Book launch: Renshi, a poetry book by Roseann O'Reilly Runte
About this Event
Event details
Date : Thursday September 24th, 2026
Time : 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location : Emmanuel College Chapel
Address : 75 Queen's Park Crescent East, Toronto, ON
Join us for the launch of Renshi by Roseann O’Reilly Runte.
Master poets Ooka Makoto, Shuntaro Tanikawa and Kim Yong-Jik were joined by Canadian Roseann O’Reilly Runte in Tokyo on a very warm August day in 1991 to compose a linked-verse poem. It was also the day the Soviet Parliament was stormed, foreshadowing the end of the Cold War.
Not knowing the future, the poets chose to celebrate the lasting power of words to survive discord and violence. They believed the beauty of poetry would inspire and transcend time and national and linguistic borders. They followed an ancient Japanese poetic form called renga, and they wrote simultaneously in English, French, Japanese and Korean.
This volume includes the original recording made by the poets, artwork by Sylviane De Roquebrune inspired by the poems and music by Casey Sokol.
The renga form dates from medieval times when poets came together at a castle to compose in the course of a single day linked verses that responded to each other, creating a poetic dialogue. We believe this to be the sole renga ever composed completely in four languages at once.
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of the celebration of such a unique work!
Find out more about the book on our Website...
See you soon!
About the author
Roseann O’Reilly Runte, awarded the François Coppée poetry prize from the Académie française has served as professor, university president and head of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. She currently dedicates her time and thoughts to writing and consulting. She lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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