Global Haiku Tradition • Tan-Renga Favorites 2019
stomach full of food
Mason Bruce & Amanda Bivens hop-hop
Breana Bagley & Amanda Bivens streaming
Connor Mendenhall & Amanda Bivens Response: I think the tan-renga really fits the haiku well. When I read this, I think of a couple who is watching a show together, but one night they are not able to watch it together. Through the whole show, they are wishing the other was there with them because it does not feel the same watching it without them. It could also be that they are no longer together but they are still watching that show and it makes them miss their ex. I really like this haiku, and I think the tan-renga is a nice pair with it. The haiku can stand alone, but the tan-renga gives the haiku a little extra something. The tan-renga really drives home the feeling of missing someone and feeling lonely. Emily Reeves, Spring 2019 |
hop-hop
Breana Bagley & Mason Bruce family dinner
Amanda Bivens & Mason Bruce I like this haiku and what was added to it a lot because it can be very relatable as a college student. I don't live very far away only about an hour away but when I am busy with studying or doing school work they want me to come home for dinner or for the weekend but I can't because I know that if I do I wouldn't actually get the homework done that I needed too. Daryann Birt, Spring 2019 the homeless man
Evan Chastain & Mason Bruce |
shotgun start
Mason Bruce & Ariya Hawkins This cap does a great job of answering the question of, “where is this haiku going,” that was established by the original author putting a hyphen at the end of the third line. The cap also adds a bit of humor to a very familiar scenario that most people have gone through in their life. It makes the haiku even more human, which means, even more funny. Connor, Spring 2019 This was my top haiku because it used mystery and humor which was solved in the bottom two lines. I also like the story is mostly summed up in the haiku but not completely. For instance, the first line starts with shotgun start and the last line ends that the dog got it first. This summarizes the story but the . . . at the end also leaves a little room for the imagination. Bree Bagley, Spring 2019 feeling so full
Amanda Bivens & Ariya Hawkins This haiku intrigued me because of the relatability along with the humor. Unlike the above, this haiku has an end to the story. The problem occurs within the first two line, he is way too full! But an exception comes in the third when there is more cake to be eaten! Finally, the solution in in the last two lines, unbutton the pants to make room. I like the technique of offering a solution in the last lines. Bree Bagley, Spring 2019 one mile high
Emily Reeves & Ariya Hawkins Like the previous one, I like this one because of the turn it takes while using the same words. It created a drastic change from sky-diving to dropping into a war. I could see the scene switch from day to night, and things got much louder as well. I versioned the yellow bursts of light from guns, which were the only indication of where people were. I like how Ariya added the word enemy, which made the switch happen. It wasn’t a practice jump, it was a real-life scenario. This was a great one in my opinion and I like the use of resources to recreate the scene. Evan Chastain, Spring 2019 |
new tattoo
Julia Peterson & Benjamin Woodcock I found this cap to be one of the most interesting because of the negative stigma surrounding tattoos. Many tattoos have a deeper meaning than what is on the surface, but all the grandma sees is the permanent mark on your body. I like the change of feeling, going from a sour scold to a excited smile make this haiku pop. The smile taking the pain away is also an interesting spin on self-gratification and orneriness. Mason Bruce, Spring 2019 shotgun start
Mason Bruce & Benjamin Woodcock This link stands out from the crowd, because the two lines are not directly related to the three line haiku. Ben does a nice job of leaving the link open to interpretation. I imagine the knees hitting the wet spring grass, even though the two liner mentions nothing of the sort. The last line leaves me wanting to know more. Does this person miss easter egg hunts, or is it something deeper? Whitley Sapp, Spring 2019 throwing away—
Whitley Sapp & Benjamin Woodcock I really like this Tan-Renga because the calendar full of to-dos reminds me of my life. I am a slave to my calendar, and I love making lists so I can check things off my task list. However, every time that I complete one list of to-dos, there is always another waiting to be started, or waiting to be completed. That is the life of a student. Amanda Bivens, Spring 2019 |
one mile high
Emily Reeves & Mikaela Vuglar This cap does a great job of bringing in the unexpected reality that few skydivers do go through. I think because of bringing up something that would be wild and unexpected in real life, it also makes this moment in the haiku wild and unexpected and a bit humorous. The use of the onomonapeia, “splat,” also helps bring it home that the cap author wanted to put a humorous twist to this haiku. Connor Spring 2019 I like the humor in this tan-renga. It’s very playful and makes me think of all the cartoons in my life where they jump and end up leaving a body sized whole or look like a pancake on the ground. The beginning builds it up as something daring and courageous and the end just wraps it up in goofy pain, showing that not all bravery is smart. Kevin Miller, Spring 2019 new tattoo
Julia Peterson & Mikaela Vuglar new restaurant
Grace Ruddell & Mikaela Vuglar |
cigarettes:
Whitley Sapp & Connor Mendenhall children laughing in the background
Breana Bagley & Connor Mendenhall chocolate bunny
Julia Peterson & Connor Mendenhall |
shotgun start
Mason Bruce & Daryann Birt finally home
Grace Ruddell & Daryann Birt pictures on the wall
Emily Reeves & Daryann Birt |
hop hop
Breana Bagley & Emily Reeves
Ariya Hawkins & Emily Reeves midmorning opera
Ariya Hawkins & Emily Reeves |
celebrating the holiday . . .
Mikaela Vuglar & Evan Chastain These haikus were just so sad, but the fact that they complete each other so nicely works. They finish each other by stating that their family forgot about him works great and that's why hes drinking the whiskey. Julia Peterson, Spring 2019 he runs his fingers
Ariya Hawkins & Evan Chastain I wanted to respond to this tan renga because I absolutely love the addition of the final two lines. When I initially wrote this haiku, I was only somewhat satisfied with it, and was unsure of whether or not it would make perfect sense to the reader. However, Evan's lines help to bring a sort of completion to the original thought and theme of loneliness. The first three lines on their own make this man seem a little crazy and desperate, but when we see someone else doing the same thing helps to clarify that first image in a way that I couldn't fully express in my first three lines. Evan's lines also help to give this haiku a sense of mystery; will these two people end up together? Have they been in a relationship before, and things didn't work out? Are these simply two lonely people? The addition of another person helps to create a story, and build images that are more complex. Ariya Hawkins, Spring 2019 I enjoyed this tan-renga because of the simplicity of the link. The image this forms is one that is like a mirror. The two are feeling a similar feeling of longing towards one another but yet neither of them act upon this. I like that the mention of love is involved in this tan-renga as well. They have not yet felt this for each other but there is an optimistic point of view to where this relationship might end up. Mikaela Vuglar, Spring 2019 pictures on the wall
Emily Reeves & Evan Chastain Response: I think the tan-renga that Evan added to my haiku made my haiku so much better. I don't think this haiku was one of my best, but Evan really made it more interesting. I like the direction that Evan went with the tan-renga. It gives you that feeling of growing up and maturing. The friends that you used to have may not be your friends anymore. When you look at those pictures, you can remember the good times that you had with those people even if they are no longer in your life. As you get older, you lose friends, but you also gain new ones and so I think it was really cool for Evan to move that direction with my haiku. I think that the tan-renga really adds something to my haiku and really fits the haiku. Emily Reeves, Spring 2019 I like this tan-renga because it truthfully could be taken in multiple ways for the first few lines and completely puts us in the mood at the end. It brings me to a place where maybe the person is going through their high school yearbook and looking at their old friend groups that they may have stopped being in contact with right out of high school. It also makes one ponder whether the friendship ended due to bad terms or if time and life just drifted them apart. Kevin Miller, Spring 2019 |
alarm clock
Whitley Sapp & Julia Peterson When reading this haiku and the added two lines in think it adds just the little something that makes it even more relatable especially as a college student because it could go so many different ways of what could've been happening at 3 am. Daryann Birt, Spring 2019 pictures on the wall
Emily Reeves& Julia Peterson stomach full of food
Mason Bruce & Julia Peterson I like the image this link builds. The two parts jump around from place to place all over the house. We see the full stomach, with maybe a hand on it. Then we jump to Grandpa with his mouth open, kicked back in his recliner. From the other room, Grandma’s voice calls to come eat cake. I imagine the furniture to be 70’s oranges and greens. The sun has already set. The lights of the flickering TV are the only thing to light up the snoring grandpa and the rest of the living room. Whitley Sapp, Spring 2019 |
downtown Sunday
Grace Ruddell & Rene Sanchez I like this tan-renga because the drastic turn it has within it. I first thought of a young boy running in the rain after his mother said not too. I found it very happy and filled with childish behavior of being rebellious to such a small task. The adding of the cemetery made this go grim and I immediately felt sad with this image shown. I saw a crying boy running back to get a final look at his grandfather. I saw the dark clouds crying raindrops like his tears. I felt sad for this young boy as he can’t leave his grandfather, not knowing how to live without him. I saw myself a little in this haiku, because the connection my grandpa and I have together. It hit on a personal level and became clearly visible with emotions and scenery. Overall, I liked the turn it took and still created emotion and a picture within me. Evan Chastain, Spring 2019 children laughing in the background
Breana Bagley & Rene Sanchez | after she left
Benjamin Woodcock & Whitley Sapp This was one of my favorites because it talks about how she's leaving and one can imagine that the door is closing when someone leaves like that, especially with the sound that this is a break up. But then when you add Whitley's part, it is like she's back and the door is back open. This haiku just has a huge turn around and I liked it. Julia Peterson, Spring 2019 I enjoyed this tan-renga because of the feeling of loneliness displayed within it. The senses are also very involved in this tan-renga. First, you feel the absence of no longer being with someone. Next, you hear the sound of your watch, which simply amplifies the fact that you are alone. The gust of wind is the final sense within this tan-renga. The feeling of wind too amplifies the fact that you are alone with the coldness I pictured when I read this. Overall, the link provides a great addition to the overall feeling of the original haiku. Mikaela Vuglar, Spring 2019 nightly routine
Mikaela Vuglar & Whitley Sapp I love this tan renga because of how it represents the connection between love and longing. The final two lines almost personify the toothbrush, or at least use the toothbrush as a parallel to reference the love and desire between two people. I also love the symbol of the toothbrush because of the significance it has in a new relationship (keeping a toothbrush in your new partner's home). Ariya Hawkins, Spring 2019 cool breeze
Daryann Birt & Whitley Sapp I found this haiku cap to be interesting because the cap creates a negative piece to what was an open ended theme. A cool breeze can give off a very eerie feeling, but the first author ties it to an average Thursday. The second author finishes the haiku by capping it with a tragic passing. Both have their own mood but the common theme between the two creates a mysterious image leaving the reader with many questions unanswered. Mason Bruce, Spring 2019 I really like this Tan-Renga. The cap was very unexpected and left me with an eerie feeling after reading. The mention of the breeze leaves you with a chilling feeling once you know that the haiku has become about a funeral. This was an awesome addition. Amanda Bivens, Spring 2019 |
© 2019, Randy Brooks • Millikin University • All rights returned to authors upon publication.