Series of Tanka

Music

Musical notes filled
With the messages of love
Take on new meaning
When sung loudly by drunken
Men who whistle at young girls

 

Confrontations in the Library

Fresh laundered clothes fill

The dryer that I acquire
I’m emptying it 
When their owner enters and
Screams at me to: “Step off, b***h.”

 

Peaches

He bit into the 

Tasty peach whilst picking flowers

Along a stream that

Housed a beaver’s dam across

From the cucumber market

 

Strained

His shoulder blades strained 

Under the weight of her life

He felt her breathing

Slow down as he made his leaps

He prayed that she would make it

 

Run

Her head was foggy

Her clothes a mess. Her thoughts

Came back slowly with

Hints of pain and tears, she cries

Realizes, and the she runs

 

Smiles, Wrinkles, and Hands

Holding hands they walk

A love grown stronger by the

Influence of time

Matching wrinkles and their smiles

Bring them closer together

 

Diamonds and Hotel Rooms

The diamonds on her 

Fingers spoke of a richer 

King of life compared

To this dirt motel room

Which is paid by the hour

 

Long and Spindly Fingers

Sunrise stretches its

Long and spindly fingers which

Deftly pick apart

The night, banishing all fear

Darkness retreats into sleep

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

In my creative writing class last year I had to write a series of Tanka poems, which is similar to Haiku. These are my favorite ones. It should also be known that I wrote all of these at about 3 in the morning.