Culture: Poetry
If you have never heard of Haiku or Tanka then you are in for a treat.


 
 





 



Early, 5th and 6th century poetry was recorded in the Man'yoshu, a collection compiled by Otomo-no-Yakamochi, containing thousands of poems from both men and women of all classes. Waka, were short poems of four or eight lines.
Poetry reciting competitions were popular with ladies of the court and nobles who were expected to be skilled in the improvisation of poems. Written messages were usually in this form or made reference to a particular famous line, often from Chinese poems.
The Kokinshu is a noted collection of poems from the Heian (794-1185) period,
compiled by Ki-no-Tsurayuki.

Haiku
represent the shortest but most evocative of unrhymed verse which developed at the end of the Edo period. Zen inspired, topics are generally concerned with nature and emotions, condensed and pure.
Leading exponents of this 200 year old form were: Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) Yosa Buson Takahama Kyoshi (1874-1959) Masuoka Shiki (1867-1902) Kobayashi Issa
Traditional Japanese haiku comprise just three lines of 5-7-5 syllables. There are usually two descriptive elements which have been condensed to their essence of noun & verb. A seasonal word is often employed to apply a feeling of the time for which the haiku speaks; this could be as obvious as ‘winter’ or perhaps, ‘frost’.
Now the swinging bridge
Is quieted with creepers …
Like our tendrilled life.
Basho		 Looking for the moon
In a lonely autumn sky
- mountain castle lights

Tanka
was the standard poetic form during the Heian period. They were written in five lines of thirty-one syllables: 5 + 7 (1st unit), then 5 (pivotal line) and 7 + 7 ( 2nd unit).
At the present time,
Since I could bring no offering,
See Mount Tamuke!
Here are brocades of red leaves,
As a tribute to the gods.
Sugawara no Michizane 		The rooster's crowing
In the middle of the night
Deceived the hearers;
But at Osaka's gateway
The guards are never fooled.
Lady Sei Shonagon

... Haiku ... Tanka