Link, Shift and Variety

	Link and Shift the basic generative mechanism 2010 revision
This page holds a series of articles that examine various aspects of Link and Shift: the generative mechanism that underlies all renku. The articles are listed below. The black buttons to the right of each title give access to the text. Immediately beneath each title is a paragraph outlining that article's contents. The section Advanced Concepts carries the essay Occurrence and Recurrence which goes beyond the basic information contained in this section.
Link & Shift Overview
Link & Shift Overview: this article deals with the particular meaning of the words 'link' and 'shift' in the context of renku theory. It examines those relationships between any given trio of verses that constitute the core generative dynamic of renku. It is inadvisable to attempt composition in the absence of a thorough understanding of the information contained in this article.
Link - Making the Connection
Link - Making the Connection: this article examines in closer detail some aspects of linkage. It makes particular reference to the idea, articulate by Basho, that there are qualitative differences between the various approaches to linking technique.
More About Shift
More About Shift: an examination of some of the practical considerations arising from the fundamental imperative that each added verse must bear no resemblance to the last-but-one.
On Backlink
On Backlink: ideas of 'backlink' are frequently encountered in English-language renku circles. But where do they come from, and what do they mean exactly? This article explores the utility of the term and advances some clarification. The piece closely compliments the essay Occurrence and Recurrence which appears in the section Advance Concepts.