Sonnet (n.) – “little song”; “sound”
Tanka (n.) – “short song”; “strong, forceful expression”
A Tanka On The Sonnet
Verbose in
rhyme ‘n rhythm –
regulated; regular.
Heart-beating on, allusory…
Sound, songette!
A Sonnet On The Tanka Form
In short, sung mystery of space ‘n depth:
compacted, thought-reflected feeling’s loosed.
Through lover’s late laments ‘n letters kept:
the forceful song of an ephem’ral truth.
A lone, lit, easterly, ‘n midnight moon –
so long before the risen red-dawn sun –
reflects the Shikubian heart-torn croon
that from the sliding, latticed door was flung,
e’en as it keeps Komachi’s careful cry…
The mists of shadow-grammar settling o’er
the page still blank amongst the ink-strokes, dry,
in vert’cal columns, where the petals flow’r.
And in the chorus-dawning light is heard
this form, come west t’be writ in English words.
Image credit – GTR
william altoft 