this river
still the same
as before he was lost

walking in circles
he won't be home for supper

he searches for himself
in his past

its waters
holding the truth

only now
cooler

This is my favorite two line cap because of the simplicity of is being only three words. Even though it is so simple, it brings so much to the original haiku. It evokes a lot of emotion while also playing on the coldness of death. I like the way that it does involve emotion without telling the reader how to feel. Jacob

broken stump
a fence
runs through it

custody battle
bill arrives

This was by far my favorite haiku cap. I wrote the haiku off of an observation; I really had no deep meaning or emotion behind it. So, I love this cap because it adds so much depth. Without this ending, you’re left with a tranquil scene and not much else. But, when a custody battle and bills are thrown in, you’re left with a much stronger idea and feeling. It really added a lot to this haiku. Taryn

water rises
over the road

the cattle
unmoving

rose petals fall
revealing scars
nobody else could see

except the man
who left them

This cap ties together the source of where the scars came from but also brings in a new element because before, anything or anyone could have left them. Erica

except the man
who left them

born by
your thorns

a hidden pain
burning

once again
I fall into the trap
of his sweet talk

laying in his bed I notice
dead tulips

once again
lost in his eyes

I really liked this cap because it is so incredibly accurate, and I also like the repeated “once again”. I feel like this situation has happened to everyone at some point in time. You tell yourself you’re going to be strong and stand your ground, but there he is, being sweet, saying the things that pull you back. Then there are his eyes. Those familiar eyes that pull you back without him even saying anything. You get lost swimming in those blue eyes, thinking that they could go on forever. I liked how once again is repeated. It shows that both of these actions have happened before and it is something we are familiar with. I like how familiar it feels. Corrin

watching his lips
knowing it's a lie

fireflies swarm then stick
in frenzied choreography

telling me
I need him

sneezing
on the broomstick
two broken teeth

bouncing across
the elegant hardwood

I like this cap because it feels like if you change anything in the original haiku then it would still flow correctly. The key to a good cap is to make the poem keep on flowing nicely. That is why I choose this cap is because it flows perfectly with the theme of my haiku so in essence this is the better of the two caps. On top of that it is very easy to picture. This cap is basically the aftermath of the accident if you would to hit your teeth and they would fall on the floor. So it does a great job of describing the moment surrounding the accident. Emilio

say hello!
Mr. Teeth

living in the fishbowl
I cannot help
but do nothing

they always see
my mistakes

I like this link, not only because it is the only one that was made, but because it brings a new idea to the haiku. Before, it gave you a feeling  of helplessness, and with the link, it transfers to not being able to help yourself. I also really like the last line, because putting "my mistakes" all by itself seems like you're begrudgingly taking ownership of them, especially asserting that they are yours. Cori

I’m currently taking human development, and this haiku reminds me of the adolescent perspective. They often feel as though all eyes are on them, that everything that they do needs to be perfect or else it is a total failure. The ironic thing is that most adolescents feel as though everyone is watching, but really, they are all still concerned with themselves. It is reminiscent of the egocentrism seen in toddlers - they unknowingly believe everything is about them. For some, the anxiety that this causes may lead them to just shut down. I know that when I become stressed, my tendency is to want to just give up, because then I can’t make any mistakes. Overall, I think that the tone shift from the original haiku to the link is awesome. It’s extraordinarily profound. Marah

a firefly
hums
Marvin Gaye

on a summer night
cork from Chardonnay

I chose this tan-renga cap for the way it extends and develops the image in my hokku. It broadens the image into different senses; where the hokku uses sight and sound primarily, the extension adds a sense of touch (heat of the summer night, and holding/pulling the cork) and taste/smell of the wine. It matches my original image of the haiku poem, with two lovers relaxing on a picnic blanket under the stars with some anticipation hanging in the air between them. I also enjoy the consonants used: the “s,” “sh,” and “cuh” of cork all match the pop and bubble of the atmosphere. Genevieve

she takes in
the stars

Father,
Father

birthday princess
can't even make it
to the strike of twelve . . .

her slipper
on the staircase

back up the stairs
holding papa's hand

drunk on the ground
not realizing her fault

she sleeps soundly
under her tiara

eyebrows laid
waists cinched
let's have a kiki

lock the doors
tight

I chose this two-line cap because it is simple and totally fulfilling. The song, called “Let’s Have a Kiki” is an iconic tune and one that is utterly ridiculous while also entirely amazing. I wrote this thinking it would be too overdone, but reading it after taking some time away and sticking to the basics of the lyrics is refreshing to read and honestly, gives me a good chuckle. The finale of “tight” ends it on chic note. Katherine

hello stranger
door wasn't locked

head out the window
smiling in the warm wind
dog-girl

tongue lolls
sunshine popscicle

boys wash a Mustang
under a shade tree

driving down the road
I used to turn left
now turning right

the stop sign
I stole the first kiss

the woodland clearing lights up
the eyes of a fawn

I don't sleep the same
in this house

my blinker
hesitates

to take
a new beginning

my thoughts stuck
at the intersection

a flash
of my eyes

the end
is just the beginning of something

talking to females
he sucks in
his beer gut

little does he know
she's doing the same

I really like this addition for a few reasons. First, the comedy of the last two lines really flows nicely and fits in with the original author’s tone. It furthers the funny thought of the scene happening between the man and the woman. Also, the two added lines are very peculiar because society does not normally think of women having “beer guts”. I just thought that it this add on created a very smooth haiku. It helps to depict the image of the two people either at a bar or a party talking to each other constantly short of breath because they are trying to suck in their stomachs. Michael

and sticks out
his pride

then, a button
goes flying

the outbreath
isn't pretty

while she does
the same

cold pizza
resting on his chin

in the car
rain picks up
turning the radio dial

static on every station
he wants to hear anyone's voice

hoping to silence
my surroundings

roar of thunder
static

down
the road

I hear our song
we'll never play together

to drown out
the fear

each lyric
altering my mind

2am
a stupid idea
her eyes light up

and he falls
further in love

I liked a lot of the two-line caps for this hokku, but I thought this one most captured what I was going for in the original haiku and added something new to it as well. The ambiguity of the stupid idea is still there, and now her eyes lighting up has two meanings. She’s excited because of whatever she came up with, but it also further charms the person she was with at the time. This link doesn’t alter the idea I had about keeping the reason for her excitement vague. She could be an adventurous person, or maybe she’s looking for a spark in life again. Rather, it adds another option to that list of possibilities—he could be the reason she finds joy in little things like stupid ideas again. I thought this two line cap was a great addition in terms of linking and shifting. Natalie

in the reflection
of the freezer

I thought this was the best tan-renga because of the pure humor that was involved. I thought that it fit so well with the first original three lines. Joe

starting the engine
adventure time

This was my favorite cap from this Tan-Renga exercise because it added a type of excitement to the haiku’s original meaning. From the haiku, it seems as though the idea that she comes up with is completely wrong and that there are no positive moments that may come from it. However, by adding the line “adventure time,” it makes it seem as though the idea could be exciting because she going to go on an adventure. Many mistakes happen after 2am, one of them in this haiku might be getting in the car in the first place. After getting in the car, though, there might be experiences that will be remembered forever. Lauren

calling a number
meant to be forgotten

a stupid idea
2am

she skampers
to her cluttered desk

in the reflection
of the freezer

through the vent
a condescending snore

early morning
one by one
lights turn off

rising sun
stretches its arms

beside the one
since she passed

nighttime talks
turn to morning coffee

tired of studying
opening Twitter

I pick up
empty cups of foam

dinner talk.
What will we look like
in heaven?

Will grandpa
be the one I know?

grandma asks
to be excused

Wings are ugly!
my sister spurts

darkening trail
ice caps appear
through the shroud

not a light
in sight

masked in shadows
the crow calls
three times

to hear nothing
but his echo

I liked the ending of this hokku because I like the way that it connects to the calling of the crow without explicitly saying anything about the crow itself. I also like how the ending adds auditory detail to the dark imagery the beginning gave. Whitney

the cornfield
unprotected

a hand impales the ground
through the fresh grave

a nightmare's
wish

I step into the light
accepting my fate

rabbit nest
the crow returns for
the last one

high up in a tree
a tiny crow falls

a squirrel
stands guard

three ducks
waddle across the playground
just before recess

only dew
on the monkey bars