genie Nakano
Before Japan
could read or write,
tanka was called waka
performed as short songs in five lines
short long short long long
Heian imperial court
was well versed in waka
after a love affair
erotic exchanges of waka
was expected proper etiquette
Women
were the best of tanka’s golden era
yearning, soaring
tales of love, nature, war
passion prevailed
750 AD the emperor decreed
waka 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
waka flourished
for hundred of years
then suddenly jaded
grew out of touch
unconnected to society
pre-world war 1
the poetry bureau censored
and controlled tanka
Asaka-Sha, brotherhood
led by Tekkan Yosan, renamed it tanka
reborn
into a powerful form
tanka became
a relevant force
themes encompassing life
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)
twists and turns
and through the labyrinth
radical tanka was born
freeverse, avant garde, modern
published in journals, books, newspapers
Meiji Emperor
the saint of tanka poet
wrote, collected 10,00 tanka
promoted and celebrated
tanka with the world
coming to America
tanka was written and published
In Japanese American
journals and newspapers
currently, I write tanka for Rafu Shimpo
tanka flourished
in WW2 American concentration camps
Isseis and Niseis
wrote tanka to record and heal
their anguish love and despair
in 1957, Lucille Nixon
introduced tanka to white America
honored in Japan
at the Palace Poetry Party
for her tanka poem
today
tanka is international
from Japan
to the USA, Australia Bhutan India
tanka flourishes around the world
Genie nakano,
Performed at Torrance Library, 2020
Genie Nakano 
Reblogged this on Genie Nakano and commented:
REvised with more historical detail.
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