Tanka today
by Victor P. Gendrano
she lets go the monarch butterfly caught in the windshield her daughter turns eighteen In my book, RUSTLE OF BAMBOO LEAVES
Uploaded 7 August 2009.
Copyright © Victor P. Gendrano. All rights reserved.
What is tanka?
Tanka originated in the Imperial court of Japan more than 1300 years ago during the Heian period (794-1185 A.D.). It is usually composed as a secret message between lovers according to Jane Reichhold, foremost practitioner of the art form. It is composed of five lines of 5-7-5-7-7 onji or 31 Japanese syllables. Like haiku, tanka written in English is usually written in shorter syllables.
Poet and writer Dr. Larry Gross pointed out that "... In word art, we attempt to create beauty using three basic tools: meaning, sound and structure. In tanka, meaning is usually derived from the interplay of a nature element and an emotional element. It shares that characteristic with its cousin, the Korean sijo.
In tanka, the nature element usually dominates the first three lines, and the emotional somehow infuses the final two. Though that division may shift, the juxtaposition adds variety and harmony conducive to an overall unity. If a verse sacrifices such interplay, it may suffer if we do not find compensating rewards elsewhere."
