Natal plum thorns
have risen between us
and if I can't have you
my life has no meaning
bitter saps taste like the end
Light gray mist
drifts over crashing waves
that sound like rage
with fierce grief of lost love
tangled in salty pungent scent
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Author Notes
"Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide.
Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
The dashing rocks thy seasick, weary bark.
Here's to my love" (drinks the poison) om - 'Romeo and Juliet'
Most Tanka poems are written by women poets.
Natal Plum is a hardy barrier shrub with edible fruit. The shrub produces two-inch forked thorns covered in glossy green poisonous white sap when broken.
Barbara Wilkey challenge me to use all senses. In these tankas, I use "touch, hearing. sight, smell and taste".
TANKA is a Japanese poetic form that originated in Japan's Imperial Court, where the men and women engaged in courtship would exchange tanka after an intimate night. This poetic form was created 1,200 years ago. FORM: It's written in a succinct manner of 31 syllables (5/7/5/7/7) OR LESS because Japanese and English syllables are different. Personification, metaphor, and simile are permitted in Tanka. Capitalization and punctuation should only be used when necessary. No end rhymes.
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click here if you want to see tanka rules
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click here if you want to see modern tanka examples
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click here to read Tanka Society of America =============================================================================
click here to read Masterpiece Classes
Thank you very much for taking the time to read and review my poem.
Gypsy
"The poet waits quietly to paint the unsaid." Atticus
Painting by Chie Yoshii click here if you want to see more
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