Butterfly Kite Tanka

a slow descent

of his butterfly kite

toward the ground

I see in my nephew's eyes

the ten-year-old me

Tanka Origins, 3, 2020

Editor's (an'ya's) Commentary: Chen-ou-Liu, what can I say but another wonderful tanka by a poet I've always admired. He has a great way of putting words together in five lines to make a complete story for his readers, and this one is no exception. He has very skillfully incorporated himself into the tanka, but as a 10 year old boy via his nephew. As i said, a wonderful tanka Chen-ou!

Night News on Mute Tanka

night news on mute ...

I look out at the stars

breathe in

the silence of a world

longing for tenderness

Tanka Origins, 4, 2020

Furrowed Face Tanka

Editor’s Commentary: Thanks to Chen-ou for yet another classic tanka I had tucked away for an EC also. An old relationship, not only in the many years spend apart, but also in the visuals. Using the word "furrows" for the first line, immediately captures the mystical expression and loneliness (yugentei). The mood is further enhanced by the couple passing each other in silence. 

Attic World Tanka

last light
on the horizon ...
snowflakes drift
into the silence
of my attic world

Tanka Origins, 1, 2019

Editor's Commentary: Leave it to a well known tanka poet Chen-ou to always create “atmosphere” in his tanka, as well as give us superb visuals. This is the kind of tanka you can step right into literally. Upon reading I was immediately enjoying the silence of that attic world right alongside this author watching that “last light on the horizon”; this tanka makes good use of bringing nature indoors.

Remnants of Darkness Tanka

winter sun 
scatters the remnants
of darkness
my way home seems
longer and lonelier

Tanka Origins, 1, 2019

Editor's Commentary: Another wonderful visual tanka (lines one through three) from Chen-ou, becoming a statement tanka in lines four and five. Only an experienced writer can accomplish this correctly. Not as easy as it sounds, because the first part must be deeply enhanced by the second part. The final line with the words “longer and lonelier” accomplishes this, and also provides us with “l” sounds that will linger beyond the read...