Renga is a historic form of communal poetry writing shaped by formal constraints that guide the composition of the poem. Two or more poets compose a series of short verses that reflect upon and respond to each preceding verse in the sequence. Sharing authorship of the poem, the poets enter into a dialogue with one other, working towards forming a single intelligible whole.

In this workshop, we will look at various manifestations of traditional and contemporary renga poetry. We will practice linking and shifting and experiment with rengay, nijuin, and various collaborative approaches to writing renga.