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Tanka Poetry Prompt: What’s a Tanka?

By Kortney Garrison 35 Comments

Tanka Prompt Egret
This month, we’ll explore the ancient Japanese form called the tanka. This lesser known form might be thought of as haiku’s quiet older sibling.

What Makes a Tanka

Tanka was practiced in classical Japan as a form of linked verse. One poet would write a three-line poem of 17 syllables and give it to another poet. The second poet would add two more 7 syllable lines for a total of 5 lines and 31 syllables. The last two lines often provided a turn or counterpoint to the first three lines, much like the ending of a sonnet. The complete form, then, would look like:

5-7-5-7-7

You might recognize the 5-7-5 part of the tanka as the precursor to haiku!

Here’s a striking example of tanka, by Sadakichi Hartmann, from the early 20th century.

I.

Winter? Spring? Who knows?
White buds from the plumtrees wing
And mingle with the snows.
No blue skies these flowers bring,
Yet their fragrance augurs Spring.

—Sadakichi Hartmann

In the 17th century, Basho developed haiku and brought the 17 syllable part of the tanka form to its highest level. His poems focus on the natural world and the passage of time.

Our Turn

Maybe the best way to understand the tanka is to try it. Here are three haiku: two by Basho the master, and one by me the eager student. Because they are haiku, they already contain a “turn,” but we’ll use them as our foundation anyway.

I come weary,
In search of an inn—
Ah! these wisteria flowers!

–by Matsuo Basho, translated by William George Aston

The old pond, aye!
And the sound of a frog
leaping into the water.

–by Matsuo Basho, translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain

West Hill clouds hang low,
caught up in fir branches,
a veil between two worlds.

–by Kortney Garrison

Take one (or all!) of these haiku and add two more 7 syllable lines to the three already given. Open up a conversation across the centuries through your poetry. Think about taking the poem in another direction or deepening the given theme. If you’d like to offer a haiku that you’ve written, I’d love to add a few lines. Let’s practice poetry as collaboration.

Photo by Nathalie, Creative Commons, via Flickr. Poems are in the public domain. Post by Kortney Garrison.
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Kortney Garrison
Kortney Garrison
Kortney Garrison is a writer, home educator, and Community Director at Read-Aloud Revival.
Kortney Garrison
Latest posts by Kortney Garrison (see all)
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  • Poetry Prompt: Science Fiction with Ray Bradbury - June 18, 2018

Filed Under: Blog, poetry, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, Tanka, writer's group resources, writing prompts

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About Kortney Garrison

Kortney Garrison is a writer, home educator, and Community Director at Read-Aloud Revival.

Comments

  1. lynn says

    May 7, 2018 at 1:58 pm

    In response to Basho’s wisteria haiku:

    purple blooms adorn doorway
    scent welcomes traveler in

    Reply
    • Kortney Garrison says

      May 8, 2018 at 8:36 am

      Of course this makes me think of the movie Enchanted April. Might need to watch it again even though the calendar has flipped over to May! Thank you for sharing these lines, Lynn.

      Here’s mine:
      I come weary,
      In search of an inn–
      Ah, these wisteria flowers
      Mirroring the sky, blossoms
      Flicker like a thousand stars.

      Reply
      • lynn says

        May 8, 2018 at 9:57 am

        Lovely post, Kortney!

        Reply
  2. Katie says

    May 7, 2018 at 9:00 pm

    In response to Basho’s pond haiku:

    enough to startle a coy fish
    making him jump out of the pond

    Reply
    • Kortney Garrison says

      May 8, 2018 at 8:36 am

      Love this! As if the pond keeps a strict one in/one out policy!

      Here’s mine:
      The old pond, aye!
      And the sound of a frog
      Leaping into the water,
      Her round belly full of eggs,
      Another generation.

      Reply
      • Katie says

        May 8, 2018 at 8:46 pm

        Like your interpretation of my pond tanka:)
        Your tanka is natural and simple yet deep.
        Thank you, Kortney

        Reply
  3. Katie says

    May 7, 2018 at 9:06 pm

    Kortney,
    How about a tanka to celebrate “Reading in the Wild’s” 1st Birthday?

    Read wild, self-select
    plan for your reading, show your
    preference, sharing
    recommendations, sublime
    dedicated reading time.

    Reply
    • Kortney Garrison says

      May 8, 2018 at 8:45 am

      Writing poetry in celebration?! You’ve stolen my heart!

      Reply
      • Katie says

        May 8, 2018 at 8:47 pm

        🙂

        Reply
    • Megan Willome says

      May 8, 2018 at 6:33 pm

      Katie, what a great idea! Birthday poetry!

      Reply
      • Katie says

        May 8, 2018 at 8:48 pm

        Thank you, Megan.

        Reply
  4. Rick Maxson says

    May 8, 2018 at 3:56 am

    Nice introduction to the Tanka, Kortney.

    Also adding to Basho’s haiku:

    I come weary,
    In search of an inn—
    Ah! these wisteria flowers
    have captured evening’s colors
    and burnished them with moonlight!

    Reply
    • Kortney Garrison says

      May 8, 2018 at 8:44 am

      Thanks, Rick. Your burnished moonlight is so rich.

      Reply
  5. Sandra Heska King says

    May 8, 2018 at 9:37 am

    The old pond, aye!
    And the sound of a frog
    leaping into the water.
    The sight of a blue heron
    banking on breakfast. Swim, frog!

    Reply
    • Megan Willome says

      May 8, 2018 at 6:34 pm

      Sandy, love, your Florida is showing. (And it’s delightful.)

      Reply
      • Katie says

        May 8, 2018 at 8:50 pm

        Yes, love it!

        Reply
        • Sandra Heska King says

          May 18, 2018 at 8:00 am

          Thanks, Katie! 🙂

          Reply
          • Katie says

            May 18, 2018 at 11:38 am

            Sandra,
            Welcome:) Would you please do me a favor and let me know how I might improve my tanka in the other tanka post thread? It’s the last comment from May 17 I sent last night. It begins: “leaves of tree and grass…”
            Katie

      • Sandra Heska King says

        May 8, 2018 at 9:01 pm

        Just living life in King’s Wild Kingdom. 😉

        And thanks, you two.

        Reply
  6. Sandra Heska King says

    May 8, 2018 at 9:52 am

    From my walk this morning..

    red bottle-brushed sky
    maroon plumes from the fountain
    here I am–walking.

    Reply
    • Sandra Heska King says

      May 8, 2018 at 8:54 pm

      I want to take a mulligan on this one. 😉

      Reply
      • Kortney Garrison says

        May 9, 2018 at 9:03 am

        Mulligans, revision, iterations, second looks–always welcome!

        A few lines to go with your walk…

        red bottle-brushed sky
        maroon plumes from the fountain
        here I am–walking.
        each breath, each step a prayer:
        aware, alive, awake, at peace.

        Reply
        • Katie says

          May 17, 2018 at 11:23 pm

          Kortney,
          LOVE Sandra’s haiku turned tanka via you;)
          Beautiful.

          Reply
        • Sandra Heska King says

          May 18, 2018 at 8:01 am

          Well, you turned that into something quite peaceful. 🙂

          Reply
  7. Renee Bartovics says

    May 8, 2018 at 12:46 pm

    Here is mine!

    West Hill clouds hang low,
    caught up in fir branches,
    a veil between two worlds.
    Far below, on Red Bird Lane
    her steps falter, vailed in woe.

    Reply
    • Renee Bartovics says

      May 8, 2018 at 12:48 pm

      Misspelled!! veiled is the word!

      Reply
      • Renee Bartovics says

        May 8, 2018 at 12:52 pm

        Actually- the word vail is archaic but a real word and I have used it properly, I think! What are your thoughts?!

        Reply
        • Katie says

          May 8, 2018 at 9:04 pm

          Renee,
          I think it’s a beautiful tanka, whichever way you spell vail/veil:)
          Thank you for sharing it!

          Reply
        • Kortney Garrison says

          May 9, 2018 at 9:07 am

          I love the interplay that happens–often unawares–when we open ourselves to language, the depth of meaning and history words carry. And I’m honored to have your lines next to mine; I want to know more about this woman and her woe!

          Reply
          • Renee Bartovics says

            May 9, 2018 at 12:04 pm

            What a nice comment! I love this form of word interplay!!! And your words are an inspiration to Me! Thanks!

  8. lynn says

    May 8, 2018 at 6:33 pm

    Fun to read these!

    I’m thinking that “tanka” are usually written by one person and “tan renga” are collaborative, with one poet’s haiku and another’s response. So, maybe these are tan renga?

    Reply
  9. lynn says

    May 8, 2018 at 7:06 pm

    Rick, I like your idea of moonlight…inspired me to edit my lines:

    purple moon blooms in doorway
    scent welcomes dream travelers

    (and I linked to TS Poetry on my website: https://madhatterpoetry.com/2018/05/08/purple-dreams/)

    Reply
    • Katie says

      May 8, 2018 at 9:07 pm

      lynn,
      I think they both work well – but do like the edit best:)
      Lovely tanka!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Poetry Prompt: Japanese Art and the Tanka says:
    May 17, 2018 at 2:40 pm

    […] to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here’s a poem we enjoyed from Sandra Heska […]

    Reply
  2. Poetry Prompt: Haiku Picture Books - says:
    May 28, 2018 at 8:00 am

    […] this month we’ve learned more about the tanka and used Japanese art and a kid’s book to generate writing. But what if you’re stuck, […]

    Reply

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