These JAPANESE STYLES of Poetry are very beautiful in appearance (Japanese Script) - sound and content. We are on sacred ground. It is the content that is important - the syllable count less so. A lot of HAIKU (Nature and Seasons) and SENRYU (Human & Emotions) are written in 17 syllables (or less) and three lines. When one reads an H or S one is sometimes left a bit bemused. So two extra lines (often of explanation) are added - normally each with seven syllables. This is called a TANKA. This is a very brief introduction and I trust purists will forgive me. <br /> <br />HAIKU - SPRING (5 - 7 - 5) <br /> <br />snow disappearing <br />willow is greening again <br />Spring is everywhere <br /> <br />SENRYU - FATHER (5 - 7 - 5) <br /> <br />my father gentle <br />wise - loving - sportsman - writer <br />now just a memory <br /> <br />TANKA - FROGS - (5 - 7 - 5 - 7 - 7) <br /> <br />Spring - lots of green frogs <br />funny - lively and leaping <br />why are they in jars? ? ? <br />Rana Temporaria <br />for dissecting not dinner! ! ! <br /> <br />Comments would be appreciated. <br /> <br />John Knight - Saturday 5 March 2011<br /><br />John Knight<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/02-haiku-senryu-tanka-an-explanation/
