Dec 15, 2017

POETRY FRIDAY: Tanka Poetry

Thank you to Diane at Random Noodling for hosting Poetry Friday this week!
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In my poetry presentations next week, I will be introducing elementary school students to different types of poetry and then they will write their own winter- or holiday-themed poems. This presentation is one of my favorites and includes poems about different December holidays and the winter season. I look forward to sharing these poems with the kids every year!

One of the types of poetry we will be exploring next week is the Japanese tanka. A tanka is similar to a haiku (but longer) and is also a poetic format that originated in Japan. Tanka poetry follows a 5/7/5/7/7 syllable format and was created to allow deeper emotional exploration than is possible within the shorter 5/7/5 syllables of haiku poetry. Below is an example of a Christmas tanka that I wrote to share with the children.

If you enjoy writing haiku (which I LOVE!), try writing a tanka poem today. It is a fun challenge and a great way to stretch your poetry-writing muscles!

I hope you are enjoying all the fun festivities that December has to offer. Have a beautiful holiday season, and Happy Writing!

21 comments:

  1. Hi Becky! I LOVE tanka! It's great that you're introducing it to students. Best of luck on your presentation!

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  2. Starting a new year
    is like taking a chisel
    to a marble block --
    day by day you shave slivers
    of stone to shape a sculpture.

    Happy New Year!

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    1. Tabatha, as usual you make writing beautiful poetry look effortless--although I know it is anything BUT! Thanks so much for sharing this!

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  3. Tanka is fun to write. Have a great session with the kids--thanks for sharing your love of poetry.

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  4. Sounds like you have a fun session planned for the students. Enjoyed your festive tanka. :)

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  5. I imagine that the tanka is more helpful to students writing this way, Becky, and it will be fun to read what they do after your presentation. I hope you'll share!

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  6. Enjoy yourself. I know the students will have fun and love writing their poems.

    Koan

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  7. I'm writing haiku this month, but I do want to try writing some tanka. I love your Christmas one. I hope the students enjoy reading and writing them, too.

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    1. Haiku is still my favorite poetic format, but tanka is now a close second. :-)

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  8. Terrific example for your students--love all the details you've included in your tanka.

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  9. I'm imagining a cat as the speaker for your tanka!

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    1. That is hilarious, Mary Lee, and puts a whole different spin on it!

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  10. I enjoyed your tanka and would love to hear how your class enjoyed writing them.

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  11. Sounds like fun topics to use for poetry. I don't think I have ever written a tanka. Thanks for sharing. :)
    ~Jess

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