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Quilly is the pseudonym of Charlene L. Amsden, who lives on The Big Island in Hawaii. When she is not hanging out with Amoeba, she is likely teaching or sewing. Or she could be cooking, taking photographs, or even writing. But if she's not doing any of that, she's probably on Facebook or tinkering with her blog.

15 Comments

  1. Those who take first place
    Taught to reach beyond their dream
    Life lesson is found

    What???? I tried….congrats!

  2. The blue ribbon
    Shiney and bright
    Challenge, effort, excite
    Was it pupil or teacher we honour tonight…..with
    This first place delight?……………..Judy

  3. Redo, redo, redo……….please!

    4th line should read…”It was pupil and teacher we honour tonight.” …

    Judy

  4. Lori — lovely.

    Mumma — that’s a renku — in fact, they all are. Haiku is traditionally about nature or seasons while renku is traditionally about the “human condition.”

    Judy — teacher always allows revisions . . . .

    OC — :*
    Although chaotic,
    coaxing prose from sullen kids
    is worth the effort.

  5. well done, quilly and kids!

    irrelevant for your success, but allow me just one remark, though… the short poem about the “human condition” is generally called senryu whereas renku is linked poetry, a modern version of “haikai no renga”

    traditionally (in imperial japan) poets would gather to compose haikai no renga. they would compose poems of up to 1000 verses, alternating 5-7-5 and 7-7. the first verse of renga was called hokku and it was an honour for apoet if his hokku was selected to set off renga. and that first verse, the hokku, was the predecessor of the haiku we know now. haiku itself has undertaken many transformations before it became what it is now.
    hokku was the only verse in the traditional renga which contained a caesura and a mandatory reference to the season in which the renku (and thus the hokku) took place.

    and the 5-7-5 “rule” does not apply in modern haiku anymore, not even in japan, where that seems to be a natural rhythm for their language.

  6. Polona — thank you. As I hinted a couple of emails back, I suspected my teaching manual was wrong, however I didn’t know what was correct. I should have, though. I have actually written a renku and I knew what it was called at the time!

  7. Ya done good! Ya all done good! And you’ll soon be rewarded….with the summer off!! Bet you are really excited now. I’m happy for you.

  8. RULES…RULES…RULES
    HOKKU…HAIKU…RENKU
    The Japanese are sticklers for rules. My feeling about poetry is, it is anything said, in any form you want that has a stylized flare. I’m going to call mine JUDKU. LOL No rules in JUDKU. Quilly, (Hahaaaa) will you be writing more QUILLIKU?……………………………..Judy

  9. Jackie — too busy to be excite. Then I’ll be too exhausted to be excited. About the time I start to relax and enjoy my free time, I’ll be starting my next job ….

    Judy — you are simply brilliant — as evidenced by all of us who are going to copy you!

    Melli — it had to — I am the only 5th grade language arts teacher. I had no competition.

    Mumma — I know this is going to sound weird since I am all about making my own rules, but I still like to know there’s a bit of a fence around the game field. Perhaps it is because there is no rebellion in breaking the rules if they are too lax — or no originality if everyine else is doing it, too.

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