Renhai Studio Archives

A Collection of Renhai by members of The Renhai Studio

At the Bottom

A Renhai by Vaughn Seward (Solo)

A snowflake falls
randomly to the bottom —
country road.

A tear on her cheek —
the taxi recedes into darkness.

Bright white field —
the tip of some paper
barely appears.

Archive Id: 111
Vaughn Seward: Canada
Written:: December 28 - January 3, 2008

Theme: Reaching Bottom
Season: Winter
Kigo: Snowflake; Snowy field
Verse Form: Translated from Esperanto
Process: Forward

Links 1/2a: Flake / Tear.
Links 2b/3: Almost hidden; Dark / Bright
Links 3/1: Snow; Field / Rural; Tossed about.

Notes: This Renhai started as a haiku written in Esperanto one day when we were having coffee, looking out the window at snow flakes gently fluttering to the ground. Here is the original Esperanto version of this Renhai:

Cxe la Fundo

   Negxero falas
   hazarde gxis la fundon —
   vojo kampara.

   Larmo sur sxia vango —
   taksi' iras mallumon.

   Hele blanka kamp' —
   apenaux aperas pint'
   de la papero.

Note that it is still expected in Esperanto haiku writing circles that the 5-7-5 syllable count be adhered to, thus the apostrophe at the end of some nouns. This device for adjusting the syllable count is a long-standing convention in Esperanto poetry which goes all the way back to the founder of Esperanto, Dr. Zamenhof.