Haiku and Renga
A traditional Japanese verse poetry, usually 5-7 syllables. They often focus on images centering around the seasons and nature. Haikus were introduced into the literary world in 13th century Japan. They started out as the first stanza to another form of poetry called renga. It wasn't until the Edo period in 17th century Japan, that haikus started to break away from the renga and were renowned by the famous poet, Matsuo Basho. He perfected the newly condensed form. Basho believed the haiku to be the embodiment of elegant simplicity and tranquility. During the Edo period, Japan saw an increased leisure time in the rising merchant class, and because of this, they were able to explore things like bathhouses, theaters, and reading causing a rise in popular culture.
Kigo/Season WordsKigos are words or phrases that are associated with a particular season
Japanese Calendar:
Spring: February 4th - May 5th Summer: May 6th - August 7th
Autumn: August 8th - November 6th Winter: November 7th - February 3rd
Japanese Examples:
Spring: Spring mist, Frogs, Hinamatsuri (Girls Day), Cherry Blossoms
Summer: Sunset, Summer wildflowers, Sunbathing, Lilys
Autumn: Scarecrow, Autumn, Crickets, Colored leaves
Winter: Cold, Snow covered, Christmas, Dried leaves
___________________________________________________________________________
American Calendar:
Spring: March 1st - May 31st Summer: June 1st - August 31st
Autumn: September 1st - November 30th Winter: December 1st - February 28th (29th leap year)
American Examples:
Spring: Tulips, Easter, April Showers, Bees
Summer: Sunset, Beaches, Ice teas, Sunglasses
Fall: Scarecrow, Halloween, Apple Cider, Pumpkins
Winter: Christmas, New Years, Snowman, Hot Chocolate
Kansas Examples:
Spring: Crab Apple Trees blooming, tornadoes, thunderstorms, field fires (burn season)
Summer: Hot weather, wheat fields, sunflowers, golden flint hills, Pawpaws, Cicadas
Haikus were typically written in the present tense and focused on creating images. Typically there was a pause at the end of the first and second line, and there was a “season word”, otherwise known as a “kigo”, that would specify the time of year.
Matsuo Basho
An old pond
A frog jumps in-
the sound of water.
Autumn moonlight—
a worm digs silently
into the chestnut.
In the twilight rain
these brilliant-hued hibiscus —
A lovely sunset.
*These poems have been translated from Japanese to English and have been altered to fit the 5/7/5 syllable rule.
*The highlighted words indicate the Kigo used to describe the season.
SPRING TIME by Emporia State student, Madison Snavely
Birds twitter in the
trees. Their songs passing along
the gentle spring breeze.
Honeysuckle vines
are intertwined in the fence
posts. Smelling so sweet.
Renga is an oral poem generally 100 stanzas long, created by many poets that worked in small groups or pairs. Poets would take turns writing out typically three to two lined stanzas. To start out, one poet would write three lines with the syllables five, seven, and five. The next poet would write a couplet with seven syllables in each line. The third stanza repeats the first stanza, and the fourth repeats the second stanza, and this repeats until the poem has reached the end.
Example
This ci/ty of song; (5 Syllables)
Bird gave birth to be/bop here. (7 Syllables)
Now bul/lets blast loud (5 Syllables)
com/pos/ing dark sym/pho/nies (7 Syllables)
played for the life/less brown bodies (7 Syllables)
Kan/sas Ci/ty knows (5 Syllables)
ter/ror is a tri/cky tune. (7 Syllables)
Like A/mer/i/ca,(5 Syllables)
we still want to dance, we just (7 Syllables)
need to re/mem/ber the moves.(7 Syllables)
Additionally, there are four types of Renga; hyakuin, kasen, haika, and tan-renga.
One of the most popular Kansas-themed Renga's is, To the Stars Through Difficulties: A Kansas Renga in 150 Voices which is edited by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg and includes known ESU voices such as Kevin Rabas, Tyler Sheldon (ESU Alumni). Other poets include but are not limited to Thomas Fox Averill, Elizabeth Dodd, Denise Low, and Cheryl Unruh.
THE AUTUMN TOLL by Emporia State students, Beth Anderson and Kaytlin Hilton-Krchnavy
The pal autumn skiestake hold of their importance
and move with the wind
Trees are painted with color
making the earth dance with grace
leaves dance in the wind
making modic movements
every eye watches
the sunlight touches the ground
and lights up the earth with joy
As this form evolved, many rules like the five, seven, five syllable lines were broken. The philosophy was kept: “the focus on a brief moment in time; a use of provocative, colorful images; an ability to be read in one breath; and a sense of sudden enlightenment and illumination.”
Michael Dylan Welch
meteor shower
a gentle wave
wets our sandals
Alexis Rotella
Just friends:
he watches my gauze dress
blowing on the line.
Jack Kerouac
Nightfall,
Too dark to read the page
Too cold