Maia, of “Winter Gulls and Water Mint” in response to my ‘Haiku conversation‘ sent me a wonderfully clear and helpful Haiku tutorial – see it in the comments section of that post. And Maia also wrote “you also might find renga interesting to have a look at.”
And so of course I looked it up:
Well! there is so much STUFF written about it, a bit bewildering actually – but the easiest for me to follow was on the Young Writers website – well I guess that fits, I am only just beginning. They say: Renga, means ‘linked poem’. Poets worked in pairs or small groups, taking turns composing the alternating three-line and two-line stanzas.
What is the structure of a Renga Poem? To create a Renga, one poet writes the first stanza, which is three lines long with a total of seventeen syllables – the same structure as a haiku. The next poet adds the second stanza, a couplet with seven syllables per line. The third stanza repeats the structure of the first (another haiku) and the fourth repeats the second, alternating in this pattern until the poem is completed.
Example of a Renga Poem
The final leaf falls (5)
The tree branches are so bare (7)
Autumn has arrived (5)
Remember Summer’s warm kiss (7)
So gentle, it will be missed. (7)
And then this wonderful comment popped into my inbox this morning from Aranislandgirl: “…I have just awoke at half past one a.m. and a Haiku runs through my head? Something about your post unwittingly stuck and I could not get back to sleep until I rechecked the syllable criteria! …. And excitedly creative, I think you understand.
While in the garden
His feet became quite sodden
From the sideways rain
(I ABSOLUTELY understand – and here goes with my Renga response)
It is sunny here today No wet feet, i’m glad to say
Anyone else want to join in?!
Ravelry
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Flowers sleep but still
Getting strength beyond compare
From moon’s mighty pull
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You paint such wonderful images – the Haiku format seems to bring an elegance – this is such a wondrous surprise and discovery – I’m going to put the whole Renga in a separate post to see how it all works together – gorgeous! Can’t thank you enough for this co-creation – feels great!
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It is a great structure and guide for those non-poetic types as myself. I have really enjoyed this interaction and look forward to seeing that post. I woke this morning and jotted down a new Haiku! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful introduction to Haiku and Renga. Melissa Xx
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Just beneath the soil
Seeds burst towards the warm sky
Cotyledons form
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Eeeeek! This is Fun! working/playing on/with a response. Thank you thank you thank you!
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Yay! I am having fun too. Can’t wait to see next verse (is it called a verse? Must (happily) do some research, hee, hee!!
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Those first leaves bravely pushing
Upwards ready for the Spring
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Oh, I just love it!! Just home from a day on the mainland so may not get a back on computer this eve–lots of cuddles and snuggles to catch up on 🙂 But my brain is already tossing ideas about! Chat soon. Xx
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