Tri-tanka XIV – tanka

Concluding Tri-tanka week (7 of 7)

Tanka week is done
well…when you’ve read this it is
Seven days of verse
each with syllabic sequence
replicated thrice each day

Five and seven and
five and seven and seven
Five lines, thirty-one
syllables to frame each verse
Heralding poetic voice

Tanka week is done
By and by there will be more
This is cathartic
so to it I will return
as it is a favourite

Tri-tanka XIII – Saturday

6 of 7 for Tri-tanka week

Following coffee
my Saturday slow starting
pauses yet again
Cathartic indecision
rules and I’m happy with that

Tri-tanka XII – morning

5 of 7 for Tri-tanka week

It is quiet now
and dark and silent and still
Night-time clings on here
determined not to let go
Failing as the morning comes

Light slowly merges
The darkness slip-slides away
as a new day dawns
Witness to awakening
this is privilege indeed

Tri-tanka XI – Shining

4 of 7 for Tri-Tanka week

Throughout and shining
lighting night into morning
driven by the sun
solar for the twinkling time
little lights to guide the way

Tri-tanka X – tall

3 of 7 for Tri-Tanka week

Majestic it stands
steadfast through the many years
Stoic and resigned
yet with aire of regal poise
absent of all arrogance

Tri-tanka IX – Joy

2 of 7 for Tri-Tanka week

It was full of sun
so I ran and I ran
and bounded about
for this is my expression
of joy in its purest form

It was full of sun
so we watched him run and run
and happily bound
This too is our expression
of joy in its purest form

Beginning VII (aka Tri-tanka VIII – beginning)

7 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months IV’ series

(& 1 of 7 for Tri-tanka week)

And so March begins
The promises multiply
from nature and man
for spring time and other things
providing wisdom remains

And so March is here
with sunshine already strong
its lack-lustre passed
as it pushes to summer
encouraging new growth

And so March begins
May we please use it wisely
and bring fruition
for it has been a long year
and we are so very close

Tri-tanka VII (Music)

Music it is said
is today the food of life
Soul food for the mind
Often hungry, it satisfies
Momentarily it fills

Many flavours here
to sample, taste and enjoy
for my sustenance
So yes, I will fill my boots
a bon vivant for music

Tri-tanka VI (Autumn)

Heralding a new series
next week to grace these pages
a little taster
Something of the joy to come
to picture Autumn’s treasure

Six poetics #2 (Tanka)

2 in a series of 6

A ‘tanka’ today
as to the beach I return
for September sun
Basking in its warmth and light
for one more day of summer

Jasmine tanka

Fragrant with Jasmine
captured in the evening air
The essence of Spring
And here with warmer evenings
embellish the privilege

Bluebell tanka

Bluebells in sunshine
Indicative of April
raise their lovely heads
and with prelude to laughter
dance as Spring looks to Summer

Tanka week VII (Saturday)

7 of 7

My tanka week ends
Seven days and many words
every one from heart
And every one fashioned here
for reading delectation

Tanka week VI (Friday)

6 of 7

The penultimate
Nine lines more to speak my voice
Not to wane or waste
but here for ‘carpe diem’
Seize the day and capture all

Tanka week V (Thursday)

5 of 7

And then to rhythm
with the timbre and syntax
sounding as a drum
with feet tapping to the beat
allows this tanka to speak

Tanka week IV (Wednesday)

4 of 7

Sunshine speaks today
as its warmth embraces me
And compelled to sing
breathing deep I lift my voice
with these words I have to share

Tanka week III (Tuesday)

3 of 7

For there’s mystery
at times when inspiration
speaks out loud and long
a challenge to the poet
to capture the moment true

Tanka week II (Monday)

2 of 7

This week I will write
in thirty-one syllables
something every day
to capture joy and substance
in my words to speak and sing

Tanka week I (Sunday)

1 of 7

For this coming week
every day a Tanka new
for reading pleasure
And a challenge to the words
and the poet who writes them

First III (tanka)

3 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months III’ series

And so November
Colder days have taken hold
As wrapped up people shiver
into the winter
with the swansong of Autumn
for the year-end’s curtain call

First II

2 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months III’ series

October is here
as autumn waits in the wings
and the greenery turns brown
leaves begin falling
for the underfoot crunching
into the face of winter

Tri-Tanka V (coffee)

Fussy? Yes perhaps
but for me there’s no excuse
for tasteless coffee
made carelessly without soul
Listless, dull and moribund

Tri-Tanka IV (Lancing Beach)

Once again relaxed
Lancing Beach does that for me
Every single time
The sound of the moving sea
The sight of the ocean waves
And I’m in my element

Tri-Tanka III (light)

Yes, it is morning
But time clings to night time still
and my pen falters
Caught between a moment there
the clarity hides behind

Tri-Tanka II (Festive)

All decorations
up by first of December
Christmas is coming
Though earlier every year
commerce would have us believe

No bah and humbug
despite my reservations
As into spirit
flowing with the tinsel here
my heart goes to the yuletide

Tri-Tanka I (tanka)

To start this series
in thirty-one syllables
Japanese Tanka
A short song to bring you joy
Jemverse social media

So here are first lines
Crafted by the poet’s hand
Found and captured here
To form and syntax structured
Voicing life in five short lines

Tanka: Morning Love

 

you awaken me

dove’s wing kisses on pale skin

Last day tanka

Twenty seventeen
And with Auld Lang Syne tonight
For sake of old times
We’ll take a cup of kindness
Old acquaintances renewed