Before Japan
could read or write, tanka
was performed
as short songs in five lines
short long short long long
Heian imperial court
was well versed in tanka
after a love affair
exchanges of erotic tanka
was expected proper etiquette
Women
were the best of tanka’s golden era
yearning, soaring
tales of love, nature, war
passion prevailed
In 750 AD the emperor decreed
tanka to be recorded for history
4,000 love poems
brushed into exquisite scrolls
Manyoshu completed in 900
Five lines, waka
burning, tales of love
nature, war, erotica
themes of long ago Japan
treasured in Manyoshu
Tanka flourished
for hundreds of years
then suddenly jaded
grew out of touch
unconnected to society
Mother tanka
drops the last two lines
haiku is born
the three line form, short long short
evolves and travels far
Pre-world war 1
the poetry bureau censored
and controlled tanka
Asaka-Sha, brotherhood
led by Tekkan Yosan, rebelled
A shining star
Tekkan’s student and to be wife
Akiko Yosano, 1878-1942
sensuous, bold, controversial
her tanka rocked
softly I push open
that door
we call a mystery
these full breasts
held both in my hands (Akiko Yosano)
I leave here
high on a woman’s note
the present
and the future
is for us to write
