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Sunday 14 February 2010

Tanka #1

I have been thinking for some time that I might throw in the occasional tanka, just to relieve the monotony, so here is the first:

Saint Valentine's Day
starts the year of the tiger
for star-crossed lovers -
the lunar and the solar
calendars are out of synch.


Happy Valentine's Day and New (Chinese) Year to you all!

14 comments:

@ctors Business said...

Gong Hey Fat Choy! or Gong Xi Fa Cai!
And a happy new year to you too.

steven said...

dave that's a clever point!!! grrrrrrowl!!! steven

Paterika Hengreaves said...

You have captured the moment perfectly in this beautifully written Tanka and so true to its form.

Happy Valentine's Day and New Year.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Out of sync indeed Dave - I think I read somewhere that the year of the tiger is not an auspicious one for lovers - yet it starts on our st valentine's day. East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet it seems.

Kass said...

I tank ya for the tanka. I love things that are out of synch. It's the stuff of jazz.

Dan Gurney said...

Well done!

This is indeed a powerful day from an astrological point of view. That Valentine's Day falls so close to the Lunar New Year makes it especially so.

Your Tanka is masterful, all the more for its observance of the syllabic nature of the form.

Linda Sue said...

Our plum and cherry- blooming in february- out of synch, and the green grass is easily 8 inches tall!Love your Tanka, very much... sounds like Elvis- "Tanka, tanka ver- much."

Helen said...

I attended a production of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" last evening at one of our local theaters. It was overwhelming and extremely well done. I hadn't see the play since the late 70's at the Guthrie in Minneapolis.

This Tanka was born as a result ..

Watching with others ..
Before my eyes men destruct ..
Flying over nests
Of cuckoos - frying their brains ..
Their souls forever vanquished.

Conda Douglas said...

And both to you, Dave!

susan sonnen said...

I love tankas! Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Chinese New Year!

Ronda Laveen said...

Yes, it does so seem, doesn't it?

I've heard of tankas but this is the first I've read.

Shadow said...

right, now you're gonna have to explain what a tanka is?

Elisabeth said...

For what it's worth on this year of the Tiger, Happy Valentine's Day, Dave.

I went to a dinner to celebrate Chinese New Year last night with a few Chinese friends from my husband's work.

The twenty three years old daughter who was born during the year of the Tiger told us how she had bought a year's supply of red knickers.

When you are in your year, for this young woman, that of the Tiger, you must wear red, at least a woman must, in order to ward off the dangerous devils.

Do you know how hard it is for a woman to find red knickers, Dave.

Sorry this comment is beside the point of your tanka, but I felt inspired to share this story.

Thanks again.

Dave King said...

Gwei Mui
I shall take those as compliments. And thanks for the good wishes, which I return.

steven
I was fumbling though, I need to do a bit of research on the subject.

Poet Lauteate
Thank you very much - and belated returns of your good wishes.

Weaver of Grass
That's right - and next year is even worse b ecause the two final digits, 11, look like sin gletons!

Kass
Yes, you are right - I hadn't thought of that.

Dan
Welcome an d thanks for commenting.
- and especially so for the kind remarks.

Linda Sue
Yup, we've noticed that nature is out of synch this year. You think they are connected?

Helen
That's a fine tanka - you must have been very moved by the play. A long time since I saw it!

Conda
Thanks Conda

susan
Thank you and a happy year for yourself.

Ronda
It's the first I've written, so probably not the best example to start with!

Shadow
5 lines. 5-7-5-7-7 syllables.

Elisabeth
I had a music teach once - a spiritualist - would only play Haydn if he was wearing red pants - to propitiate the gods of the music. I don't suppose that's got anything to do with anything, either! Thanks - an interesting comment.