Day 12 ~ Let's Write a Tanka Poem

  

Day 12 – Tanka, “The Grandmother of Haiku”

Soon we’ll do a free verse poem using a prompt and move away from all these “form” poems, but I also think the “form” poems are really good practice because you have to work hard to fit your thoughts into the pattern set forth.

Today is another form of Japanese poetry, “Tanka” which has been called, “The Grandmother of Haiku.” This poem is distinguished by the number of lines and syllables instead of rhyme. 

Please take care to COUNT the syllables in the poem you create and only use 5 lines. Tanka poems consist of 31 syllables in the following pattern:

Line 1 = 5 syllables
Line 2 = 7 syllables
Line 3 = 5 syllables
Line 4 = 7 syllables
Line 5 = 7 syllables 

EXAMPLE:

 
Liberty bell rang

in seventeen fifty-three

struck an e-flat note

hairline crack begins to spread

starts split with Mother England.

           © 2008 Sally Clark

Here’s another example, a poem written by Gerard John Conforti, in his book, Now That the Night Ends ©1996: 
 
This cold winter night
the snow clings to the tree boughs
in the pale moonlight
the kisses of your soft lips
warm this aching heart of mine 
            ©1996 Gerard John Conforti

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

OKAY, so here's my SILLY little offering but sometimes I feel this way - has it ever happened to you?

Timing of Posts is EVERYTHING

Feel invisible

Even when among my friends

I say clever things

But no one responds to it

Darn that Face Book anyway.

                    © 2011 Stephanie Abney

YOUR TURN!! Enjoy!