Ruby throated hummingbird with dahlia: A Tanka poem

We need beauty because it makes us yearn to be worthy of it. -Mary Oliver

Posted here is just one example of the brilliant photography of Lorne Coughlin, the inspiration for this modest poem.

Ruby throated hummingbird with dahlia: A Tanka poem

A hovering pause,

A dazzling floral stopover,

Beauty in stasis,

A most spectacular break,

Regrouping then moving on.

Tanka poetry

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.