Wednesday, December 31, 2008

12 days of Christmas - Day Seven


A Merry Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year

Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Collaboration
December 25th 2008 to January 5th 2009
You can e-mail me
------\\\*///------

ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS
(there is one addition at DAY ONE-Christmas Promise and one at DAY SIX)

evenfall-
faces of angels in
the cirrus

-Gillena Cox; TT


a sweet smell
of ham and black cake-
carollers singing

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------

ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

a new mode of travel
Port of Spain to San Fernando
water taxis

-Gillena Cox; TT


three wise men
came to witness a king
born in a stable

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


(re: 6 Six days in which God created the world)

empty universe
now filled with stars and planets
I AM rests observes

-Michelle Angelini;US

------\\\*///------

ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

From a Long Line
re: 5 first books of Old Testament



Prophets of old
didn't yet know his name.
they knew he would come


Their sins were
a harbinger
of His birth and death.


He descended from
kings and commoners to-
a humble virgin birth

-Michelle Angelini;US


the congregation
still singing lustily-
a child is born

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


in the homes
of many children-
blessed toys

-Gillena Cox; TT

------\\\*///------

ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

creche-
a child stares
moving even closer

-Gillena Cox; TT
creche


Shepherd
re the 4 Gospels


four who know His life
write of His healing
forgiving sins
lost sheep
now find Jesus

-Michelle Angelini;US


belated Santa
shows up at the mall...
children screaming

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


snowbirds waiting
by the empty feeder —
winter thunder

-Curtis Dunlap;US

------\\\*///------

ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS

filling
a grey morning sky-
bird whistles

-Gillena Cox; TT


parang music
spreading the good news
from house to house

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS

no year-end bonus
on this Boxing Day
feeling the crunch
a caring St. Stephen
blesses the unemployed

-Reason A. Poteet, US


wrapped in swaddling-
the baby
Jesus

e-card 'The Ultimate Gift'
-Gillena Cox; TT


the infant
bringing the light
to a world of darkness

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

The Night Before
A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (vs) & Janice Thomson (jt)



Winter bedtime —
the last child tucked in
for the night. /vs

Rising smoke from chimneys — /vs
distant mountain veiled in fog. /jt

Blazing fire —
children's gifts wrapped between
sips of cocoa /jt

-Vaughn Seward; CA
-Janice Thomson; CA


A babe in a stall
The odor of hay and straw
Redemption is born

-Quentin Clingerman; US


ponsettias abloom-
the choir sings clad in white
and red

-Gillena Cox; TT


Christmas Promise

Christmas morning
a promise and then lots of
rain for thirsty plants

Christmas promise video
-Shanna Baldwin-Moore; Hawaii

------\\\*///------
The Twelve Days of Christmas; History Meaning Symbolism
All poems in this Christmas sequence are the copyright of the individual writers and should not be reproduced without their permission

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

12 days of Christmas - Day Six


A Merry Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year

Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Collaboration
December 25th 2008 to January 5th 2009
You can e-mail me
------\\\*///------

ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

a new mode of travel
Port of Spain to San Fernando
water taxis

-Gillena Cox; TT


three wise men
came to witness a king
born in a stable

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------

ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

From a Long Line
re: 5 first books of Old Testament


Prophets of old
didn't yet know his name.
they knew he would come


Their sins were
a harbinger
of His birth and death.


He descended from
kings and commoners to-
a humble virgin birth

-Michelle Angelini;US


the congregation
still singing lustily-
a child is born

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


in the homes
of many children-
blessed toys

-Gillena Cox; TT

------\\\*///------

ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

creche-
a child stares
moving even closer

-Gillena Cox; TT
creche


Shepherd
re the 4 Gospels

four who know His life
write of His healing
forgiving sins
lost sheep
now find Jesus

-Michelle Angelini;US


belated Santa
shows up at the mall...
children screaming

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


snowbirds waiting
by the empty feeder —
winter thunder

-Curtis Dunlap;US
------\\\*///------

ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS


filling
a grey morning sky-
bird whistles

-Gillena Cox; TT


parang music
spreading the good news
from house to house

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


------\\\*///------

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS

no year-end bonus
on this Boxing Day
feeling the crunch
a caring St. Stephen
blesses the unemployed

-Reason A. Poteet, US


wrapped in swaddling-
the baby
Jesus

e-card 'The Ultimate Gift'
-Gillena Cox; TT


the infant
bringing the light
to a world of darkness

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

The Night Before
A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (vs) & Janice Thomson (jt)


Winter bedtime —
the last child tucked in
for the night. /vs

Rising smoke from chimneys — /vs
distant mountain veiled in fog. /jt

Blazing fire —
children's gifts wrapped between
sips of cocoa /jt

-Vaughn Seward; CA
-Janice Thomson; CA



A babe in a stall
The odor of hay and straw
Redemption is born

-Quentin Clingerman; US


ponsettias abloom-
the choir sings clad in white
and red

-Gillena Cox; TT

------\\\*///------
The Twelve Days of Christmas; History Meaning Symbolism
All poems in this Christmas sequence are the copyright of the individual writers and should not be reproduced without their permission

Monday, December 29, 2008

12 days of Christmas - Day Five


A Merry Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year

Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Collaboration
December 25th 2008 to January 5th 2009
You can e-mail me
------\\\*///------
ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

From a Long Line
re: 5 first books of Old Testament

Prophets of old
didn't yet know his name.
they knew he would come


Their sins were
a harbinger
of His birth and death.


He descended from
kings and commoners to-
a humble virgin birth

-Michelle Angelini;US


the congregation
still singing lustily-
a child is born

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


in the homes
of many children-
blessed toys

-Gillena Cox; TT

------\\\*///------

ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

creche-
a child stares
moving even closer

-Gillena Cox; TT
creche


Shepherd
re the 4 Gospels

four who know His life
write of His healing
forgiving sins
lost sheep
now find Jesus

-Michelle Angelini;US


belated Santa
shows up at the mall...
children screaming

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


snowbirds waiting
by the empty feeder —
winter thunder

-Curtis Dunlap;US
------\\\*///------


ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS

filling
a grey morning sky-
bird whistles

-Gillena Cox; TT


parang music
spreading the good news
from house to house

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


------\\\*///------

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS

no year-end bonus
on this Boxing Day
feeling the crunch
a caring St. Stephen
blesses the unemployed

-Reason A. Poteet, US


wrapped in swaddling-
the baby
Jesus

e-card 'The Ultimate Gift'
-Gillena Cox; TT


the infant
bringing the light
to a world of darkness

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------


ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

The Night Before
A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (vs) & Janice Thomson (jt)


Winter bedtime —
the last child tucked in
for the night. /vs

Rising smoke from chimneys — /vs
distant mountain veiled in fog. /jt

Blazing fire —
children's gifts wrapped between
sips of cocoa /jt

-Vaughn Seward; CA
-Janice Thomson; CA



A babe in a stall
The odor of hay and straw
Redemption is born

-Quentin Clingerman; US


ponsettias abloom-
the choir sings clad in white
and red

-Gillena Cox; TT

------\\\*///------
The Twelve Days of Christmas; History Meaning Symbolism
All poems in this Christmas sequence are the copyright of the individual writers and should not be reproduced without their permission

Sunday, December 28, 2008

12 days of Christmas - Day Four


A Merry Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year

Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Collaboration
December 25th 2008 to January 5th 2009
You can e-mail me
------\\\*///------

ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

snowbirds waiting
by the empty feeder —
winter thunder

-Curtis Dunlap;US


creche-
a child stares
moving even closer

-Gillena Cox; TT
creche

belated Santa
shows up at the mall-
children screaming

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT
------\\\*///------


ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS

filling
a grey morning sky-
bird whistles

-Gillena Cox; TT


parang music
spreading the good news
from house to house

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


------\\\*///------

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS

no year-end bonus
on this Boxing Day
feeling the crunch
a caring St. Stephen
blesses the unemployed

-Reason A. Poteet, US


wrapped in swaddling-
the baby
Jesus

e-card 'The Ultimate Gift'
-Gillena Cox; TT


the infant
bringing the light
to a world of darkness

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------


ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

The Night Before
A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (vs) & Janice Thomson (jt)


Winter bedtime —
the last child tucked in
for the night. /vs

Rising smoke from chimneys — /vs
distant mountain veiled in fog. /jt

Blazing fire —
children's gifts wrapped between
sips of cocoa /jt

-Vaughn Seward; CA
-Janice Thomson; CA



A babe in a stall
The odor of hay and straw
Redemption is born

-Quentin Clingerman; US


ponsettias abloom-
the choir sings clad in white
and red

-Gillena Cox; TT

------\\\*///------
The Twelve Days of Christmas; History Meaning Symbolism
All poems in this Christmas sequence are the copyright of the individual writers and should not be reproduced without their permission

Saturday, December 27, 2008

12 days of Christmas - Day Three


A Merry Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year

Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Collaboration
December 25th 2008 to January 5th 2009
You can e-mail me
------\\\*///------

ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS

filling
a grey morning sky-
bird whistles

-Gillena Cox; TT


parang music
spreading the good news
from house to house

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT


------\\\*///------

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS

no year-end bonus
on this Boxing Day
feeling the crunch
a caring St. Stephen
blesses the unemployed

-Reason A. Poteet, US


wrapped in swaddling-
the baby
Jesus

e-card 'The Ultimate Gift'
-Gillena Cox; TT


the infant
bringing the light
to a world of darkness

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------


ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

The Night Before
A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (vs) & Janice Thomson (jt)


Winter bedtime —
the last child tucked in
for the night. /vs

Rising smoke from chimneys — /vs
distant mountain veiled in fog. /jt

Blazing fire —
children's gifts wrapped between
sips of cocoa /jt

-Vaughn Seward; CA
-Janice Thomson; CA



A babe in a stall
The odor of hay and straw
Redemption is born

-Quentin Clingerman; US


ponsettias abloom-
the choir sings clad in white
and red

-Gillena Cox; TT

------\\\*///------
The Twelve Days of Christmas; History Meaning Symbolism
All poems in this Christmas sequence are the copyright of the individual writers and should not be reproduced without their permission

Friday, December 26, 2008

12 days of Christmas - Day Two


A Merry Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year

Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Collaboration
December 25th 2008 to January 5th 2009
You can e-mail me
------\\\*///------

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS

no year-end bonus
on this Boxing Day
feeling the crunch
a caring St. Stephen
blesses the unemployed

-Reason A. Poteet, US


wrapped in swaddling-
the baby
Jesus

e-card 'The Ultimate Gift'
-Gillena Cox; TT


the infant
bringing the light
to a world of darkness

-Keith A. Simmonds;TT

------\\\*///------


ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

The Night Before
A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (vs) & Janice Thomson (jt)


Winter bedtime —
the last child tucked in
for the night. /vs

Rising smoke from chimneys — /vs
distant mountain veiled in fog. /jt

Blazing fire —
children's gifts wrapped between
sips of cocoa /jt

-Vaughn Seward; CA
-Janice Thomson; CA



A babe in a stall
The odor of hay and straw
Redemption is born

-Quentin Clingerman; US


ponsettias abloom-
the choir sings clad in white
and red

-Gillena Cox; TT


------\\\*///------
The Twelve Days of Christmas; History Meaning Symbolism
All poems in this Christmas sequence are the copyright of the individual writers and should not be reproduced without their permission

Thursday, December 25, 2008

12 days of Christmas - Day One


A Merry Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year

Welcome to the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Collaboration; December 25th 2008 to January 5th 2009
------\\\*///------


ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

The Night Before
A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (vs) & Janice Thomson (jt)


Winter bedtime —
the last child tucked in
for the night. /vs

Rising smoke from chimneys — /vs
distant mountain veiled in fog. /jt

Blazing fire —
children's gifts wrapped between
sips of cocoa /jt

-Vaughn Seward; CA
-Janice Thomson; CA



A babe in a stall
The odor of hay and straw
Redemption is born

-Quentin Clingerman; US


ponsettias abloom-
the choir sings clad in white
and red

-Gillena Cox; TT


------\\\*///------

The Twelve Days of Christmas; History Meaning Symbolism
All poems in this Christmas sequence are the copyright of the individual writers and should not be reproduced without their permission

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Day Moon 14/12/08



Scientists report the Dec 08 full moon was the biggest, brightest and closest to the earth, in the last five years; approximately 356,587 kilometres from Earth.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Sculptured Bamboo


Sculptured Bamboo

a few days to new moon sculptured bamboo for the festival of lights/gc
past midnight the sounds of our steps bounce off the buildings/mr
the girl with saddle shoes and braids gets tensies school playground /lmp
by the tennis court a waiting tray of cool drinks and refreshments/ mlm
noonday sun a stone temple seems to sway in the waves of heat /sm
winter clouds the plane's shadow travels up its wing / kr
awake the heaven's river flows from thought to thought! / kr

*
'Sculptured Bamboo' a stellarenga from 'basho-beatniks Yahoo Group'
Start Date: 8th November 2007; End date: 23th November 2007
'Sculptured Bamboo' is shared here at Lunchbreak, with the permission of all participating writers.
*
gc--GILLENA COX - TT
mr--MICHAEL REHLING - US
lmp--LINDA PAPANICOLAOU - US
mlm--MARY LEE MCCLURE - US
sm--SHANNA BALDWIN MOORE - US
kr-- KALA RAMESH - IN


*

(A Stellarenga is a seven-link poem containing only one-liners. The first and last links mention a cosmic body, e.g., a planet, a star or one of the luminaries. Renga style linkage means that each link stands separately yet relates to the preceding and following ku either by theme, wordplay, or twist of idea. A line-space is generally placed between each ku; a stellarenga is really a set of poems. As in all renga poems a straight or tell-all narrative should be avoided. A Stellarenga can be done solo or partnered.The Stellarenga was created by Alexis K. Rotella in March 1997)

*

Photo: bamboo with *deyas (*Divali Lights) St James, Trinidad

Photo by gillena cox
more Divali photos
Divali also spelt Diwali 2008 is October 28th

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Remembering 9/11


September 11th
seasons and cycles
wilting caladiums
-Gillena Cox; TT


September eleven
The car radio was on
Twin towers were hit
-Quentin Clingerman; US


this unhappy day
the drops of water, they fall
cannot be undone
-kouji; PH


freedom
for those gone
not for the survivors
-Kitsune Miko; US


shorn birds
fall from the sky
9/11
-Pris Campbell; US


We speak
of everything except her son--
9/11
-Linda Papanicolaou; US



Áþ¤·¤ß¤Îº£¤â²Ì¤Æ¤Ê¤·¶å·î11Æü

nikushimi no ima mo hatenashi kugatu jyuitiniti

endless hate
still going now
September 11th
-sakuo; JP



in a heartbeat...
our whole world
transformed
-Linda Pilarski; CA



our village is small
9/11
it became smaller
-Carol Raisfeld; US



Seven years gone
Rebuild it all
All except hope
- Famida Basheer; IN



i used to want
to be a fireman --
buildings crumbled
-Tyrone McDonald; US



ground zero --
a sparrow hopping
beside the black pit

***

to the black pit --
a dog in safety shoes
searching for life

***

ground zero --
blackened sweat drips from mask
of the life-saver

***

September morning
on the cup with broken handle
Twin Towers

***

September 11 ...
gusty wind in the pines
with a hint of smoke

***

September 11 --
in line at the blood station
bandannas and skullcaps

***

September 11 --
the World Wide Web covered
with all kinds of dust

***

September 11th --
after seven years, still
incomprehensible
-Origa; US
more of Origa's 9/11


dust gathers
at the corners of her eyes
autumn leaves
*
dark figures
cartwheeling across the sky
maple seeds
-Trish Shields; CA


September storm
the green leaves that fall
before their time
-Bette Norcross Wappner (b'oki); US


September 11th
a new start
for the Autumn
**
September 11th
same moon
different heart
-Moussia; IT


renku editor gillena cox

Monday, September 01, 2008

Home Alone


home alone-
*independence holiday
*watergrass /gc2008


*Trinidad and Tobago first celebrated
its independence on August 31st 1962


*Watergrass a wildflowering plant

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Olympic Run


Richard Thompson, Trinidad and Tobago Silver Medalist; 2008 Bejing Olympics.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Mother's Day Renku 2008


mothers day
taste of
beauty and elegance /gc


visit to mom
she wears clothes made
from my cloths /jtc


Mother’s Day--
a bouquet of white lilies
beside your tombstone /jd


mothers day--
her favorite blue flowers
placed at the grave /jg


lovely as a rose
Mama's love will never die
fragrant years later /nf


Hail Mary
prayer of salvation
angelic salutation /gc


face of an angel
from earth to heaven she went
each day Mother's day /nf


her smile
when I thought they were sisters --
Mothers Day /tm


Mother understands
Though the knee hurts so very much
Wipes the tears away /qc


my heart was broken
Dr. Mom to the rescue
Krazy-Glue and love /rp


smile would light a room
a love that keeps on giving
Mama's precious love /nf


love caressed her cheek
sunlight danced upon her skin
berry picking time /nf


oh, Mama my dear
pink peony bloomed for you
my first blooms this year /nf


lilacs
begin in each new mother
these blooms /_m


sweet iris
a part of mother's garden
in mine /b'oki


Mother's day
listening the sound of tape
her Koto Harp /sn


everyday
someone else calls her
mum /gc


Those years
you were there, today
with you. /vs


twisted and gnarled
digits write beautifully
mother's eighty-eight /jbc


mother's day
something sexy
for his wife /bill



bill - US
b'oki - Bette Norcross Wappner - US
gc - Gillena Cox - TT
jbc - Joseph B. Connolly - US
jd - John Daleiden - US
jg - Judith Gorgone -US
jtc - John Tiong Chunghoo - MY
_m - magyar - US
nf - Nan Forehand - US
qc - Quentin Clingerman - US
rp - Ruth Poteet - US
sn - Sakuo Nakamura - JP
tm - Tyrone McDonald - US
vs - Vaughn Seward - CA

Renku Editor - Gillena Cox

Any additional haiku, sent; from Mother's Day 11th May 2008
to Sunday 18th May 2008, will be added to the Renku.

Mothers day renku 2007

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Mango


may day program
pickled mango
broke the mouth

pidgen haiku - Shanna Baldwin-Moore - Hawaii
photo - Gillena Cox - Trinidad and Tobago
haiga design - Gillena Cox

haiku used with Shanna's permission

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Earth Day 2008


soft summer wings
this greener cocktail flies
above the dust /_m


earth day haiku --
writer's block ...
clouds roll pass me /tm


earth day 2008
we the mouthpiece
for trees, the sea, the wind/tc

Long icicle -
a drop of water falls,
toward her centre. /vs


smell of rain
a shiver through the trees--
sound of windchimes/gc


life to love - -
arms wide
hug a tree /fb


earth day
each day I walk
over all this life /kr


walking the trail
I pause by the chaparral--
Earth Day /jd


earth day
celebration
for the earthits /sm


small hours
shuffling bedtime
and earth hour/as


as - Alan Summers
fb - Famida Basheer
gc - Gillena Cox
jd - John Daleiden
kr - Kala Ramesh
_m - magyar
sm - Shanna Baldwin-Moore
tc - Tiong Chunghoo
tm - Tyrone McDonald
vs - Vaughn Seward

Renku editor -- Gillena Cox
Photo -- Gillena Cox

From April 22nd to 25th you can email me or post as a comment your 'earth day haiku'
and i'll add it to the renku

Some environmentalists have grown critical of Earth Day, particularly those in the Bright green environmentalism camp. They charge that Earth Day has come to symbolize the marginalization of environmental sustainability, and that the celebration itself has outlived its usefulness
Earth Day