A tanka poem is a Japanese poem. It is made up of 5 lines with varying syllables for each line. Traditionally they are about seasons or weather but also about feelings.
I had to write a couple as part of my new writing course and I fell in love with writing them. Perhaps it is the structure or discipline of each line that has to be so carefully crafted and for it to be so succinct.
Here is one I wrote recently.
In the Beginning
Life……..is a beach swim
You wade, you paddle, you float
Then the wave roars up
You lose buoyancy and air
You’re not waving, you’re drowning
I hope you like it. Please do let me know in the comments. x
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