The Renku Sessions: Purple Haze – Wrap Up
Hi, everyone,
It’s silly to say that these thirteen weeks have flown by so fast … time does.
What will always remain in my memory is the verses all of you sent in each week. It was a pleasure to read and reread your offers and see which one would suit the slot. The link and shift have come out extremely well, and the whole poem still looks so seamless. The beauty of renku is collaboration, and that is so visible here, with verses coming from all over the world.
Thanks a million.
My sincere thanks to John Stevenson for inviting me here.
Many of you have spoken so warmly about your interaction with Wendy C. Bialek and expressed your sadness at her passing.
I received some very positive feedback, which I would like to share with all of you here.
Richard Straw says:
“Thanks for leading this renku and especially for guiding us each week with your detailed reminders, summaries, analyses, suggestions, and prompts. The subtleties of linking and shifting are becoming gradually clearer to me, with much thanks to you and others who have patiently led renku-writing efforts at The Haiku Foundation.
The hokku’s first line repeats the title, which seems a bit, well, repetitive.”
I have flipped the hokku, Richard. It reads well now, and your concern about the title repeating immediately in the hokku is avoided. The general custom in renku is to use the title from the hokku, so that we aren’t giving away the best phrases or images that come later in the title itself.
Thank you, Richard Straw.
***
Urszula Marciniak says:
“An amazing poem. I’d title it “A Journey Through Time and Space.” I’m learning more and more about writing renku, but that doesn’t mean I can or feel it. In fact, I feel like I know less and less.
Congratulations to everyone: chosen and unchosen, and lots of love. I hope we’ll be working on another renku soon.”
Thank you, Urszula.
***
Giving you the title suggestions from Orense Nicod:
“Dear Kala,
Thank you for this wonderful experience and for a selection I genuinely did not see coming, let alone two.
My title suggestions will also serve as my reflection on the renku and the experience of writing for it.
Crescendo
This might seem quite generic as a title but what struck me in this renku is the attention to rhythm. I was familiar with the Jo Ha Kyu progression but never experienced it in the choices of verses as much as in this renku. As such I feel reading the renku is very much like a crescendo. Perhaps To a Crescendo as another alternative would make the title more unique.
Monsoon Clouds
Not because it is from my verse but because since the monsoon slot was your addition to the structure, it would reflect this renku’s specificity. I feel it can encapsulate both the hokku’s purple haze which foregrounds it and the ageku’s groundnut yield which is its result.
Yield
A sparse title but I feel the last word would be apt in its double meaning and it applies to the renku as a whole. It captures my experience writing for this renku as well as the link and shift dynamic. What strikes me most, looking back, is how much the form exceeded my intentions. Let go and you shall receive.
Two spoons
This one would be fun. It captures the relational aspect of the session. Sharing in linking and sharing in reading. Which is what renku is about for me.
Thank you for the care and commitment you brought to this sequence, and for the community of poets you held together across these weeks.”
Orense Nicod
Thank you, Orense. I like your title suggestions and the reasoning for each.
***
From Anju Kishore:
“This has been a grounding yet uplifting exercise, Kala. I am most grateful for your patient explanations each week. I learnt a great deal, thoroughly enjoyed myself, and am already looking forward to the next renku opportunity.”
Thank you so much, Anju.
***
From Lakshmi Iyer:
“Thank you, Kala Ramesh, for leading us through this beautiful Purple Haze! I thoroughly enjoyed every week, with lots of permutations and combinations to find the right verse. There were no disappointments, as it was learning at every stage. But yes, deep down, there was a thrill in being part of this beautiful renku, fructified!! It has come out so well.
This shows the years of experience and knowledge you have, and we are indeed lucky to have you!
Thank you, Haiku Foundation!
Thank you, Kala!”
Thank you very much, Lakshmi, for this generous praise.
_()_
***
From Pauline O’Carolan:
“Hi Kala,
Thank you for being a great sabaki on this journey. I was excited to have so many of my verses chosen for comment. It’s the greatest honour of my renku life to have my verse chosen as the hokku. I hope you won’t change the Purple Haze title, which I love and which expresses exactly how we are at the beginning – looking through haze at an unknown destination. All best.”
Thanks a lot, Pauline. The title remains!
***
From scott anderson:
“I look back and your teaching stands out. So many helpful hints and instructions. Thank you for leading and guiding us.”
Thank you so much. I am deeply touched by your comment, scott.
***
From madeleine kavanagh:
“Dear Kala:
Lakshmi lyer’s “white pumpkin head” is a marvelous and uplifting ageku. I love that this scarecrow consists of a pumpkin head, instead of the usual straw content. All 12 verses are compelling and unique, fitting very well into the fabric of the renku. Thank you for your invaluable commentary each week. I appreciate very much that you have posted some of my verses on the short list. Thanks to John Stevenson for providing an opportunity to take part in this ancient Japanese pastime. It has been an inspiring twelve weeks.”
Thanks a lot, madeleine, I eagerly looked forward to your verses each week.
From Valerie Green,
“Dear Kala,
Thank you again for leading this renku session. It has been a wonderful experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in and learn from a world group. Having the entire schema in advance was both helpful and challenging. I particularly enjoyed verses 8-10 and learning about the stone chakor. The poem together is so beautiful. It is full of lively images, live pictures that keep moving–how lovely.”
Thanks a ton, Valerie.
Purple Haze
sunlight filters
through jacaranda branches …
purple haze pc
a flight of butterflies
on the wood corral jd
an unmarked key
found at the bottom
of the drawer sa
Beethoven’s symphony
builds up to a crescendo mm
spinning wheel thread
unwinds from the spindle
in summer heat vjg
a tall dark stranger
changes more than her tyre td
reliving soda shop days
with porridge from one bowl
and two spoons lg
how silent the cave
of the last bears in Ireland mc
monsoon clouds
like a sea
above the sea on
quick firm strokes
of the barber’s razor ma
a crescent moon
inches closer
to the stone chakor on
white-pumpkin-headed scarecrow
for the groundnut yield li
Renkujin in this renku are:
hokku: Pauline O’ Carolan – spring
wakiku: John Daleiden – spring
daisan: Sanjuktaa Asopa – no season
4th verse: Mohua Maulik – no season
5th verse: VJ Green – summer
6th verse: Tracy Davidson – no season love
7th verse: Laurie Greer – winter love
8th verse: Marion Clarke – no season
9th verse: Orense Nicod – monsoon verse
10th verse: Margaret Anderson – no season
11th verse: Orense Nicod – autumn moon verse
12th verse: Lakshmi Iyer – autumn ageku
Congratulations to all. I personally feel this junicho has turned out extremely well.
Thank you for making this such a pleasant ride.
your sabaki,
_kala
John Stevenson: Linda Papanicolaou will lead a new session, starting in July. Until then I will be leading some very short sessions, staring next Thursday.
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