by Ki no Tsurayuki


by Lasy Ise

by Ono no Komachi

by Saigyo

all poems translated by Geoffrey Bownas and Anthony Thwaite

American Tanka
Though it originated in eighth-century Japan, tanka poetry is still written and appreciated in the modern world. This site features some recently written American tanka. After reading the introduction, enjoy some samples of tanka. Then go to submission guidelines to find out how American tanka differs from the original Japanese version. Do you think it is appropriate for American writers to deviate from the original Japanese form? Write your response in the Web Links Activity Log.