The world has suffered a great loss. The world yes, the world! Whether it be in her world where she lived or right here at Rosity where the globe joins to share, we have been privileged to share in her legacy. I sit here with a heavy heart but am reminded of the encouragement she gave to me on my pages. I will always have her words to drink in and move me forward. Many artists have a genre that they lean towards. What makes Val special is that her genre was the world, the universe. How blessed, how privileged we are to have the opportunity to see the world through her eyes.
My love and blessings to all of her friends and family.
~Michelle~

I came here to learn as you directed and learn I did.Congratulations!!!How wonderful for you!!! I've only just begun to peruse your gallery and find your captures stunning. Now I find myself anxious to drink in your gallery

The room is small and sparsly furnished. The veiw is almost that of being in an off off broadway theatre. A directional lamp looms over the back  of her sitting in big comfy chair in a little corner of the room. Papers strewn about the floor, her look intense, glasses hang on her nose as if they are about to fall off the edge of a cliff. A finger gently pushing them back up as if to give one a leg up then back to the job at hand. Her hand can be seen writing furiously,  she's on a roll. Oblivious to the sounds of life in or outside her walls. A young girl enters the room "Mom,...MOM!!!" Without looking up, "huh, yeah what do you need." The young voice calls back, "Mom did you see what Joey did?"  "go ahead, you can have a snack!"...A foot stomps on the floor, eyes roll up in the young girls head as she turns to walk away she mutters "Freddy Kruger could be ripping me apart and you wouldn't know!"  "leave your shirt out, I'll sew it up when I'm done." A door slams, she mutters outloud, "I hate teenagers!".....without looking up another page written she putts it carefully on the neat pile directly in front of her on the floor. Without looking she reaches for her cup of now cold coffee....leans back in her chair, looks up at the clock on the wall and sees it's 10pm.. She mutters, "%$#&, I"m no where finished. Oh well , well now I'll have more time to finish and fine tune. "

ROTHFLMAO!!! you're too funny!! Short story teeters on edge of novelette!! I don't feel so bad, here i'm stressing over the knowledge that I don't have a short story that is under 1500.....thanks for the extra time!

ah......stroll was a hard one.....started one ....but couldn't come up with a good finish...this is just lovely........now........feet? .....FEET?..........ugh! back to the drawing board.......feet huh.....hmmm....feet,feet...........feet........

This is my first time in this forum and I had not gone back into the other threads. It's okay though, I just want to follow what is being done.  As my first would tecnically be Senryu, haiku form using 5-7-5 but on human existance rather than nature. My ultimate first being in high school which I failed miserably at, infact if I remember correctly my english teacher gave me a C- I was always intimidated by them. At any rate, age renewed interest.....
The best way for me to describe Renga  is to give an excerpt of the definintion from my collection of Poetry Forms and Terminoly (if you type in this it will lead you to the site) this particular one I find most useful.

"In classical RENGA, 3-line and 2-line verses are alternated, beginning with a 3-line verse (a hokku, usually approximating 5-7-5 syllables) resembling haiku and indicating a season. A second poet composes the following verse (2 lines approximating 7-7), linking it by one of several methods (not too obviously, please) with the first. The next verse (of 3 lines), composed by the first poet (in a 2-person renga) or by another (in renga written by more than 2 poets), links with the second but not with the first.=renga,20 line verse
Traditionally, each verse employs a season word, most especially the ones requiring reference to autumn, moon, flower, etc. Season words are words usually associated with one season more than another (blossom = spring; snow = winter; baseball = summer, harvest = autumn, etc.) Verses do not refer to moon or flower except when they are specifically called for.

Beginning capitals and ending punctuation are usually avoided. These patterns continue throughout the renga, each verse linking somehow with the verse preceding it, but with no others. Each verse may launch us in a new direction, providing the next poet with a new puzzle to solve. Once a significant noun, verb, adjective or adverb occurs, it is usually not used in another verse (tho a witty switch of meaning or context might be acceptable in adjacent links). This technique keeps a renga continually twisting and turning, challenging both poet and reader.

The result is a constantly changing mosaic which discourages development of a logical, sequential narrative. The pleasures derived from continual surprise, striking imagery and delightfully sudden (and often witty) insights can be captivating. That is one of the chief delights of renga."

While we are not using traditional...we are in effect using Renga by taking the last word and incorporating it into the next....which is an answer of to the prior verse.

I scoured my site looking for haiku using a 3-5-3 rule, but couldn't find one. I mostly did this because I thought that there was something that I had missed,  which is fine because rules are meant to be broken. An exercise for the brain and spirit. But still, there should be a continual flow....one verse traditional...next. free....something on that vein. Even in Asian form free verse follows a continuity. I hope this helps.

~Michelle~

Thank you Jon,  I read your story. It's great. Great flow, easy to follow , held my attention from begining to end. I loved the movement, how your character changed insidiously. Very clever I might add. Me thinks I'll be reading much more of your work!!
~Michelle~

Curious.......hmm.....think I should change my name to George! LOL!  I'm still working on my story, but do we post it right here or in our gallery and link it here.
PS I don't know how successful I'm going to be following the 1000 word cap but will try my best.

I'm confused, I didn't read until now that we are taking the last letter making it the first of the next.  Wouldn't that be a form of Renga? While not in the traditional sense but you are in effect answering and continuing the previous work. Also, just out of curiosity, is free form haiku okay? As I see 3-53 rather than 5-7-5. I enjoy the challenge, just want to be clear on the guidelines. I don't want to break the flow..Thanks......

I"ve only written one other haiku,  I know I shouldn't, but I find them so intimidating. I'm enjoying all of the above, they are truly inspiring. So here I go with mine.

Her Finest Regalia

Calico jewels hemmed
Twirling with sightest breeze
Mother Nature's dress

Ah......these are beautiful.  Thoughts race in my head. I must harness them for now as the story challenge begs priority! LOL! "Ha,ha!" says the right side of my brain to my left....."As those thoughts drip out we shall write them down. A word here, a thought there! You'll see, we shall have a Haiku before you know it!  I shall teach you the meaning of multitasking!" The left side of the brain just laughs a hearty laugh as the eyes roll upward. ..........okay....folks sorry....too much coffee!
Hope all are having a great weekend!

The challenge for me will be the word cap. I have a hard enough time keeping a short story within a 1500 word cap.. ......LOL!  I look forward to this one.. Michelle

I don't know if we are allowed more than one....

Happiness Is...

circles

big, rainbows

blowing, reflecting, shimmering

magical, laughter, delicate, irridescent

floating,  touching, popping,

tickles, small

bubbles

Hope you like it......I just had to write something about them.....I love bubbles, you can't help but smile when you see them. Even your soul smiles!

Quote - Hi,

I like this format.  I used to write Pantoum poems which also dictate a certain order of lines.

Here is my first Diamante.

 

Dead End

 

Cancer

Deadly, horrendous

Tiring, overbearing, increasing

Disease, doctors, chemo, weakness

Living, hoping, praying

Wishful, hateful

Death

   

 

 

 

     This was powerful!! Definately great word choices. For those of who have dealt with CA.....myself included, not only does it hit close to home.. you've landed a bullseye. ~Michelle~

Quote - We're not slow, we're just thinking.

:b_sleeping:

hahahah.....I like that one...that's a keeper!!

Quote - Nice poem heartnsoul! =) You definitely nailed the shape and I like your word choice. I think the extra time you took thinking about it was worth it!

Welcome to the forum! =)

And looking forward to yours Jon! I was wondering when you were going to come up with one! ;)

David L.

Thank you David I enjoyed this. There is so much to learn here. I know I will be busy. Navigating is taking me a little time but I will get the hang of it.
Michelle