
Dads with fedoras…A Tanka poem about a 1950s childhood
Childhood: an ocean
Of dads in fedora hats…
Oh a kid could drown!
Only present in absence,
Dads erased; headgear remains.
Tanka poems follow a set of rules. They all have five lines and each line follows a pattern: the first line has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, the third line has five syllables, the fourth line has seven syllables, and the fifth line has seven syllables.
When written in English, tanka poems must meet criteria concerning their structure and content. The number of syllables in each line is the only stylistic constraint of tanka—there’s no need to rhyme or follow any specific meter.
Additionally, the third line must transition from the descriptive and image-focused beginning lines (called kami-no-ku) into a reflective metaphor, simile, or personification for the closing lines (shimo-no-ku). The subject matter can vary, but many poets choose a subject that’s emotionally stirring or quietly profound.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-japanese-poetic-forms
Your friend,
Robert
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