Photo Credit: Tim Ellis, flickr.com
A tanka is a short poem with thirty-one syllables divided among five lines with a 5/7/5/7/7 syllable count.
I love the imagery here. Up in Yellowstone we see buffalo jams. I think I’m going to have to try writing a tanka. I was thinking about how I can write about the mountain view on my drive each morning. I’m inspired.
I live just a few miles from Custer State Park, where you can get stuck in a buffalo jam any time! It’s marvelous. I actually really enjoyed this form. It’s supposed to have the turn at the end too, preferably (I think) in the final two lines. Putting this together sent me down many an Internet rabbit hole that I hope to mine for future pieces! I hope to see your mountain view tanka soon! You’re in Idaho, right? SO beautiful! One of my favorite states to drive through.
“A rafter of wild turkeys” – Is it really a “rafter”? Oh how I love the names of animal groups. Great imagery here – and I’d nearly forgotten about the tanka.
Yes, isn’t that so wonderful?! One of my many Internet chases this morning was bird group names. I was quite charmed by “a bouquet of pheasants.” I copied an entire page of the things into my notebook because they were too fantastical to believe. I am sure I will write some future pieces based off the wonderful language I discovered. The tanka was a little more challenging than I thought it would be, but I really enjoyed playing with it. Will definitely try another.
A bouquet of pheasants?! That’s just amazing.
I love all the peaceful, quiet imagery, and then the twist on the last line. This is beautiful!
Thanks, Carol. Super fun to work on and sent me down many an Internet rabbit hole!
[…] A tanka is a Japanese poem consisting of five lines, the first and third of which have five syllables and the other seven, making 31 syllables in all and giving a complete picture of an event or mood. Thanks Elisabeth Ellington for this amazing example. […]
the dirigible plum 
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