Japanese Poetry

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Japanese Poetry

• Haiku and Tanka

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Haiku Poetry

• Shortest form of poetry developed in Japan
• Emerged in late 17th century
• Very popular today (There are dozens of magazines
  dedicated to haiku.)
• Most educated Japanese can easily write a haiku.

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What is haiku?

• Three line poem consisting of 17 syllables.
• First line 5 syllables
• Second line 7 syllables
• Third line 5 syllables
• Often includes a reference to nature
• Written in present tense
• Not descriptive it provides a series of images
  to be connected with readers imagination

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A Butterfly

• A falling flower, thought I,
• Fluttering back to the branch -
• Was a butterfly.
• Moritake

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The River

• See the river flow,
• In a long unbroken line
• On the field of snow.
• Boncho

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Tanka Poetry

• Tanka is perhaps the oldest form of Japanese
  poetry.
• It was first used as a form of prayer.
• It became the standard form of poetry during the
  Heian Period.

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What is tanka?

• Five line poem consisting of 31 syllables.
• First line 5 syllables
• Second line 7 syllables
• Third line 5 syllables
• Fourth line 7 syllables
• Fifth line 7 syllables
• Written to celebrate events or occasions
• Written in present tense
• Each line expresses a single idea

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Untitled

• Off in front of me
• on that distant summit
• is the setting sun,
• while in the mountain shadow
• darkness moves through the pines
• Jusammi Chikako

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Untitled

• Not a trace is left
• of that blossom-tinted wind
• that filled my garden.
• Those who visit me now
• will see only fallen snow.
• Fujiwara no Teika