republic

======================

she loves these rare short-lived sparks...
which burn brighter than the sun...

*two more lines from teacher Crow

=====================

watering moisture
in brightness of rising light
burns darkness away

*another from the walking man

===================================

I haven't written haiku in a while and I forgot just how refreshing it is. Thanks to Christopher over at the Northern Wall for reminding me of how brilliant this form is, and for making me get out Lew Turco's Book of Forms. Turco says that the haiku is considered part of a tradition called renga, which in its early incarnations involved two or more authors, kind of a call and answer poem. The first three lines set the subject while the next two "amplify, gloss, or comment on the first triplet."

I'm wondering what you'd write for the last two lines? Or for the triplet after that, or the couplet after that?

.

Don't give in

Poison against poison
cleans the blood
(revitalizes the soul)
if a curse is on you
(a curse of death).
Quick application is the only cure
(welcome to the new world order)
(feel the power).
Ask, why does no one care about me?
Ask, how do I know?
You sleep so still with such a solemn brow
Still too young and small,
still so asleep.
The last four of the six rules of politics:
lie, cheat, steal, deceive
and the others...
I'll let you know.

Sleep for now.