December
2003, Volume 1, Number 6
Renku
Guidelines: John Carley, Editor
What
is meant by 'Renku'?
In
current English usage the word 'Renga' has become a generic term
for all forms of linked verse. The high style of medieval Japanese
linked verse to which the word 'Renga' might more properly apply
is now often distinguished by a qualifying term such as 'Classical
Renga'. The word 'Renku', a relative neologism, is generally reserved
for that genre of contemporary linked verse derived from the Basho
school of 'Haikai-no-Renga'.
What
does the Renku Column of Simply Haiku publish?
There
are a number of excellent publications which feature renga - linked
verse - as it is broadly intended. The Renku Column of Simply Haiku
concentrates therefore on the promotion of renku as a specific genre.
In addition to the text of the poems themselves, the column publishes
technical articles, commentaries by participants, general queries,
and critical appreciation's by readers.
What
are the indicative editorial criteria?
Though
it is the column's intention to promote both excellence and experimentation,
in the first instance preference will be given to those poems which
demonstrate a clear understanding of the core structural and aesthetic
characteristics of contemporary renku.
Poems
will therefore be un-themed, and employ instead that progressive
compositional dynamic commonly described as 'link and shift'. They
will be multi-authorial, written in cognisance of folio or movement
(ren) divisions, and guided by a lead-poet (sabaki) or master (sosho).
Persons with extensive practice of renku (renkujin) may wish to
propose pieces written in the democratic (shugi-han) manner. Though
an appreciation of the function of seasonal reference is a minimum
requirement, the adoption of the Japanese seasonal almanac (saijiki)
is not obligatory.
Are
there additional guidelines? All
submissions to Simply Haiku are subject to the general conditions
set out here. Poems should
be in English or English translation. Where possible, translations
should be accompanied by the original text. This text may also be
published. No more than two pieces should be submitted by a given
group of poets at any one time. The submission of a poem is deemed
proof that appropriate permission(s) have been obtained from all
participants. The inclusion of a Tomegaki (lead-poet's debrief)
and/or one or more Kanso's (appreciation's) by participating poets
is actively encouraged. The full text, or extracts, may be published.
Articles are invited from all persons on all aspects of Renku composition.
Letters of inquiry are welcomed. Reader's comments and queries are
invited both on specific aspects of the column's content and on
the literary genre in general.Please place 'Renku Column' and a
further identifying name or title in the 'subject' window of all
correspondence
Thank you. john e c
John
Carley is 48 years old and lives in the Pennine Hills of northern
England, cradle of the British textile industry and home to the
Industrial Revolution.
A polyglot
and former musician John has a particular interest in the phonic
properties of poetry and has written, performed and published
a wide range of material in English, Italian, French and Piemoteis
as well as literary translations from Urdu, Bangla and, more
recently, Japanese.
In recent
years his radical analogue to Japanese teikei (strict form) prosody,
nicknamed the 'zip' style, has earned both consternation and
support amongst those specialising in Japanese verse forms in
the English language.
His fascination
with Renku stems in part from a passionate belief in the transformational
power of collaborative art, and in the unity of the human condition.
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