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Category: Tanka
Signs of Autumn
Even though summer has not yet reached its height, perhaps because of the typhoon, last night was cool and carried a hint of autumn. Come to think of it, the daytime heat was dry t…
The Nikkei Newspaper, Kunio Tsukamoto, Takashi Okai, and Junichi Watanabe
The Nikkei is an interesting newspaper. Today’s Nikkei features Kunio Tsukamoto on both the front page and the final page. On the front page, the “Shunju” column discusses hi…
Kunio Tsukamoto, Tanka Poet and Standard-Bearer of Avant-Garde Tanka, Dies
Kunio Tsukamoto, a leading figure in modern tanka, has died. It feels as though an era has ended. At hand now, I have only “Ryokushoku Kenkyū” and “Nihonjin Reika.” I must also hav…
Wandering in a Fleeting World
Since I wander in this fleeting world, the days that have passed lie beyond the mist.
Pope John Paul 2 Has Died
Today, many things have made me think about death. Pope John Paul 2 has died. For me, who had no connection with Catholicism when I lived in Japan, he was the Pope. When he came to…
Hearing of a Death, I Boil De Cecco
Hearing of a death, I boil De Cecco; looking out the window, sunlight spills over the cherry tree next door. I read on Mayumi’s blog that a close friend of hers had passed away. It…
Words That Fall Scattering as They Ask Forever
Because Ameblo had been closed for a while for renewal, I visited “Kaze Maria” for the first time in a long time and found the following tanka poems. The leaves of words, asking fo…
Why I Am Not a Tanka Poet
I have written this before, but I do not think of myself as a tanka poet. The reason is simple: I have studied far too little. I have not properly read the Man’yōshū, the Kok…