Shisan : The Piñon's Tears

Side 1

in the garden
sun covers the grapevine
- empty glass

drinking iced tea
we plan our journey

on the train south
two strangers pass
with only a nod

Side 2

the ticket stub ensures
entrance to the Christmas dance

stolen glimpses
send arrows to the hearts
touching in the dark

no reason for talking
only signatures needed

Side 3

moonlit whispers
circling a bonfire
as the coven prays

Canada geese slip past
while warm cranberries cool

this red pebble
is not yet ready
to join my collection

Side 4

high on the mountain
gathering the piñon’s tears*

a gnarled coat stand
cradles the soft
orange blossoms

gentle spring rain washes
this final place of rest

*A piñon (or pinyon) is a type of pine tree that grows in the southwestern US and in Mexico. The “tears” refer to its fragrant resin, which is collected and burned as incense. The trees also yield edible piñon nuts, which used to be a staple of the Native Americans, and are still widely eaten.

Participants:

vj	:	Virginia Jennings (USA)
mk	:	Marion Kerrigan (Ireland)
bor	:	Bernie O'Reilly (Ireland)
ea	:	Effie Araouzou (Cyprus)
nh	:	Nora Hussey (Ireland/USA)
bm	:	Beatrice Mondare (USA)
dh	:	Dorothy Heiderscheit (USA)
mos	:	Maeve O'Sullivan (Ireland) - sabaki
kr	:	Kim Richardson (UK)
fk	:	Frances Kelleher (Ireland)

This renku was written on 18 July 2008 as part of “Writing from Within: Haiku and the Spiritual Path”, a weeklong residential workshop at the Anam Chara Writers’ and Artists’ Retreat on the Beara peninsula in the southwest of Ireland.