2008-12-27

Renhai Reflections 61: Shifting


"The main feature of all Japanese linked poetry is shifting: Shifting from place to place, action to action, mood to mood. There is no sustained narrative or setting as in most long poems of European tradition." (The Haiku Seasons by William J. Higginson, p. 46)


Renhai is based on principles of Japanese linked poetry including the shifting that William Higginson here speaks of. The concept of "theme" in Renhai, however, is intended to pull together a Renhai's verses and to create something that is more than a collection of three linked verses.

5 comments:

Devika Jyothi said...

Japanese forms had gone quite deep into my processing system....

Now, about time to study it..spend time on it.

Thank you Masago for the introduction and notes all through :)

wishes,
devika

Pamela said...

I keep thinking if I hang around here long enough, some of it might rub off on me. (:

Borut said...

Linking and thematizing!? I seem to be working along those lines too!:)

Janice Thomson said...

One realizes the veracity of this statement more clearly when creating a Renhai - it's not quite as easy as it looks :)

jem said...

Thanks for your 'lessons' - always helpful. I'm reading 'The Haiku Handbook' at the moment, long overdue I know, but so useful, informative, inspiring. It's never too late to learn new things.