Climate Chaos

A Renga with Betty Hermelee

Earth heats swollen seas
glaciers crack, sink in dark depths
buildings flame in ash

geo-summer grips oceans
burning industry offends

mountains of garbage
eluding putrid stenches
besides, bears crave it

fresh as Spring's slumber, hungry
lunatics cleaned empty paths

many moons ago
street sweepers were aplenty
where does the muck go

when a planet falls in flame
frozen castles shatter life

2022

Author's Note

Betty sent me three haiku and the challenge was on! I tried to tie some rather strange thoughts together with my couplets. Imagination just barely under control. Fun to write!

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

I like the way your Haiku are interspersed with couplets Bill.. It works well. Good on you and Betty working together. Our planet is certainly in danger at the moment. Sadly our species seems to care little for the footprint we leave behind. Plenty of vivid imagery here.

Chris

[William Michael Reeves]

Thanks Chris. Vivid images for sure. When Betty sent me the haiku I wasn't sure where to go with them. Her thoughts inspired much more than just my couplets trying to tie them together. My thoughts on a lot of subjects. Garbage dumped by the homeless in particular. Disgusting and irritating! My couplets make a Renga. If you ever want a go at it send me some haiku or senryu. Might get a surprise back.

[Chris Shaw]

I admire how you have a go at all these different forms Bill. I'd never heard of a Renga before. Thanks for the invitation by the way:)

[Ranger Kessel]

Nice job with the haiku. A nice poem covering the tragedy of ur current environmental reality. Good read and best wishes. Thank you

[William Michael Reeves]

Credit goes to Betty on the haiku. I wrote the couplets to make it a Renga. Thanks. Read you soon

[JE Falcon]

I like them all, but my logical brain stopped dead at the last couplet. --- My brain wants to read,
"when a planet falls in flame"
frozen castles melt away. --- or something like that (???) Oh well, poetry was never big on logic. :)

[William Michael Reeves]

Logic? Depends on the topic. Betty's haiku were a bit cryptic. Gave my brain a tic.

I went with shatter at the end to tie in with her cracking glacier at the beginning. Shattering sheets of ice castles. Perfectly logical in the world of word.

[duff]

To the point and great imagery.
"many moons ago
street sweepers were aplenty"

Nice work .

[William Michael Reeves]

That one goes to Betty. She swept the haiku in this. Thanks

[Neville]

I imagine it was .. write on :)

[William Michael Reeves]

No choice but to write on right on my paper. Thanks Neville

[KAREN]

I love the word play in your poem; it's reads so well! The imagery is great!

[William Michael Reeves]

Thanks Karen. Betty and I are doing our best to clean up with words and wipe the mind with images.

[KAREN]

My pleasure!

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

What awesome teamwork! The imageries just popped in the poem!

[William Michael Reeves]

Fun to watch words pop like popcorn in the heat of collaboration and the oil of imagination. Thanks Kathy

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

My pleasure, Bill!

[Betty Hermelee]

Collaborating with you W. was really fun!!! I think we even had a small impact!!!
anytime.
Best, B

[William Michael Reeves]

We had an impact on Keith, that's for sure. We'll have to form more poetic pacts in fact. Maybe something less abstract. A little more exact. But I do like it when the ideas are kind of whacked!

[Lisasview]

Wow, good for you dear William
Always good to have a challenge.
Looks like you did extremely well with this!!
Really like it ...
Lisa, in sunny Spain 🌞

[William Michael Reeves]

Thanks Lisa ... basking in the sun in Spain. You're supposed to read the words. Not look at them. Thanks for seeing the good in the write, and the right in our eyes!

[Lisasview]

Ha ha so right..
Lisa

[Cherrie]

Creativity makes for an excellent link

[William Michael Reeves]

Linked in, linked up in links of words. Linking thoughts that break the link of chains and free imagination! It was fun.

[keith]

it's all good citizens are more aware now than ever before the dangers we have placed our host planet in.
doing something about it is an entirely different matter
what is the percentage of involvement to tackle the challenges we face
too much talk not enough walk
acknowledgement is not enough

serious pressures on our government our elected representatives our neighbors ourselves might just might make a contribution make a difference

WE ARE TO BLAME FOR IT ALL ... this planet is OUR VICTIM

what have you done today to help insure our very existence? what have you done?
most likely not enough
there is little time before the razors edge cut our ties to life

your touch into the realities is admirable but words do not cure our mistakes

[William Michael Reeves]

I do have an honest answer to your question Keith. I park in a variety of places. It disgusts me that people use the space they've briefly occupied as a garbage can. There are cans everywhere. No excuse! I love my beautiful city and I actually pick that garbage up and put it in my bag. The only thing I can do. Here's an interesting story 'bout that....

I pulled up and saw a plastic grocery bag on the side of the road ahead of me a ways. Somebody at least had the decency to tie the bag before they tossed it. It was contained and a bit of a walk to it so I left it. The next day the birds had gotten into it and there was quite a pile strewn about. I grabbed a bag I keep for this and was surprised at the contents. Five needles, a pair of tiny lacy panties, a can of brake fluid, miscellaneous candy wrappers and a half eaten salad. Must have been quite a night for them. And the birds and rats got a good dose of processed chemicals that was in the garbage many eat. I try Keith.

[keith]

we are failures to our own being
we do not right our wrongs and always have an excuse for our guilts
i applaud your concerns and responsible action

i am guilty of having lost hope for any righting of our habitual behaviors
there are not enough corners for us to stand