Tanka
- Tanka is similar to haiku, but it gives the writer two more lines to develop his or her thoughts.
- This poems structure is very important.
- This five-line poem consists of 31 syllables total.
- The lines are unrhymed and have no particular metrical pattern.
- Tankas describe one subject, usually something in nature.
- The purpose is to create a brief, vivid picture for the reader.
- The pattern for tanka is as follows:
- Line 1 = 5 syllables
- Line 2 = 7 syllables
- Line 3 = 5 syllables
- Line 4 = 7 syllables
- Line 5 = 7 syllables
Examples
A croaking tree frog
Can be heard in the evening Leading the night's choir Joining the chriping crickets And the whining mosquitoes. |
Serene, babbling brook,
Running carefree where you want, Plunging down steep slopes, Meandering through meadows, Singing nature's lullaby. |
I love my kitten.
She is so little and cute. She has a pink tongue, And lots of long whiskers too. She purrs when I stroke her back. |
A beautiful rose,
Basking in the morning dew, In regal splendor, Tall, in solitary joy, Stretching to greet the sunshine. |