Window: a four-person rengay

August 14, 2024

Window: a four-person rengay

I am thrilled to share with you our latest rengay, Window. It is the tenth in our current series of four-person rengay, collaborative poetry.

Window

(in order of appearance)
by

Lesley Scoble (ls), Matt Snyder (ms),
David Bogomolny (db), and Melissa Lemay (ml)

ls:     through the windowpane
         high above grey urban cliffs—
               a peregrine soars

ms:     I have the will to elude you
            I will not be your prey

db:      thick   leather gauntlet
        loud   whistle escapes pursed lips
            sharp   talons descend

ml:     an old man sits
           on a bench outside the cathedral
           reading Dostoevsky

ls:     stained glass glints in the sunset
         birds sing in polyphony

ms:     off in the distance
           one by one we communicate
           a sense of urgency in our howls

db:     silent in the   grass
       poison fangs sink into   flesh—
            coil tight, swallow   whole

ml:     fallen asleep on a bench
           the man    nods his head

ls:     slumber turns to dreams—
         he flies like a lost sparrow
          against closed curtains

ms:     I prefer the darkness
            the sun, the noise of the outside world
            brings on migraines

db:     rosy sunset through   old   bars
           ~ snap quick photo with   new   phone

ml:     with a gentle nudge
           she wakes him, grabs his book
            holding hands, they walk           home



_{Lesley Scoble, Matt Snyder, David Bogomolny, and Melissa Lemay, August 2024}

Thank you David, Melissa and Matt for all the fun of writing rengay with you.

Please visit David’s site, The Skeptics Kaddish to find out more about collaborative poetry.

Window, or: A rengay

Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.