ways of tightening your technique
2010 revision
This page hosts a series of exercises designed to increase the understanding of fundamental aspects of renku and help poets tighten their technique. Headings and a brief description are listed below. The black buttons to the right of each heading give access to the text of the exercise.
Wakiokori is a traditional exercise. Whilst the element waki means 'side' or 'flank' a free translation might give the term as: 'to provide the supporting role'. In many instances poets employing wakiokori go on to write an entire sequence, adopting a hokku by an acknowledged master in order to honour a relevant anniversary, or dedicate a particular place or undertaking. For our present purposes the term is intended in its narrower sense of 'to append a wakiku'.
Meaning 'three objects' or perhaps 'three emotions', Mitsumono is a traditional exercise for one or two poets. The three elements to be composed are normally hokku, wakiku and daisan.
Interjection
Replacement
Replacement is a single voice exercise devised by the present author. It emphasises the bivalent nature of a renku verse, which must both flow from the proceeding verse and give rise to the following verse. It also favours an understanding that the effects of shift, and hence of uchikoshi no kirai (reversion) or kannonbiraki (double doors), extend forwards as well as backwards.
Strongly influenced by the Chinese Juejo, Yotsumono is a proposal from the present author for a renku sequence in miniature comprising hokku, wakiku, daisan and ageku. The Yotsumono is intended principally for two voices.