Moments of Lightness: Haiku & Tanka (Japanese Poetry Book 2)

A brief introduction to tanka and haiku poetry

Tanka poetry was born in Japan about 1400 years ago, as a form of ‘waka’ poetry —term meaning “poetry in Japanese”, to distinguish it from ‘kanshi’, that was poetry composed in Chinese by Japanese poets. The term waka originally comprised a number of different forms, most notably tanka, or “short poems”, and ‘chōka’, “long poems”. The first, the most widely composed type of waka, made of five ‘ku’ —phrase(s)— of 5–7–5–7–7 ‘on’

(syllabic units), while chōka encompassed a repetition of 5 and 7 ‘on’

phrases, with the last ‘ku’ containing 7 ‘on’. Although in the Nara period (710–794) and in the very first part of the early Heian period (794–1185), the court favored Chinese-style poetry (the oldest collection of kanshi, the ‘Kaifūsō’, “Fond Recollections of Poetry’, is dated 751; while the ‘Man’yōshū’, “Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves” — the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry, compiled in the Nara period, sometime after the year 759— contains 4,207 tanka, 265 chōka, but only 4 kanshi), shortly afterwards waka poetry definitely superseded kanshi, so much so that Emperor Daigo ordered that the waka of ancient poets and their contemporaries were collected in the first imperial waka anthology, in twenty books, with the first six given to seasonal poems (the ‘Kokin Wakashū’ —”Collection of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poems”— usually abbreviated in ‘Kokinshū’, AD 905). Inasmuch as at that time, only two forms of waka were in use, tanka and chōka (with this second hugely diminished in prominence), the term waka became synonymous with tanka; for such a reason this word fell into disuse until Masaoka Shiki, at the end of the 19th century, revived it (along with the haiku form).

‘Utakotoba’, the standard poetic diction established in the Kokinshū, was considered as the very essence of creating a perfect waka, through a sound unit counts of 31 ‘on’, following the pattern 5–7–5 plus 7–7. Although tanka has evolved over the centuries, its ancient form hasn’t changed and remains the original five units of 5–7–5–7–7 ‘on’/syllables.

Through the centuries, the waka/tanka form has been particularly used for poems between lovers and in diaries; more generally, exchanging waka instead of letters in prose has been a widespread custom, since it is a lyric poem that, through its own flow and rhythm, can express the deepest feelings, emotions and thoughts —it is a kind of ‘painting with words’, that uses references to the natural world as well as to the inner feelings of our everyday life.

From waka, over time, a number of poetry genres developed, such as ‘renga’ (collaborative linked verse). As momentum and popular interest shifted to the renga form —in the Muromachi period (1336–1573)— waka was left to the Imperial court, and all commoners were excluded from the highest levels of waka training. Then, during the Edo period (1603–1868), renga poets were able to express broader humor and wit, through a simplified form of renga, where the use of commonly spoken words was allowed: the new style was called ‘haikai no renga’*, or just ‘haikai’ (*comical linked verse, also called ‘renku’). What was traditionally referred to as ‘hokku’, later called haiku, is the opening stanza, 5–7–5 ‘on’, of a renga/haikai —indeed, the first document to record the word ‘haiku’ is thought to be Hattori Sadakiyo’s ‘Obaeshu’, (1663): it was used as an abbreviated form of “haikai-no-ku” (a verse of haikai).

In the second half of 1600, Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694), firmly committed to the cause of making haikai the equal of waka and renga, elevated this genre and gave it a new popularity. While waka and renga had belonged to the aristocratic world of court poetry and samurai culture, haikai became the genre of choice for commoners. All of the best haikai masters, used mainly the genre to describe nature and human events directly related to it, and stressed on the great significance of the opening stanza —hokku—, to give poetic relevance to such versification.

Hokku, removed from the context of renga and haikai, eventually became the stand-alone 17 ‘on’ (5–7–5) haiku poetry form; Masaoka Shiki (1867–1902), then gave the term ‘haiku’ a special role, so to make it a genre of modern literature in its own right.

By Fabrizio Frosini

For more to learn about poetry Haiku and Tanka and to read  amazing images of poetry, you may guide to download the new release of the poets unite worldwide 

The Masks of Democracy by Anna Banasiak

In fear

they hear their steps

see the faces

in the trains

of thoughts

nationalists

they’re knocking at their door

in the streets of the democratic country

in a world

full of falsehood

words overwhelm

today democracy is a mask

of hypocrisy

power is aggression

in a world

full of populism

stairs without exit

everywhere

they’re hiding

before themselves

fearing of

The Masks

~*~

Anna Banasiak, Poland

— Born in Poland in 1984, I live in Łódź, in the central part of the Country. I’m a poet and

literary critic. You can find me on poemhunter.com, but a number of my poems can be read

also on different websites. I’m interested in Art and psychology.

(This poem is abstracted from the Book of Time To Show Up: Poets For Democracy Poets Unite Worldwide. For more poetry on democracy, you may go to the link here

Image (c) Flicker- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

A Note, A Word, A Brush: Ode To The Arts

Picasso once said, “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” In this work, a collection of short poems in a variety of forms that celebrate the arts are presented: poetry, dance, painting, music, sculpture, theatre, among others. Feel the dust lift and wings sprout as you read. Dehavni’s poem, ‘An Ode To Poetry,’ uses classical forms to describe the effect of poetry on a normal human—we grow wings, we learn to turn copper into gold. Similarly, Sinicrope’s poem, ‘Musicians pass the art of precise execution that springs wings,’ shows how music teachers teach their art so their students can “slip wings on listeners’ backs.”

As if wings weren’t enough—Tatiana Berdennikova shows how an artist turns a blank canvas into a beautiful painting with her poem, ‘The Artist’s Brush.’ Then Negar Gorji weaves a magic spell with her pen in her poem, ‘The Painter.’ She reveals the inner passion, turmoil and loneliness of the painter’s life. She writes, “Sitting in front of an easel like she’s gonna hug it/ Staring long hours at a picture/ That nobody can see…Still, she keeps painting…” Larry Beck reveals the life of a not unhappy poet…a poet that struggles to write. If only Beck had been able to consult with poet Frosini, who explains the true essence of poetry and the role of darkness in bringing this art form to light. Kuncheria shares a poem which describes an ancient Middle Eastern Dance that came to India by way of the silk route, titled, ‘Margamkali Dance’. A poem by Billsborough shows us how the classics intersect, how art is really one form branching out. He writes, “Which medium we use is interwoven/ With strands of other Arts we know/ We cannot stop the inter-flow/ Of memories and of our learning./ Our path is coloured by our aptitude/ Only varied by the outer form permitted by its latitude.” This collection of 48 poems from poets all over the world is a joy to experience. And be sure to read the elegant and engaging Introduction contributed by Daniel Brick. You will not be disappointed.

For Reading and downloading

Fabrizio Frosini

Our Chain, Our Dream part two

As I did for ‘Part One’, I prefer to skip a formal introduction. In its place, I’ve chosen a poem written (again) by Daniel J. Brick —you can read it just below this note—. It is a poem that speaks volumes about the feelings that constitute the basis of this book, too. I also have to mention that the arrangement of the poems in this collection does not follow the usual alphabetical order (according to the poets’ names): in effect I’ve been delighted to accept Pamela Sinicrope’s proposal for a different order. Her words give the right guidance: «I ordered the poems in our collection according to the following loose guidelines: 1. Start and end with a short strong poem; 2. Mix poems by short and long; 3. Link the poems to each other by a word or a theme. This was a challenge, but fun. I enjoyed seeing where poems linked to one another. Some of the links were truly surprising.» Have a nice reading!  Our Chain Our Dream part Two
Fabrizio Frosini
Firenze, March 2017

Our Chain Our Dream (part one)

Through Poetry, as in Daniel Brick’s verse, “… we are together at the edge * / of the Universe, beyond the bend of time,/ at the crystalline source of the Imagination.” [* reference to Fabrizio Frosini’s verse from ‘The Chinese Gardens’]. Yes, it’s true, through Poetry we can experience the sheer “crystalline source of the Imagination.”

To use Daniel Brick’s question: “What difference does it make that we have one more Anthology of Poetry”? Poetry –all kind– is not the best selling subject, is it?

Yet, poetry means a lot to many of us: through poetry we can:

– find “The intricate path for your soul to flow” (Tatiana Berdennikova);

– or even “The buried pieces of our history” (Tom Billsborough);

– “Fly to the moon once monthly” (Judith Blatherwick);

– “Imagine the future, imagine the place” (Galina Italyanskaya);

– “.. tell you a story in paper and paint” (Marianne Larsen Reninger);

– “.. fly together to illuminate this empty sky” (Fethi Sassi);

– “Cleansing and purifying, redeeming all sins” (Neethu Tessa);

– “Dance like a lemur on the island of Madagascar” (Ition -Tze Min- Tsai);

Through Poetry, as in Daniel Brick’s verse, “… we are together at the edge * / of the Universe, beyond the bend of time,/ at the crystalline source of the Imagination.” [* reference to Fabrizio Frosini’s lines: “At the edge of the Universe I live / Beyond the bend of Time.”, ‘The Chinese Gardens’].

Yes, it’s true, through Poetry we can experience the sheer “crystalline source of the Imagination.”

This is a book to try. Our Chain Our Dream part one

Fabrizio Frosini

We All Are Persons: Why Gender Discrimination? Fresh Release

 

One thing that makes ‘gender discrimination’ such an important issue is that it is a worldwide problem – there’s no discrimination on how women are treated as ‘second class citizens’ in almost all cultures. Every day you would come across stories about atrocities committed against women. Some of such injustices are very overt, like physical and sexual abuse; while others are more ‘subtle’, like telling women that they are ‘ goddesses’ and ‘ princesses’, and thus, they must not pursue careers in, say armed forces. Misogyny comes in many “flavors”, each of them unacceptable.
However, as a society, we tend to have a very thick skin when it comes to noticing the injustices women suffer. Unless and until it is some really horrible crime like rape and/or murder, we tend to ignore the plight of women. Thus, there is almost no outrage about “small” acts of misogyny – someone is cat calling a woman on the streets? “Honey, take it as a compliment”. Women being forced to wear (or not to wear) certain types of clothes? “My dear, that’s just a part of a culture”. Unfortunately, this attitude, which we often describe as “normal”, later on takes the shape of victim blaming, and a general form of incredulity towards the claims of women about injustices – “Well, she must have provoked him: good girls don’t get raped”.
But, I ask you, do you ever hear someone blaming the victim for other crimes? Do you ever hear a pedestrian getting blamed for being hit by a car? I mean, after all, they were walking on the streets, sort of ‘asking’ to be hit by a car (?!). Nope, it’s only with women that the victims are blamed for the crime.
At the root of this prejudice is a culture that essentially belittles and subjugate women through various “norms” that are born out of obsolete ideals, moralities, and at times even the “Law of the land”. A woman’s “femininity” is determined by a patriarchal society, that bullies, torments, at times “destroy” women who do not fall into the “normal” criterion of femininity defined by them. You can look at how women who are not straight are treated in almost all cultures, as such women no longer remain a ‘commodity’ to be owned by men, but independent identities, with their own “desire”.
Any discussion on gender discrimination is incomplete without having a few words on how religions across the globe generally are misogynistic. A point previously made in this ‘note’ about victim blaming has a lot to do with religions and religious morality. The idea that injustices against women happen only when they ‘transgress’ certain ‘boundaries’ set for them, comes heavily from religious scriptures. Even today, in the 21st century, we can easily find a consensus on the religious fundamentalists that women should be blamed and punished for crimes committed against them.
Finally, the representation of women, in media and popular culture too, is at best “problematic”. Rampant sexual objectification, and representation of the “ideal” female body (slim, perfect, flawless) have been argued to have been behind from anorexia to psychological disorders in women.
This gripping compilation of poems by 90 poets from 45 countries, worldwide, is a praiseworthy “collective tale” on gender discrimination. While many readers may well be aware of these issues, for those who might not, I hope this collection will be a starting point, from where they will educate themselves further and contribute to eradicate these injustices. Women are said to be “half of the sky”, but it is high time for them to properly own their part.

Souren Mondal, India

For more and to read online

Voices without veils by Poets Unite Worldwide

‘Voices without veils’ is a very interesting book, that will enrich your poetic culture. A book that any reader who loves poetry should not miss.

“I’m leaving / To start playing / In the new mask” (Anna Banasiak, Poland)

“The Clouds and its rays / Absorbing the mists of yesterday” (Tom Billsborough, UK)

“Some are born like paper dolls / Hand-drawn and made with scars” (Mayjorey Buendia, The Philippines)

“Travelers sat by its side and then walked away / Leaving their pain behind” (Asavri Dhillon, India)

“but the time is running away from me / the universe was a bright spring, a burning rainbow” (Istvan Dan Uriel Molnar, Sweden)

“the blade was not sharp. / the cutting not done / they kept cutting, / cutting” (Souren Mondal, India)

“When the icebox that shields my heart is now a glacial tomb / a memoir of bridges burned along the way” (Anitah Muwanguzi, Uganda)

“There is no war, there is no pain, and there is no bloody battle. / She plays a flute and dances with perpetual light.” (Marcondes Pereira, Brazil)

“Time knows no beginning or end / Old Buildings wave and wend, / And the words live on in the wind..” (Marianne Larsen Reninger, USA)

“For me concept has its initiator, / I’m colourless, / Colour is in my vision.” (Anzelyne Shideshe, Kenya)

“The World is still old / With lines drawn by guns” (Udaya R. Tennakoon, Sri Lanka)

‘Poets Unite Worldwide’ represents, in my mind, an invitation and an appeal (: Poets worldwide, unite!), and it is more an open group of poets, an ‘independent community’, than a formal association, made up of about one hundred and fifty (up to now) free minds and spirits. Although living in different countries and continents, we all feel a kinship, being part of this poetic drive for worldwide peace and brotherhood. In such a way, we work together for the highest purposes, as all mankind should do. I can say that ‘Poets Unite Worldwide’ was born, in its extended form, in the Autumn of 2015, when I invited tens and tens of poets, worldwide, to join me in writing a poetry compilation on (against) terror, in response to the bloody Paris events of November 13, 2015.

For more details, the book is available here

By Fabrizio Frosini

By Land & By Seas: Poetry for the Refugees

by Fabrizio Frosini (Author), Pamela Sinicrope (Author), Galina Italyanskaya (Author), Kelly Kurt (Author), Souren Mondal (Author), Udaya Tennakoon (Author), Alexandro Acevedo Johns (Author), Kenneth Maswabi (Author), Harith I. Turki (Author), Daniel J. Brick (Introduction)

“In a strife ridden world it is incumbent on the part of a poet to dwell upon social issues like war, corruption, poverty, refugee influx etc. He should hold a mirror to life and its sufferings and joys and strive to bring each one’s life a trifle closer to the worth and meaning of man’s existence on this Earth. Only by exposing the injustices and absurdities of society and voicing against them, we can reduce the gloom that permeates the lives of many in our society. Refugees who are thrown out of the orbits of their lives have a life and death struggle before them. Let the world realize that all are rightful heirs to the bounties of the world and everyone has a right to lead a dignified life.” (Valsa George Nedumthallil)

« Voiceless, I now speak to myself
And voiceless I speak to you, also —You,
Who are listening to me through your empty
Eyes »

This book is for all those who are forced to leave their homes and their countries because of persecution and wars (F.Frosini)

~*~

A ‘Refugee’ is a person who flees to another country to escape being persecuted for their religion or politics, or to escape war.

According to UNHCR, the agency of the United Nations set up to aid, protect, and monitor refugees, at the end of 2015 the total number of “forcibly displaced” worldwide was 59.5 million —almost equal to the Italian population.

“During the year 2015, conflict and persecution forced an average of 42,500 persons per day to leave their homes and seek protection elsewhere, either within the borders of their countries or in other countries. 51% of refugees were under 18 years old —the highest figure for child refugees in more than a decade.” [UNHCR]

 

Know Where To Go by Pamela Sinicrope

 

I’m Rich
Beautiful
Clever
Popular

When I wake each morning
I see every possibility
Make a million choices

_________________________________

I’m Poor
Dirty
Illiterate
Starving

 

While I sleep
My stomach churns
I fear for my safety

What do we know of each other?
How does the pain of unmet desires
Compare to the pain of unmet needs?

Can a warm blanket
An unspoken look
Or a freehand
Restore the balance?

We avert our eyes
Walk along opposite
Ends of the tightrope

There’s only room for one

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/know-where-to-go/

Sinhala Version of the poem:

දන්නේ කොහේ යන්නද – Know Where To Go – Poem by Pamela Sinicrope
By Udaya R. Tennakoon
http://www.poemhunter.com/udaya-r-tennakoon-2/

මම
පියකරුය. ධනවත්ය
නැණවත්ය. පසිඳුය
හැමතින්ම සපිරුණිය
උදෑසන අවදිව
කළ හැකි සෑම දේ දකිමි
මිලියනයක් තේරීම් කරමි

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මම.
කිළිටිය. දිළිඳුය
නූගත්ය. අදිසිය
කුස ගින්නේ පෙළෙමි!
රෑ දෑස් පියන විට
මගේ උදරය කෑගසයි
මගේ සුරැකුම ගැන බියෙනි

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අපි එකිනෙකා ගැන දන්නේ කිමැයි
අපව ජීවත් කරවන අපගේ රහස් කිමැයි
මාස්ලෝගේ අවශ්‍යතා න්‍යාය ඉක්ම ගොස්ද නැතිනම් පාරභෞතික වේදනාව සමාන ද
සැබැවින්ම අපට මිතුරන් විය හැකිද
උණුසුම් පොරෝණයක්, නිහඬ බැල්මක්
නැතිනම් නිදහස් අතක්
තුලනය සපුරයිද
ඔවුන් අපෙන් සොරකම් කරගත්?

අපි අපේ දෑස් වෙනතක හරවා විරුද්ධ මග දිගේ ඇවිදිමු
කරණම් වැල්පොටේ අවසන
කෙනෙකුට ඉඩක් ඇත.

පමෙලා සිනික්‍රෝප්

Greek Version of the poem:

Εχω Επιλογες { Know Where To Go By Pamela Sinicrope} – Poem by dimitrios galanis
http://www.poemhunter.com/dimitrios-galanis/

Eίμ’ ωραίος.
΄Ομορφος, Πλούσιος
΄Εξυπνος. Δημοφιλής.
Πολυχορτασμένος.
Σαν ξυπνάω το πρωί
χίλια δυο μπορώ να περιμένω.
΄Εχω χλιάδες επιλογές.

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Είμαι
λερωμένη, φτωχή,
αγράμματη, αφανής.
Πεθαίνω της πείνας.
Σαν πάω για ύπνο τη νύχτα
το στομάχι μου στριφογυρίζει.
Φοβάμαι θα χαθώ.

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Τί ξέρει ο ένας μας για τον άλλον:
Ποια τα μυστικά που μας κρατάνε ζωντανούς;
Συμπίπτει ο μεταφυσικός πόνος με τις ανάγκες του Μάσλοου;
τις υπερβαίνει;
Μπορούμε στ’ αλήθεια φίλοι να γενούμε;
Μπορεί μια ζεστή κουβέρτα, μια σιωπηλή ματιά
ένα χέρι βοηθείας
ν’ αποκαταστήσει την ισορροπία
που μας στερούνε;

Αποστρέφουμε τα μάτια μας
και βαδίζουμε αντίθετα
πιασμένοι στις άκρες τεντωμένου σχοινιού.

Χώρος υπάρχει μονάχα για έναν.

This is Pamela Sinicrope´s   poem in the anthology, Poet’s Against Inequality.https://www.amazon.com/Poets-Against-Inequalit…/…/B01FRAHVVI

 

Poets Against Inequality – Extended Edition: Poets Unite Worldwide

by Fabrizio Frosini (Author), Pamela Sinicrope (Author), Kelly Kurt (Author), Galina Italyanskaya(Author), Souren Mondal (Author), Udaya Tennakoon (Author), Kenneth Maswabi (Author), Petra Soliman (Author), Marianne Larsen Reninger (Author), Daniel Brick (Introduction)

This is the extended edition of the book ‘Poets Against Inequality’, with an introduction by Daniel J. Brick and commentaries on all the 73 poems.
~*~
I doubt there is any concept more frequently affirmed in principle and more frequently violated in practice than ‘Equality’.
This is exactly what Oxfam, in its report ”An Economy for the 1%”, shows us. And although world leaders have increasingly talked about the need to tackle inequality, the gap between the richest and the rest of mankind has widened dramatically in 2015. Such an ‘explosion’ in the wealth of the super-rich has come at the expense of the majority and particularly the poorest people.
Today, just 62 ultra-rich people have as much wealth as the bottom 50% of humanity.
”Instead of an economy that works for the prosperity of all, for future generations, and for the planet, we have instead created an economy for the 1%,” (from Oxfam report).
What we want to get, through this poetry compilation, is to add our voice to those other unequivocal voices that denounce such an absolute lack of equality in our society, and make all such voices resonate in the conscience of all people of goodwill.
The poems collected in this book belong in what is called “Poetry of Witness”, and we believe that this is a task that all of us, as poets, have a moral obligation to pursue, because we can’t accept to live in a world where extreme poverty is so widespread and sheer inequality is the norm.

By Fabrizio Frosini

To download :https://www.amazon.com/Poets-Against-Inequality-Extended-Worldwide-ebook/dp/B01FRAHVVI