Tanka Poetry – Prepare for a Weather Surprise
sun breaking through clouds
storm approaching from the north
prepare for more rain
a new day brings surprises
the harshness of nature shows
Tanka poetry consists of five units, usually with the following pattern of – 5-7-5-7-7 which is syllables.
The first three lines (5/7/5) are the upper phase. This upper stage is where you create an image in your reader’s mind.
The last two lines (7/7) of a Tanka poem are called the lower phase. The final two lines should express the poet’s ideas about the image that was created in the three lines above.