the way of haiku

NOTES

I wrote this as part of the 2nd renga we are working on in Fálki’s Mighty Networks haiku group. It follows this couplet, written by another poet, J.T.:

Feelings entwined with senses
A sad heart smiles with the sweet

In case you don’t know, a renga is a longer poem often written in collaboration with other poets. It starts with a haiku — and, in fact, the renga is where the artform of haiku originated — followed by a 14-syllable couplet, then a haiku, then another 7-7 couplet, and so on until a predetermined number of stanzas has been reached.

Our renga group has five poets, and we take turns in order adding to the renga. One of our rules is that every two stanzas must make a single poem, but must not be thematically connected to a 3rd stanza. This keeps the renga from becoming a cohesive narrative.

For example, if the first five stanzas are A (5-7-5), B (7-7), C (5-7-5), D (7-7), and E (5-7-5), then A and B form a single poem, B and C form a single poem, C and D form a single poem, D and E form a single poem, and so on. That way our renga forms a series of short poems with lines shared between juxtaposed poems. (It sounds more complicated than it is. Try it with your friends!)

In the example of this haiku, while it works as a standalone, it also works with the couplet that preceded it in the renga:

Feelings entwined with senses
A sad heart smiles with the sweet

laughter of children
running through frost-covered grass
dodging the gravestones

And my haiku will be used as a start for the next poet’s couplet to form a tanka within the renga.