A User's Guide to Japanese Poetry

3 units

This course introduces the art and craft of Japanese poetry, one of the world's great literary traditions. Exploring the many styles of traditional verse--the poetic diary, linked verse, haiku, and others--and their historical contexts, students gain insights into Japanese aesthetics and study the unique conventions of Japanese poetic production that have evolved over a span of some 1500 years. The course also incorporates a haiku workshop, where we engage in group-centered poetry writing and critiquing. No prior knowledge of Japanese is required.