BOTH SIDES OPEN
Werner Reichhold
Jane Reichhold

                                    wall
                                    bird song on both sides
                                                opens  

                                                mouths all shaped the same
                                                speaking one language          

                                    separated
                                    now closer than ever
                                                tongue in cheek

                                                curved light and shadow
                                                a measure of time passing     

                                    moon a window lamp
                                    watching the secret heart
                                                of my neighbor             

                                                binoculars unfocussed
                                                he thinks  he blinks    

a soldier stares
in the western sun
            fire                                                                  

            responding to the watcher
            she exchanges gloom for glow                          

imprisoned
yet the loved one sings
            a duet                                                             

            they both have blue eyes
            barriers swing apart                                         

twenty years old
in a car full of youth
            nicknamed "trabbi"                                       
           
            visiting the family
            not seen since the war                                      

November frost
suddenly everyone's hair
            snow white                                                     

            warming all of us
            sunlight on a rising moon                                  

winter solstice
more to celebrate
            than Christmas                                                          

            Armistice Day
            45 years later                                                   

rust grows
weedy vines
            on a tank                                                        

            seen a museum
            hopefully next year                                           
                                    sections of the wall
                                    covered with graffiti
                                                for sale            

                                                voice of the people
                                                in best-seller books    

                                    written in stone
                                    the broken bricks save
                                                protest             

                                                going to jail for life
                                                liberty and happiness 
           
                                    separation
                                    the hidden desire
                                                freedom           

                                                his wife keeps at home
                                                a wild sparrow caged 

                                    man in space
                                    soon missing
                                                borderlines      

                                                melting into the future
                                                today and land before that    

                                    one field
                                    the farmer plants
                                                in different dimensions  

                                                his hand spreads a fan
                                                flung grain moves the light    

                                    united
                                    people of two countries
                                                under sun and moon     

                                                not a star in sight
                                                new flag of three colors         

black
red and
            gold                                                                

            wind-written hieroglyphic
            beginning a new contract                                  

a handshake
one blood
            in both hearts                                                 

            with the rhythm step by step
            sharing neighbor's wishes                                 

snowflakes melting
together planting a hedge
            of white roses                                                 

            through the fragrant gate
            fluttering wings       

A Kasen Renga in honor of the opening of the Berlin Wall,
November 9, 1989.

May 15, 1990
May 29, 1990

Gualala, California

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 How This Book Began

FIFTEEN KASEN RENGA

Night Wind
Suezan Aikins
Brent Partridge

The Sun's Glitter Francine Porad
Suezan Aikins

Lightning Flash
Suezan Aikins
Jane Reichhold

Expanding Color
Werner. Reichhold
Suezan Aikins

Deeper into the Dream
Francine Porad
Brent Partridge

In Hand
Brent Partridge
Jane Reichhold

Bridge and Mist
Brent Partridge
Werner Reichhold
 

Sky Country
Jane Reichhold
Francine Porad

Floating Meadow
Werner Reichhold
Francine Porad

Both Sides Open
Jane Reichhold
Werner Reichhold

White Butterfly
Suezan Aikins
Charles B. Dickson

Touch of a Hand
Ruby Spriggs
Francine Porad

Walking and Writing
Brent Partridge

Toward the First of Summer
 Lequita Vance
Jane Reichhold
Paul O. Williams

Spinning Meditation Kenichi Sato
Werner Reichhold

Who Wrote These Renga?

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