Akiko Yosano, 1847- 1948, Japanese feminist tanka poet.
Akiko is my favorite tanka poet. Her tanka were bold, sensuous and controversial. Here is my tanka in honor of Akiko and below it are examples of her tanka from the book "Tangled Hair." They were chosen randomly. The book is excellent and has 165 of her tanka, notes and her biography.
Akiko
wrote 50 tanka a day
I wonder
if she smoked
and drank red wine
26
Softly I pushed open
That door
We call a mystery,
These full breasts
Held in both my hands
32
After my bath
At the hot spring,
These clothes
As rough to my skin
As the world
46
In love
And frail as the stem
Of this summer flower--
Yet will I bloom
Deep red under a dazzling sun!
107
Inside the coffin
Of my beautiful
Friend,
The flowers
A riot of colors
Photo: Genie Nakano, 2.20.20, “Gohonzon”, My mother and father’s photos are in the Gohonzon.
Loving Kindness Meditation
Father and Mother
crescent moon smiles
no more fighting
in another phase
enlightened
May I be well,
happy, peaceful
may I be free from
harm and suffering
may I always love
