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Tanka Poems

Welcome to our collection of Tanka poems! This traditional Japanese form of poetry consists of five lines and has been practiced for over a thousand years. Tanka poetry is renowned for its brevity and its ability to evoke powerful emotions and imagery in just a few short lines. In our collection, you will find a diverse range of Tanka poems from contemporary and classic poets alike. Each one is a celebration of the beauty and power of this ancient art form. So take a moment to explore this rich tradition of poetry and immerse yourself in the timeless beauty of Tanka.

Displaying 199 poems from the Tanka poetic form.

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Grimm’s Dear Mili Tale: A Feminist Perspective — Karl Constantine FOLKES	I called her hero. A fairytale little girl. And not heroine. In a Wilhelm Grimm’s story. A dissertation problem. “What makes her hero?” Question...	1,339 views Rate it
Man in Search of Self — Karl Constantine FOLKES	This is a preface. Man’s appeal for salvation. A psalm of David. “Search me, O Lord,” the psalm’s plea. “For you have scrutinized me.” Omnipotent...	1,110 views Rate it
Mystery of All Mysteries — Karl Constantine FOLKES	The Divine at work As ‘Collective Unconscious’ Source of all knowledge Pondered by philosophers Goldmine of psychiatry. Poets have probed it ...	1,037 views Rate it
What We Fear The Most — Karl Constantine FOLKES	What we fear the most: The depths of our underworld. Our own weakest spot. That which lies within our soul. That which haunts us in our dreams. ...	995 views Rate it
The Two Travelers’ Musings — Karl Constantine FOLKES	The two travelers. In dialectical chat. Ego and Psyche. Ego as the extravert. With animated speeches. The two travelers. Forever tied together. ...	977 views Rate it
The Moving Finger — Karl Constantine FOLKES	The Moving Finger, Having writ, moves on, therewith Inscribing onwards An unfolding epilogue With all of us as players. Having entrances. Placed...	959 views Rate it
The Way of Nothing — Karl Constantine FOLKES	If the truth be told. Desire not to desire. Is still desire. It is not an uncarved block. As TAO would inform us. Lack of desire. Will breed lust...	933 views Rate it
A Poet is Messenger — Karl Constantine FOLKES	Words as a kernel The proverbs of poetry As a healing balm As cures for our deceptions Our wounds and our injuries As a mustard seed Feeble and...	890 views Rate it
Tarzan’s ‘Umgawa’ Burden — Karl Constantine FOLKES	Edgar Rice Burroughs Creator of The Ape Man Lord of the Jungle Tarzan — the name means ‘White Skin’ Overseer of Africa. This American Burrowed...	810 views Rate it
Beehive B-Flat Rhapsody — Karl Constantine FOLKES	Beehive B-flat z’s The chords of B’s are humming… The drones’ symphony. Their Queen Bee’s Composition… Now abuzz in my waxed ears. Follicles of...	806 views Rate it
Fibonacci Dreamscape — Karl Constantine FOLKES	In sleep, a voice heard. Articulate with pattern. My voice — while sleeping. Captured by my wife — awake. While I remained in deep sleep. She heard...	765 views Rate it
The Prisms of Life — Karl Constantine FOLKES	The prisms of Life. Starting from birth until death. Are our projections. Superimposed on all things. The deeds of our existence. The prisms of...	734 views Rate it
The Mission of Psyche — Karl Constantine FOLKES	A totality: Human soul, mind, and spirit. We call the psyche. The totality of Self. The Conscious and the Unconscious. Yet showing tension. ...	728 views Rate it
Schroedinger’s Cat and Quantum Indeterminacy — Karl Constantine FOLKES	‘Schroedinger’s Cat’ and Quantum Relativity. Thought experiment. Both in superposition. An imaginary state. The mind’s behavior. On the nature of...	645 views Rate it
Pandemic of Pandemic! — Karl Constantine FOLKES	Call it pandemic. Pandemic of Pandemic! Man of flesh and blood. Bartering with the Devil. His body, soul, and spirit. Read all about it! This...	639 views Rate it
Pandemic of Newspeak — Karl Constantine FOLKES	Modern pandemic: Culture-war narrative memes. Like ‘Transgender Rights.’ ‘Critical Race Theory.’ Spawned by Social...	630 views Rate it
We Are Intrepid Travelers of Space — Karl Constantine FOLKES	A global journey Traversing the Milky Way Our seatbelts fastened By Earth’s magnetic impulse We — intrepid...	619 views Rate it
Wisdom of DAO — Karl Constantine FOLKES	Wisdom of DAO: Contraction is addition and not subtraction. Weakness in its full balance defeats the hubris of strength. Read now from DAO. Read...	610 views Rate it
We Live By Our Myths — Karl Constantine FOLKES	Folk and fairytales. “Innocent” nursery rhymes. Biblical tales. Literature — in general. All have hidden messages. All convey some truths. ...	598 views Rate it
The Archetype of Oneness — Karl Constantine FOLKES	All linguistic roots. At their very deepest levels. Are with one syntax. As Subjects that have Objects. With God as Grammarian. The syntax of God. ...	583 views Rate it
The Hubris of I-ness — Karl Constantine FOLKES	At war with ourselves Ego as the Mastermind Battling our psyche The soul now wounded by a Self-inflicted malady. Selah: Pause of Contemplation ...	582 views Rate it
America’s Danger From Authoritarianism and Disinformation — Karl Constantine FOLKES	All dangerous signs Nations must take notice of And be prepared to counter. Authoritarianism. How it festers as a poison. As a bed partner Of...	579 views Rate it
Laozi’s Dao De Jing — Karl Constantine FOLKES	[Dao is The Way. path to the awakening of our true nature; the opposites united, In harmony and balance.] Master Laozi, ‘Philosopher of Ages,’ ...	575 views Rate it
A Somonka Query About Love — Karl Constantine FOLKES	STATEMENT: “So talk about love. Or perhaps even hatred. Whatever moves you. Share what’s brewing in your mind. A caring soul will listen.” ...	555 views Rate it
Mysterious Mushrooms — Karl Constantine FOLKES	Breathing oxygen, Much more like an animal; And yet so plant-like. Having a fleshy body; That searches for its own food. It is nutritious. For...	541 views Rate it