Poems of All Sizes: Haiku, Tanka, and Japanese Poetic Forms

The Japanese poetic form “tanka” has existed for over a thousand years. The tanka is the form of the Japanese national anthem and it birthed the haiku poetry. This workshop showcases many haiku, tanka and other poems written in or translated into English. We will take a walk down the path of Japanese history, punctuated with columns of short form poetry. We will inquire and unfold the workings of the tiny poetic space, making discoveries to enliven your own writing along the way.

Poetry keeps flowing. Tanka aesthetics have shifted in many directions over the years within the extreme limitation of 31 sounds (not syllables, a distinction we explore in the workshop). However, this number, and the similar restriction to 17 sounds for haiku, are not inviolable, as we shall see.

But first, we will learn the rules of these forms. Only then can we challenge the rules. Finally, you will reach for freedom in your own creative writing based on our conversations about Japanese poetry.

Linked poems or renga takes an important place in the history of Japanese literary tradition. We will learn the essence of good renga and we will see that understanding how the poems are linked well improves not only our basic haiku writing but also haibun and haiga/photo haiku.

This course incorporates three 2-hour Zoom sessions and three weeks of one-to-one writing opportunities via emails with the instructor. 

Learning and Writing Goals

In these three workshops, participants will learn:

• The short poetic forms as categories: waka/tanka, haikai/haiku, renga/renku, senryu, kyoka, and others!
• The basic rules of sounds (syllables/on), and the use of kigo.
• An overview of the history of Japanese poetry forms, from 800 AD to the present.
• Haiku growing outside Japan.
• Compact expression: learning from American Haiku poets and translators.
• The range of subject matter, vocabulary expansion, and variations in tanka.
• Associations: Basho and contemporary tanka.
• Applications: Collaboration, hybrid forms.

We will write some short poems during the first session following prompts and a structural suggestion.

During the second and third workshops, we will write several more 3 and 2 line verses under various assumptions.

The participants are expected to write new works between the sessions.

A list of suggested submissions

1. A sequence of 5 haiku (three-line poems).
2. A sequence of 3 tanka (five-line poems).
3. A free verse.
4. A haibun with a haiku, and prose up to 150 words.
5. A haiga (drawing or photograph) with a haiku.
6. Linked Poems or Paired poems

Please place your work in the body of the email—please no attachments, except for the haiga. We will exchange emails after each session.

Workshop Schedule

These three workshops will run on Zoom for two hours each. Each call will run from 7-9 P.M. U.S. Eastern Time.

Why Take a Japanese Poetic Forms Course with Writers.com?

• We welcome writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, and we are here for one reason: to support you on your writing journey.
• Small groups keep our online writing courses lively and intimate.
• Work through your weekly lectures, course materials, and writing assignments at your own pace.
• Share and discuss your work with fellow writers in a supportive course environment.
• Award-winning instructor Miho Kinnas will offer you direct, personal feedback and suggestions on every assignment you submit.