Tanka Poetry Defined: 3 Examples of Tanka Poems

A tanka (“short poem” or “short song”) is a free verse, 31-syllable poem originating in Japan. Japanese poets historically wrote these in one unbroken line, but now they commonly write tanka poems in three lines. When poets write tanka in English, they utilize five lines, similar to a cinquain.

Japanese short poems—precursors to tanka, haiku, and other short-form Japanese poetry—date back to at least the ninth century, during the country’s Heian period. Tanka derived from the broader poetic form waka, an art form that became a common means of communication for personal correspondence. Tanka poems featured prominently in pinnacles of Japanese literature, such as The Tale of Genji (sometimes claimed as the first novel of all time) and the Man’yōshū (a collection of Japanese poems from the Nara period).

In medieval Japan, poetry writing became a national pastime that extended beyond class lines—tanka poets existed in the Imperial Court as well as among the common folk. More modern Japanese poets and writers—like Yukio Mishima, Yosano Akiko, and Masaoka Shiki—have all written tanka poems of their own.

When written in English, tanka poems must meet criteria concerning their structure and content. Regarding structure, the first line of a tanka poem has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third line again has five syllables—a pattern also found in haiku poetry. A tanka poem deviates from a haiku poem, however, with fourth and fifth lines that are each seven syllables. 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.

Here are three examples of tanka poems written in English.

1. 1. About a place: New York is brimming / With people who are thinking / About the city / That gives them a lease on life / But takes as much as it gives. This tanka begins with a picture of a well-known metropolis and transitions into a reflection on how it can uplift and drain the people who live there.
2. 2. About a plea: You will please notice / The books on my dreary shelves / Read by nobody / They cry out a thousand times / Louder than the average man. This short poem proposes that leaving books unread is egregious to the tomes themselves.
3. 3. About a person: Rushing down the hall / She can’t spare just a moment / To notice her heart / Is like a timpani drum / In search of an orchestra. This tanka makes you wonder why she’s rushing down the hall and why her quickly beating heart is so lonely. An air of mystery is common among this Japanese style of poetry.

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