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Over the past year I often see members in THE DAILY HAIKU community featuring Tanka and I want to find out more.
2
As with haiku Tanka’s traditional roots are from ancient Japan. As a 31 syllable poem it was originally conceived as one unbroken line and thought of as a short song. But modern tanka tends to be split into 5 lines with a format of 5/7/5/7/7. However as with haiku adhering to 5/7/5 this is also a guideline not a rule.
The turn or shift usually comes in the 3rd line in a Tanka where a more in-depth exploration of the image is encouraged.
Unlike traditional haiku personification, metaphor and simile is invited and there is no requirement to add a season word.
Punctuation is generally avoided but again with modern tanka this is a suggestion not a rule.
4
After living with 3 lines for a year how do I feel about 2 extra lines? Tanka appears to offer the same similar juxtaposed joy of restriction and freedom afforded by haiku. I sense that the same approach to observing, gathering, distilling and settling into a rhythm that can support haiku practice will also work with tanka. My first feelings are that it is important not to rush excitedly to fill those 2 extra lines but make sure they are needed, relevant and subtle. My work on short film scripts may help me here to ensure I interrogate the need for each word, to strengthen and enhance the image and narrative created. I like the original sense of tanka as a song and will try to use that as inspiration.
2n3
3
A helpful way into getting to grips with this form, as with all writing, is to read examples. I have chosen two tanka here, one from its traditional roots and the other a contemporary offering. The first is by Emperor Tenji (626-672)
秋の田の かりほの庵の 苫をあらみ 我が衣手は 露にぬれつつ
Aki no ta no/ Kariho no io no/ Toma wo arami/ Waga Koromode wa/ Tsuyu ni nuretsusu
translation
In the autumn rice field
Sheltering at the temporary harvest-hut
Coarse the rush-mat roof
My sleeves get wet
With the raindrops
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Tessa Woolridge writes ‘One of tanka’s gifts is that it can both capture and extend a moment in time.’ Her helpful article on Tanka https://tessawooldridge.com/2017/10/31/tanka-a-brief-introduction/ features the following example
at 92
and short of days
my neighbour
hands his garden’s fruit
across our common fence
4
Despite their obvious differences both Tanka share an observed moment that evokes a poignant and relatable connection to our human fragility. There is an active engagement in these tanka that draws you into both scenes. We shelter in one, feel those raindrops and the coarseness of the mat and in the other we receive the fruit from an elderly neighbour as we meet at the threshold of our common experiences. In both something deep is seen and felt where sensory details are carefully selected to establish a depth of connection. What they both share is that they would have had far less impact as haiku. I guess this is the point that they suit their form, it compliments each narrative and the five lines each lead into another with that essential ebb (or turn) and flow.
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I look forward to experimenting with Tanka. Do add your own work, thoughts on this form and any tips here. 4
Links:
Brett Christensen’s helpful introduction to Tanka https://medium.com/house-of-haiku/tanka-poetry-a-brief-introduction-11f2aabef214
Differences between haiku and tanka https://www.masterpiece-of-japanese-culture.com/literatures-and-poems/haiku-tanka-poetry-difference
Our very own TDH member Alan Summers on His CALL OF THE PAGE website runs a wonderful mix of courses on haiku and here is a link to those on Tanka
11 Comments on “Conversation 69: Getting to know TANKA”
Thank you, Amanda – very interesting, and lovely examples!
oddly enough when I have joined in an emailed renga in the past, the form has been repeated tanka – each of us wrote two or three lines, depending where we were in the process… I don’t know which is more traditional or usual, but wondered if we could try the tanka version sometime!
Oooh this is a great idea Penny, we should definitely try this.
cold spring afternoon
I light the fire earlier
coax you from your room
cling to the last thread of you
as you count the days to leave
my first tanka
I love this, Amanda. Keep them coming. 😁🤩
lovely! 💕🙏
Thought I would post this here as well:
I said I’m strong
straight willing to be your
shelter in a storm
your willow oh willow
when the sun is out
with thanks to Joan Armatrading for the words! 🙏💕
I haven’t written too many tanka but this one got a mention in the Tanka Society of America’s Sanford Goldstein competition a couple of years ago.
sudden chill
a dragonfly skip jives
with its reflection . . .
when did you stop
finding us amazing
What I find really helpful in competitions like this is the judge’s report, as they can teach you a lot about the form in a few paragraphs. Here is the link to that particular year’s results. And if you have a look at the TSA website menu you can find essays about tanka.
Hope this is helpful 🙂
marion
http://www.tankasocietyofamerica.org/tsa-contest/winners-and-judges-comments/2019-sanford-goldstein-international-tanka-contest-winners
This is such a helpful link Marion, many thanks and for sharing your wonderful tanka too.
This is TANKA 66
Unfilled Space
you leave me silence,
and I in my dreams do not
notice you are gone
until cold fingers of
mist
coax eyes open – unfilled space.
©🦊VixenOfVerse, 2021
Thank you for this post on Tanka, Amanda. Getting familiar with a much more structured format in poetry through haiku has piqued me to, perhaps, experiment further. I’ll see where it takes me!
I am currently compiling a short set of haikus called Looking Back.
The set is repeated here with added tanka lines
We camped on the verge
By a babbling brook
First holiday planting seeds
Diligent in fields we plant
So we may see a harvest
We lie together
We are older now
Repeating patterns set then
When we were young and in love
Longing to be old lovers
We have seen dark clouds
Fill our aching heads
With grief surpassing summers
We could barely bring ourselves
To raise our heads to sunshine