Tanka, like Haiku, is again a form of Japanese Lyric Poetry.
[As you know by now, :) ] A Haiku works with 17 syllables arranged in 3 lines of 5/7/5 syllables to each line, and evokes an aspect of nature and the seasons, with the last line holding the punch so to speak.
A few haiku here, in my previous post!
Tanka on the other hand gives the writer more space to work with – 31 syllables, arranged in 5 lines of 5/7/5/7/7 syllables each. Tanka is an older form of the lyric in Japanese… dating to 13 centuries ago, while Haiku is just about 3 centuries ago..
Tanka was mainly written between lovers, as society had accepted the fact that a man’s dallying with another woman, other than his wife was normal!! After the man departed early in the morning, he would send a Tanka to his lady love with his message of love..
I hope you enjoy these Tanka, and that you will try some of your own!
A fiery blush
warming your palm under my
face, on the pillow-
the morning after the night
before – in our crimson dawn.
20 April, 07
(Picture from : www.betweenthesheets.co.uk)
***
Death Smiles
[Tanka in Tandem]
What's it about you
I love most, you ask and wait;
O Love, don't you know?
Not passion- not body sweet!
But me, in you, held captive!
16 September, 07
(Picture from : http://www.chiselstudio.com.au)
Thoughts of you blow a
Gentle breeze, running fingers
through my hair, your way!
Whispering, a feather touch
Vow; our love of yester eve!
16 September, 07
(Picture from : www.prlog.org)
***
Haiku is Japanese lyric poetry, composed, usually, in 3 lines of 5-7-5 syllables each, on some aspect of nature and the seasons. A very amateur attempt here:) More on Haiku and how to write it, HERE.
The picture for the Haiku "Rain" is a gift from a dear poet, Shalini Devraj. The pictures with "Story of Life" and "Paradise" have been taken by my brother and son, on which I've attempted the writing with the help of Photoshop:) The final picture of the Pookkalam [the flower carpet, and this is with real, natural flowers :)] was taken this year, at our home, on Onam Day:), 12 September, 2008. The picture with "Rebirth" has been taken from a webpage on the net:)
Another write, associated to this, is an earlier post, a Senryu, called The Chill. Senryu works like a Haiku, but then again, it is slightly darker in nature:)
Story of Life
Dew drops winking just
momentarily, to fade:
Story of life, lived.
Paradise.
in crystal water -
under the blue sky: a lush
green - paradise mine.
Usha, 20 April, '07
Lightning!
cosmic energy:
pent up fury, just unleashed –
a bolt from the blue!
Usha, 15 May, 2007
Onam – Haiku in Tandem
A celebration
Flowers, hues, spirit of nature
Festival Divine!!!
Richness of colour
Promise of Prosperity
Onam: life relished!!
Usha, 30 August, ‘07
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Haiku is Japanese lyric poetry, composed, usually in 3 lines of 5-7-5 syllables each, on some aspect of nature and the seasons. A very amateur attempt here:)
The picture for the Haiku "Rain" is a gift from a dear poet, Shalini Devraj. The others are pictures taken by my brother and son, on which I've attempted the writing with the help of Photoshop:)
