The Tanka short poem is a satisfying form that allows expression in a short space that is just long enough to develop an idea or theme. Japanese in origin the form consists of five lines with syllables of 5 – 7 – 5 – 7 – 7 which as you can see is similar to the Haiku. It is said that the Haiku form developed from the Tanka form as we note the 5 – 7 – 5 format of the first three lines.
In effect the idea of the Tanka allows the writer to remain precise with images and form but allows an extension of theme the writer can use to tell a story or to expand on the original three line beginning. The Tanka is not restricted to references to the season but can be on anything although I think this is an American adaptation of the kind the Beat Poets used to work with the Haiku.
The translation of form from the Japanese to English is a compromise because we use the syllable to control and define the form whereas the Japanese could encompass their poems in the symbols of their own language. These simple, clear symbols are in fact a complex set of elements that make up concepts far different from their English translation but as we are aware the syllabic form is sufficient to make good clean verse. It is as difficult in Japanese as it is in English to get a Haiku right without sounding trite so the Tanka is a relief with its more flexible form.
The Tanka poem below was written to fit the recent (April & May 2009) scare over swine flu and performed at a poetry reading. The theme the reader is expected to find is of a government under siege from fiscal worries finding relief in a greater tragedy; a problem that they can appear to be solving. The idea of linking masks to brown paper bags is the silly precaution advocated by the government of the day during the Cold War and Nuclear Attack panics. The tuneless whistling is the indifference of the average man to a major crisis that seems somehow remote – the irony being that it isn’t.
Mask up your faces
Like nuclear brown paper bags
Repel a holocaust,
Our grim leader sighs with glee;
My neighbour whistles tunelessly.
As you can see, like Haiku the Tanka form is short and sharp but unlike Haiku can readily be turned to any subject especially political. The advantage is that if you feel inclined you can also rhyme lines to make for much better scanning. You can see a selection of Haiku poems and Tanka on the Island Artists website. We welcome comments about our work and ideas and also intend to put on a guest spot at sometime in the future.
James Apps is an artist and poet but is also interested in recreational walking. He has created a blog to keep a diary of his travels in and around the countries of Kent and Sussex and so share his experiences of the lovely part of England with others. You can find his comments on http://jamesapps-motorcyclistandcatlover.blogspot.com/ and also as an artist and poet you can see his work, and that of his friends on http://www.islandartists.org.uk for work and publications.
James Apps and friends live on the Island of Sheppey and in the small town of Sittingbourne close to the English Channel and like many others in the area are proud of the naval and maritime history of Sheppey and its docks.