Renku

Entertainment / Literature / Renku: An earthier, humorous variant on the courtly renga introduced by Iio Sogi, Yamazzaki Sokan, and Nishiyama Soin. While the form of the renku are identical to the renga, the subject-matter, tone, and vocabulary are quite different. Ultimately, the hokku section of the renku or haikai renga develop into the modern haiku after Matsuo Bash???? took the poetic form and elevated it to a meaningful zen reaction to nature. See hokku, haiku, and renga. (also called haikai renga)
Search Google for Renku:

Renga

Entertainment / Literature / Renga: Japanese linked verse--a poetic dialogue formed by a succession of waka in which poets take turns composing the poem as a party-game. The rules for the games were supposedly laid down in 1186 CE by Fu MORE

Haiku

Entertainment / Literature / Haiku: (pluralhaiku, from archaic Japanese): The term haiku is a fairly late addition to Japanese poetry. The poet Shiki coined the term in the nineteenth century from a longer, more traditional phrase, haik MORE

Haikai

Entertainment / Literature / Haikai: Another term for haikai renga or renku. See discussion under renku and renga. MORE