short poetry – Almost An Author

Giving Thanks

There are many ways to show gratitude and writing a Thanksgiving poem is the way many have expressed themselves over the years.

“The New England Boy’s Song About Thanksgiving Day” written by Lydia Maria Child in 1844, is one of the most well-known poems of thanksgiving. (Although, you might recognize it as the song “Over the River and Through the Wood,” published in 1897.)

The poem describes a sleigh-ride through the snow. It begins with, “Over the river, and through the wood to grandfather’s house we go”.

Other well-known Thanksgiving poems include: “The Pumpkin” by John Greenleaf Whittier (1850); “No. 814” by Emily Dickinson; “Fire Dreams” by Carl Sandburg; and “Thanksgiving Time” by Langston Hughes.

The Bible also has thanksgiving verses, many of them poems. The books of poetry are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
This year as you prepare for Thanksgiving why don’t you try your hand at writing a Thanksgiving poem.

Give Thanks in Everything
by Darlo Gemeinhardt

You see dirty dishes in the sink,

But I see the wonderful meal we had.

You see dog hair on the couch and floor,

But I see pets offering unconditional love.

You see piles of dirty clothes to wash,

But I see we have clothes to wear.

You see an old crippled body,

But I see someone who has had a long life.

You see kids who need a bath,

But I see the future.

You see the overall messiness and confusion,

But I see family.

You see the need to hurry away,

But I see the need to give thanks.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

Today we are going to look at another short form of Japanese poetry known as tanka. The short form of this poetry, much like haiku, is great for any level poet, but especially beginners.

Tanka and haiku are technically different forms of poetry, but they are related. Some poets see tanka as an extended haiku because the first three lines take the same form. But others would disagree and maintain that they are two very distinct forms.

One difference concerning tanka is that the last two lines are 7 syllables each, making it a 5-line poem. Therefore it contains the syllabic pattern of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7.

Moreover tanka poems generally focus on a specific object or event to convey a mood or emotion through imagery and figurative language. In other words, the poems cover a broader field of subjects (not only nature) and can include some reflection as well.

The Shadow Poetry website offers a great explanation and examples of tanka.

As I noted before concerning haiku, be aware that tanka originated from Japanese culture so the form may be perceived and written a little differently in English. Obviously, I am explaining the English guidelines for writing these types of poems.

However, if you’re interested, Shadow Poetry covers some of the cultural and language differences. They also offer a host of resources for writing many kinds of poetry.

Now I’ll share my own tanka poem that started out as a haiku.

Purple irises

with proudly tall and green stalks

stand near the water.

Grass carpets the water’s edge.

And I, a lowly clover.

Honestly, I wrote this during a break at a writing conference while sitting by a pond surrounded by beautiful flowers. I was reflecting on how we can be easily discouraged and intimidated when surrounded by superstar writers or poets. So through imagery, personification and metaphor I attempted to convey that sense of inferiority.

Here are some tips to help you craft your own tanka:

*Try writing a haiku first and then adding the last two lines as reflection on your subject

*Use concrete images (relating to the five senses) that allow the reader to experience what you’ve experienced

*Choose vivid verbs and nouns but don’t forget to count syllables!

This article also has a great description, tips and examples for writing tanka.

[bctt tweet=”Short and sweet. Learn to write tanka poems. #poetry #poets”]

Now it’s your turn.

Next time when you are outside enjoying the beautiful weather or if you experience a meaningful event, jot down notes about it. Then see if you can transform that experience and emotion into a beautiful tanka to share with others.

Feel free to post your poems or questions in the comments below!