3. Renga Defined
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An Ancient Japanese Party Game
Collaborative poetry
One person writes a stanza and passes it on
to the next
Alternates between haikus and couplets
Stanzas “link” with one another
Dependent on imagery
7. “Linking” Stanzas
Write down an image suggested by the
previous stanza
Parallel
image (something similar)
Contrasting image (something different)
Shift focus to another aspect of the same image
Repeat prominent sounds
Make a play on words/pun inspired by the
previous stanza
Continue or contrast the mood
8. Rengas Travel Through Ideas
The point of a renga is to explore an idea in
many different ways
It is a conversation
New ideas will be introduced, others
forgotten, but the focus is still on one topic.