B.H.L.M Renga #1

Collectively written in respite and joy at the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville, M.A, during the Small Mart on April 4.

A renga is a traditional Japanese poetic form, and one of Matsuo Bashō’s preferred forms. Traditional renga have intricate and gradually evolving rules, but like haiku, one can attempt to transliterate them to other languages with compromises and a change of intent. The effect is not the same, the impact is not the same, but part of the process persists. Here is an example of a classical renga.

This is Fish’s third formal renga in English, and she only enforces a two/three alternating stanza structure, while encouraging found or spur of the moment verses from her participants. Future renga may be posted with anonymized participants or formal asks such as this one.

Fish proposes the moniker “Cowgirl Renga” to clearly demarcate this new form, and she endorses the term “American Haiku” to categorize the emerging form of no-title, English language haiku between 9 and 23 syllables, especially those that deal with 21st century American felt and induced pain.

(For this renga, Fish encouraged the impromptu poets to use a found line from their merchandise)