I have been known to dabble in Japanese style poetry from time to time; mainly Haiku. Recently, I came across a colleague who dares to publish his “Tanka Theology.”
Tanka dates back about thirteen centuries, and it predates Haiku (which was a derivative). Tanka is often written in the present tense capturing the moment, known for its vivid language, generally has a pivot point in the third verse, and exhibits a distinct syllabic rhythm (5-7-5-7-7).
To please and appease my cousin, the Teacher, here is a Tanka that I wrote this morning at sunrise. It was inspired by the verse of the day from biblegateway.com: Psalm 119:114
Dark world encircles
Vane divisions hem me in
People are not safe!
Your words are a hiding place
Your luminance comforts me.
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