Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,
Welcome at a new episode of Universal Jane, our special feature in honor and remembering Jane Reichhold who has meant a lot for our Haiku Kai.
Jane was not only a great haiku and tanka poetess, but she also was a renga master, she even created a renge together with her husband Werner and Matsuo Basho. I love to share that renga here with you all.
This renga is titled "Old Jokes With Me" and it is based on three and two lined renga pieces written by Basho. In this renga the links in bold are by Basho and the links in italic are by Jane and the links in the normal type are by Werner. This example of a renga I have extracted from Jane's "Bare Bones School of Renga" (available through download at Jane's Library here at CDHK). It wasn't very clear which links were written by whom, so I tried to reconstruct this. The only sure links were the ones by Basho. As I followed the "classical" way of renga than I could reconstruct it and I hope I did it right.
Renga ... also one of Jane's prides ... she was a renga master pur sang.
OLD JOKES WITH ME
Matsuo Basho
Jane Reichhold
Werner Reichhold
1 hokku:
it’s so rotten
no other dogs enjoy
old jokes with me
2
pass the wine
raise our spirits
3
always a link
up his sleeves
the brush wets
4
leather socks get dirty
walking a muddy path
5
somebody’s missing
quick put the moon in
a puddle
6
shy eyes
far-out composing
7
spinning down
when does it get
to the bottom?
8
so the villagers
laugh at me
9
sleeping outdoors
with friends
summer constellations
10
a hand drumming
pulsates with the sun
11.
a wood thrush manifests
“as power-spirit I come”
and cries and cries and cries
12
breath wind in mists
a trail through the maze
13
meadow walk
eventually hiding
a snake
14
greeting the traveler
a lamp on the floor
15
curving her breast
the early moon
very hot
16
impatient call:
“Where can we meet?”
17
sandals in petals
yet he’s so poor
his hat’s a sack
18
squint-eyed bag lady
famous in New Jersey
19
picture postcard
the come hither look
of the naked beauty
20
expanded body freedom
designed for partnership
21
cats in love
satisfied at dawn
he explains
22
“I’m collecting songs
for the Flax-Reaping Anthology.”
23
bundles
the hand ties with a string
words
24
college sonnets saved
in a hope chest
25
more than dreams
the real butterfly
touches one
26
stem after it
leaves erect
27
without friends
he moves
to help himself
28
among that kind
the tall pilgrim stands out
29
relief comes
first light
on a cedar tip
30
to an incense stick
he also bows
31
worship service
begins as invocation
crickets chanting
32
it’s so hot it’s so hot
the same voice at every gate
 |
| More about Soliloquy no Renga you can find HERE |
33
wet lips
summer-shine
opens
34
snow-clogged mountain pass
so steep everyone sweats
35
resting
the hiker hears
a wave of color
36 ageku:
sunset on a spring lake
pleasure brings home a poem
© Basho, Jane Reichhold and Werner Reichhold (summer 1990)
Isn't it awesome to read this renga ? Try to create your renga, a Soliloquy no Renga, inspired on the hokku of this renga
This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until February 13th at noon (CET)
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