Tag Archives: historical

All about Tanka~~Live

Genie Nakano will be doing a live presentation of her tanka poems, a brief discussion about the history of tanka, performing her tanka/prose and who knows what else…it’s Live. Golden Fan a tanka/prose performance by Genie Nakano

Don’t call me Bachan

Uncle George ,Sugie, 2-8-1892 , 1965 ,Sugie & Yaemon,3-8-1880,Uncle Jay, 1918-1960 my grandmother died at 73 the age that I am now her thin grey hair was tied back in a bun was she ever young? coming from a foreign land her songs were of an old Japan coming to America a picture bride “freshContinue reading “Don’t call me Bachan”

2020 BLUES

This poem is written by my poet friend Selma Benjamin. She is 101 years old. She has been through the holocaust. She is gentle, kind, and very wise. Here is one out of her hundreds of poems that she has given me permission to print. Here goes: 2020 BLUES Crazy plague from unknown sourceMakes usContinue reading “2020 BLUES”

A Floating World…poetic history of tanka

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 talesContinue reading “A Floating World…poetic history of tanka”

Akiko Yosano #2

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 50Continue reading “Akiko Yosano #2”