What is the Japanese Tanka たんか 短歌

Tanka is a genre of classical Japanese poetry and one of the major genres of Japanese literature. Tanka (literally “short poem”), belongs to the ancient Japanese poetry called “waka 和歌”, is a 31-syllable poem made up of five verses in the pattern of 5-7-5-7-7. Originally there were other forms in “waka” such as “choka 長歌” (lit. “long poem”). With the disappearance of “choka” and other minor forms, “tanka” became virtually equivalent to “waka”.

These poems are traditionally about the seasons, nature, wishes, or feelings, and often include many different kinds of literary devices, such as personification, metaphors, and similes. Tankas usually present a complete story or image within 31 syllables.

What is the difference between a haiku and a tanka

the tanka poems are similar to haikus, in fact, haikus are derived from poems tanka . There are some key differences in how haikus and tanka are written and used.

A haiku uses a total of 17 syllables separated into three lines, is generally written without poetic devices such as metaphors, and is written in a more concrete and objective manner than a tanka. while a tanka it uses a total of 31 syllables separated into 5 lines and is written in a more subjective and emotional way about human feelings and experiences.

Rhyme is not a requirement or focus of a tanka poem. Most don’t rhyme, though that wouldn’t disqualify him from being a tanka.