"Favorite Tanka"
                Essays from TSA Publications

Introduction by Michael Dylan Welch, TSA Founder and Past President

An ongoing column, first in the Tanka Society of America's quarterly newsletter and now in Ribbons has been the selection and discussion by members of some of their favorite tanka. Poems have come from various sources and have focused mainly on English language tanka and occasionally on translations from the Japanese. This column has engaged our members and highlighted many excellent tanka, and we are pleased to present a selection of these columns here. More columns will be added as we obtain permissions, so check back regularly.

In having Tanka Society of America members contribute to this column, I've asked that selected poems be at least a year old and that they write about 200 to 300 words (though this has varied) on what they think make the poem work well as a tanka as well as how the poem reverberated for them or surprised them. The poems have ranged widely in topic and tone, and the commentators have done a fine job in telling personal responses to the poems or in unpacking the techniques the poet used to make the tanka succeed. Together, these brief columns make for an educational and enjoyable exploration of a growing number of excellent poems.

And you can read more--each new issue of Ribbons carries an additional "Favorite Tanka" contribution. If you are not a TSA member, please consider joining today so you can read these and other columns each quarter.  See "How to Become a Member" for more information. Enjoy!

--Michael Dylan Welch

From the TSA Quarterly Newsletter (2000-2004)

Vol. II. No. 4  "the wind-blown clouds" by Brian Tasker
                       Essay by Michael Dylan Welch

Vol. III. No. 1  "Fog rolls in" by Pat Shelley
                       Essay by Paul O. Williams

Vol. III. No. 2  "how many people" by Tom Clausen
                         Essay by H. F. Noyes

Vol. III. No. 2  "At the wedding" by Miriam Sagan
                         Essay by Amelia Fielden

Vol. III. No. 3  "incoming tide" by Janice M. Bostock
                         Essay by Karina Young

Vol. III. No. 4   "this credit card" by Zane Parks
                         Essay by Michael Dylan Welch

Vol. IV. No. 1   "blowing winds of storm" by Shinkei
                         Essay by Raffael de Gruttola

Vol. IV. No. 2   "wanting my old life" by Tom Clausen
                         Essay by Sanford Goldstein

Vol. IV. No. 2   "far more often" by Cherie Hunter Day
                         Essay by Brian Tasker

Vol. IV. No. 3   "I tasted him" by Renee Gregorio
                         Essay by Merrill Ann Gonzales

Vol. IV. No. 4  "fearing" by Ishikawa Takuboku
                         Essay by Peggy Heinrich

RIBBONS

Vol. 1, No. 1   "almost home"  New update!
                        Essay by Jeanne Emrich
             

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