As Cara submitted a third spring verse yesterday, today’s renju, Alan Millar, had plenty of options! He could have gone for a fourth verse on the theme of spring (up to five consecutive verses are allowed), he could have invoked the Moon Rule, or gone for love, winter, summer or any of the peripheral themes (travel, mountains, shores, dwellings).

The thirteenth verse is important in our renga as it marks the turning point for us. Alan did not disappoint and chose to write a mid-renga  5-7-5 verse on the theme of summer :

Oh thunder solstice
of warm long sensual showers
and roses climax

Alan says : ” I continued the suggestion of powerful human emotions evoked by Cara. I tried to give a shape to her ‘erupting’ , hinting at a more specific human narrative, diffused within the language of nature.  I moved the imagery on, following the natural course from spring into summer. Oh – and the thirteenth verse is – is the half- way point  and significance of this evoked by the solstice. My kigo word is “roses”.”

Ooooh! The thread of imagery over the last couple of verses has been rather “hot” 😛 . I wonder what will happen tomorrow … ?

You can catch up with the latest episode of The Big Renga Round-Up here :

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT