When haiku get long
They need a bridge show them
How to play together
Renga provides such a bridge
With fourteen new syllables
Bind them together
Just like a roll of duct tape
Keeping it tidy.
Renga — The Cooperative Haiku
Okay, I so cheated on the above poem. I wrote the whole thing. Shame on me.
Yesterday, when I was researching haiku, I came across a parent form of Japanese poem called Renga.
The term renga means “linked poem.” The art is intended to be shared between at least two poets, which is why I claimed to have cheated above. It’s actually where haiku comes from. If you don’t have a friend to continue the poem, you only get to write one stanza, I guess.
The idea would be fore two or more poets to write back and forth to each other. So, for example, I would write a haiku:
Matt likes fried chicken
Even if it gives him gas
So tasty. So Good.
Then, I would pass it on to you. You would write a little bridge stanza–2 lines of 7 syllables each–followed by your own haiku. So you might respond:
This is why Matt is so fat
and cannot touch his big toe
No more fried chicken
For a medical reason
Don’t get diabetes.
And maybe a third person would pick it up from there, or maybe I would respond, continuing the process ad infinitum:
No need to be a huge dick
I understand my poor health
I will eat my feels
Sobbing heavily tonight
but that is my choice.
Ta-da!
Let’s put it together:
Matt likes fried chicken
Even if it gives him gas
So tasty. So Good.
This is why Matt is so fat
and cannot touch his big toe
No more fried chicken
For a medical reason
Don’t get diabetes.
No need to be a huge dick
I understand my poor health
I will eat my feels
Sobbing heavily tonight
But that is my choice.
Guys… I might have self-esteem issues…