Renku

Renku (連句, "linked verses"^?), the Japanese form of popular collaborative linked verse poetry formerly known as haikai no renga (俳諧の連歌)^[1], is an offshoot of the older Japanese poetic tradition of ushin renga, or orthodox collaborative linked verse. At renga gatherings participating poets would take turns providing alternating verses of 17 syllables and 14 syllables. Initially haikai no renga distinguished itself through vulgarity and coarseness of wit, before growing into a legitimate artistic tradition, and eventually giving birth to the haiku form of Japanese poetry.

Development

Traditional renga was a group activity in which each participant displayed his wit by spontaneously composing a verse in response to the verse that came before; the more interesting the relationship between the two verses the more impressive the poet’s ability. The links between verses could range from vulgar to artistic, but as renga was taken up by skilled poets and developed into a set form, the vulgarity of its early days came to be ignored.

Haikai no renga, in response to the stale set forms that preceded it, embraced this vulgar attitude and was typified by contempt for traditional poetic and cultural ideas, and by the rough, uncultured language that it used. The haikai spirit, as it came to be called, embraced the natural humor that came from the combination of disparate elements. To that end haikai poets would often combine elements of traditional poems with new ones they created. A well-known example of this early attitude is a verse, possibly by Yamazaki Sōkan (1464-1552), from his Inutsukubashū (犬筑波集, "Mongrel Renga Collection").

He was given the following prompt:

kasumi no koromo suso wa nurekeri

The robe of haze is wet at its hem

to which he responded:

saohime no haru tachi nagara shito o shite

Princess Sao of spring pissed as she started^[2]

This poem clearly derives its humor from shock value. Taking an ostensibly traditional and poetic prompt and injecting vulgar humor while maintaining the connection of the damp hems and the spring mists was exactly the sort of thing that early haikai poets were known for.

A comparable, though less evolved, tradition of 'linked verse' (lién jù, written with the same characters as 'renku') evolved in Chin-dynasty China,^[3] and it has been argued that this Chinese form influenced Japanese renga during its formative period.^[4]

Outside Japan

During the last decades, the practice of renku has spread beyond Japan. With the growth of the internet and of electronic communications, international renku collaborations have grown in popularity, chiefly in English. However, renku have also been published in French^[5], Croatian^[6], German^[7], Afrikaans^[8], Romanian^[9], Russian^[10] and Esperanto^[11]. Sometimes, renku are composed simultaneously in two or more languages.^[12].

Formats used in renku

Here follows a list of the formats most commonly used in writing renku^[13]

Name of format	Number of stanzas	Number of kaishi (writing sheets)	Number of sides	Originator	Date of origin
Kasen (poetic geniuses)	36	2	4	unknown	1518^[14]
Han-kasen (half-kasen)	18	1	2	unknown	17th century
Shisan (four times three)	12	2	4	Kaoru Kubota	1970's
Jūnichō (twelve tones)	12	1	1	Shunjin Okamoto	1989^[15]
Nijūin (twenty tones)	20	2	4	Meiga Higashi	1980's
Triparshva^[16] (three sides)	22	1	3	Norman Darlington	2005
Rokku^[17] (six verses)	variable	variable	variable	Haku Asanuma	2000

Notes

^ Finch, Annie & Varnes, Kathrine. An Exaltation of Forms, University of Michigan Press, 2002, ISBN 0472067257, p.228
^ Sato, Hiroaki. One Hundred Frogs: from renga to haiku to English, Weatherhill 1983, ISBN 0-8348-0176-0 p.53
^ Reckert, Stephen, Beyond Chrysanthemums: Perspectives on Poetry East and West, Oxford University Press, 1993, ISBN 0198151659, p.43
^ Sato, 1983, p.11
^ Gong, Revue Francophone de Haiku, n.13, 2006, ISSN 1763-8445, pp.30,31,36.
^ Pokriven Vjetrom in Simply Haiku v3n3 2005.
^ Quintett für Neonlicht in Chrysanthemum 2, 2007.
^ Vuursteen 28:4, 2008, p.122
^ Albatros, Revista Societăţii de Haiku din Constanţa România, nr. 8/9, 2007, ISSN 1221-4841, pp.45-52.
^ Пьёт из сосульки in Lishanu 1, 2005
^ Tempo, April 2006, p.10
^ Example of a renku composed simultaneously in English: Springtime in Edo and Japanese: 江戸の春, in Simply Haiku v4n4 2006
^ Carley, John E. Common types of renku sequence. [1]
^ Drake, Christopher. Basho's "Cricket Chapter " As English Literature in Journal of Atomi Gakuen Women's College 跡見学園女子大学紀要 14, 1981 p217
^ Higginson, William J. Shorter Renku in Renku Home
^ Darlington, Norman. Triparshva, A trilateral pattern for renku, in Simply Haiku vol. 3, no. 2, 2005
^ Yachimoto, Eiko. October Rain, the first English-language Rokku Renku, a Tomegaki, in Simply Haiku vol. 6, no. 3, 2008

External links

renga platform's renga guide
William J. Higginson's Renku Home
John Carley's Renku Reckoner
How to Renga by Jane Reichhold
Translations of Basho-school renku by Sean Price

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renku"

http://plantspedia.org/info/Renku

RENKU HOME

Haikai no renga, usually now called renku by the Japanese, is a style of linked poem that reached its height in the work of Bashô (surname Matsuo, 1644-1694) and his disciples. The tradition began almost a thousand years ago (some would say longer ago than that), and is very much alive today in Japanese, English, and other languages. Additional features will be added to this site every so often, so check back with us from time to time. Here are links to our current pages:

The Tokyo Declaration for Global Renku
This concise statement sums up the beliefs of the presenters and organizers of the Global Renku Symposium held at Kokushikan University, Tokyo, 7 October 2000.

In Memoriam Shinkû Fukuda
Master Shinkû Fukuda was a modest, unassuming giant among Japanese renku masters who were interested in spreading renku outside of Japan. This page is dedicated to his memory.

Sample Renku

NEW: Net Kasen Renku: Summer Haze. By William J. Higginson, Paul Terrance Conneally, and Peggy Willis Lyles. Composed over five months in 2000, this experimental 2-D renku demonstrates a new possibility in renku construction. Take a look and see what you think. (You'll probably want to look at this one with your browser set to full-screen.)

The Click of Mahjong Tiles: A Kasen Renku. By Carole MacRury, Gerald England, Norman Darlington, Hortensia Anderson, Eryu/Fûseki Susan Shand, John E. Carley, John W. Sexton, and William J. Higginson (leader). Composed online during February through May 2005 by members of the Haiku Talk e-list, "The Click of Mahjong Tiles" involved poets across the British Isles and North America. At the top of the page is a link to an annotated version, which gives background and includes comments identifying the seasonal and other topical aspects of each verse as well as the types of linking from one stanza to the next—a first for an online renku, so far as we know.

Typhoon Over: A Half-Kasen Renku. By Penny Harter, Tarô Miyashita (leader), Masa Yamada, Teina Asaka, and Mikiko Koga. This is one of a number of international renku completed at the World Haikai Fusion 2004 renkukai, held during the Master Bashô Festival, 10-12 October 2004, in Iga Ueno, Bashô's home town. At the top of the page there are links to the Japanese version and to an English annotated version. In this case, "international renku" means renku involving participants from two or more countries and writing in more than one language.

The Road to Basra: A Kasen Renku. This poem, the first full renku to appear on this site, involves ten participants from three countries in a thematic 36-stanza renku on the American and British war against Iraq conducted in the spring of 2003. (We had hoped for a more peaceful solution.) At the bottom of the page there is a link to a fully annotated version.

Resources for Renku Writers

The 500 Essential Season Words by Kenkichi Yamamoto, translated by Kris Young Kondo and William J. Higginson. A revised version of the season word guide used by Japanese and North American renku poets writing together during Renku North America in 1992. Includes English, romanized Japanese, and seasonal information.

The Traditional Seasons of Japanese Poetry by William J. Higginson is a table of the seasons as observed in haiku and linked poetry.

Link and Shift: A Practical Guide to Renku Composition by Tadashi Shôkan Kondô and William J. Higginson. The most thorough discussion of linking stanzas and creating variety by shifting stanza content in renku to appear in English. Includes translations of topics lists used by Japanese renku groups (see table of contents in the article).

Shorter Renku by William J. Higginson and Tadashi Kondô. This essay presents the basics of two shorter types of renku, the twenty-stanza nijûin and the twelve-stanza jûnicho.

Background and Teaching

A Personal Introduction to Renku: William J. Higginson's introduction to renku in Japan, and his suggestions for understanding the overall flow of a renku.

Bashô-Style Linked Poems for Kids by William J. Higginson. An article that demonstrates teaching the main aspects of Bashô-style renku to elementary school students, rich with examples.

"Renga" and "Renku" by William J. Higginson discusses the meanings of these two words in Japanese and English.

What Is "Linked Poetry"? by William J. Higginson gives a brief overview of three types of Japanese-style "linked poetry" that have become popular worldwide: renga, renku, and renshi.

A Renku Bibliography with comments by William J. Higginson.

Authors' Biographies: Biographical notes on the authors of works included on this web site.

http://renku.home.att.net/

Previous Next

Comments
thank you shyaam for anchoring these... at least i tried...even if it meant clubbing these haiku together... maybe once this section gets activated...the effort will bring-in a spontaneous response... thank you nanda...keith...maria for inspiring me thus ~ 1. in the sweltering heat, the scrawny dog eyes a bullock cart nanda drifting chimes in the wide open sky ~ shyam digging to curl deep ~ within layers of cool mud sighs in sleep rebba the tongues of trees seasoned in silences ~ shyam alert puppy on hindlegs, the boy whisking away the cookie nanda 2. long lovely sleepless nights curtains of no avail nanda that star grew brighter when you pointed to it ~ shyam eyelids droop eyes swimming in dreams summer silences rebba the crescent moon weaves into the new-leaved trees shyam heavy eyelids, splitting head ~ odd, the party is days past nanda worlds drift by ~ the page still empty shyam college friends...living those days again ~ larger tots drown now into then rebba outside the twilight gate the inviting commotion ~ shyam eggnog...overseas ~ native...mulagatani soup wakes eyes...head won't reel rebba prayers answered, he returns unscathed, another night of debauchery ~ shyam a breeze – the red petals under the shaken poppy Maria Tirenescu 3. bright colours of autumn ~ false pretence of eternity nanda turning over the key ~ memories seep from the walls shyam falling leaves whispering tales of autumn arouse spring rebba rains all night ~ lawns turn to wild meadows shyam the bus stop, first monsoon night~ college girls, street Romeos nanda 4. elegantly gliding blue waters opening peace and beauty Keith A. Simmonds wading for shells ~ seeking that elusive one, opalesque and bright Shyam Santhanam a palm leaf blows on the window~ riding, peering in, a sparrow Nanda Kumar safe on this high rock from the rising tides shyam surfing gentle waves a serene terrapin cruises on a green palm leaf Rebba Singh incredulous eyes ~ the ocean, truly infinite shyam the horizon – the meeting of sky’s blue with the sea’s blue Maria Tirenescu ocean songs lap gently ~ the mind's shores surrender shyam lifting the low tide into an elated trance ~ a placid full moon rebba reaching outwards in glory beyond the vast blue immensity Keith 5. the child's cries~ rising at his mother, halting with the toy seller nanda stern-eyed parent turns a child before jolly grand-parent ~ shyam umpteen times she flies brings worm or insect ~ fledglings cry but get by turn rebba untellable tales the days in the womb ~ shyam a flower smiles beaming in the heat to the sun keith 6. his successful career ~ the cemetry of true friendships nanda telemarketer call wakes ~ we strike up a funny chat shyam lone question-mark tailed red-faced monkey...dies alone ~ they rejoice not mourn rebba endless clues tying man and man ~ who unravels them all shyam tall wild weeds waving in the wind ~ a world of their own nanda 7. park under that flowering tree? don't forget the crows! nanda he scales the temple wall to feed the ancestors ~ shyam blazing gulmohar ~ squishy-squashy droppings plonk on the head rebba a shuffle in the trees no tracks in the breeze ~ shyam it’s snowing hardly – the wild beast's footmarks on the white surface Maria Tirenescu
rebba Mon, May 4th 2009, 12:00

Dear friends This is What you have gifted to me after my holiday when i was away. So much gratitude! We will get this section activated soon
Narayanan Raghunathan Thu, Jun 18th 2009, 01:09

8. post-Diwali haze ~ to safeguard her brother...smears Tilak on his forehead Rebba vermilion smudges flame fires bonding sky with breeze Rebba cool fragrances blaze ~ unborn suns weave lotus ponds~ dragonflies hum ~ Amanda purple twilight ~ mute moon measures windy mountain peak Rebba star crickets sing ~ gold moon floats a mountain lake ~ silent ripples glow Amanda mystic rose unfurls petals ~ dewy goldfish bowl Rebba white lotus shimmers festive breezes ~ butterfly flutters incense chants Amanda bubbly brook swirls silver tipped fingers pointing upwards Rebba brook dissolves in ocean skies ~ seahorse dancers incant sunlit depths Amanda burnished kettle trickles warmth on stone hearthstone Rebba copper heat gleams fire ~ children tumble in garden laughter Amanda ah! wires of bliss soul to soul an aged breeze Rebba the twilight fire ~ a fragrant breeze glows in a butterfly's cosmos Narayanan Diwali crackers lingering taste of sweets ~ lone lamp burns 'ghee' ['ghee' ~ clarified butter] Rebba fireflies dance city stars ~ autumn leaves gather round the elder's feet Amanda sacred bonds breathe lifelong sighs of relief Rebba ghee drips glisten on jasmine silences ~shadows sing blue moonlight Amanda soft moon peeps through evergreen branches Rebba a shooting star falls to crickets' songs ~ a solitary flute Narayanan white lotus petals embrace the 'bhanvar's' enchanting pleas Rebba [bhanvar ~ hover...bhanvar's ~ hoverer's...bhanvaraa ~ hover-fly it sometimes remains trapped within closed lotus petals till sunrise...one can hear the faint humming at night] the sacred dawn of a million suns ~ fragrant songs Narayanan tiny 'aaltaa'-footprints dancing on sparkling floors [little girls and women apply 'aaltaa' ~ natural red liquid colour on the soles of their feet...it is considered auspicious for festive occasions] Rebba
rebba Sat, Nov 21st 2009, 12:29

Please login to post comment.